To ask for the rest of the chicken?

[startwig1982]

I recently went over to a friend's house after dinner and she and her DH had had roast chicken plus the trimmings.

While she was making cups of tea, she started to bag up the rest of the chicken and the carcass to go in the bin! There was at least half a chicken left and so I expressed my astonishment at her throwing it away.

Apparently she never keeps leftovers and always bins whatever is left, even if it's half a roast!
So I asked her if I could have it instead. She said yes but was a bit about it, but I couldn't bear all that going to waste when you could get another 2 meals out of it. So WIBU?

[Isitjustmeorisiteveryoneelse]

I find food waste distasteful for so many reasons. I've had a 'Please place food waste in the food waste bin next time' sticker on my landfill bin for the last three collections running, purely because, presumably, I don't put the food waste bin out. I don't put the food waste bin out because I DONT HAVE FOOD WASTE! ARGGHHH!
Firstly, I cook from scratch so no ready meal leftovers, secondly we're veggie so any veggie peelings etc go on the compost pile at the end of the garden (as do eggshells and tea bags and coffee grinds). IF there's ever any rice or pasta or cooked veg left that can't be used for something else (and it's a big IF believe me) it goes in the dog's bowls as it's perfectly healthy for them and IF there's ever any stale bread/cake etc it goes out, crumbled mind, for the birds and deer (and lets face it, the foxes, though we're rural, so no need for conniptions). I fully expect that next time I put the landfill out it won't be emptied because it won't be accompanied by the food waste bin. I look forward to the Serco rep sorting through my landfill to try to find the food, there won't be any but there will be a hell of a lot of dog poo bags.

[Cromwell1536]

I think I recall the sainted Nigella saying that she asks her friends for their chicken carcasses at lunch/dinner so that she build up her stash in the freezer for stock more rapidly. So if it's good enough for her...

Mind you, she and Charles Saatchi did also manage to misplace £300k or thereabouts when their domestic staff were spending money like water on the credit card. So I'm not sure I believe Nigella's tales of thriftiness.

Oh, and OP: I always save my carcasses for stock, make risotto etc with the leftovers, and I don't waste food. But I think would hesitate to ask a mate for food she was about to throw away. Not rational, I know. I think it's something to do with not wanting to draw attention to a difference in values, maybe? She might think I was judging her for being, in my eyes, wasteful. And I might think she was judging me for being pushy and, I dunno, vulgar in not respecting boundaries. After all, are we not fond, on Mumnet, of saying, 'my house, my rules'?

[greenworm]

If it's a close friend I think it's fine! No harm done.

[SherbrookeFosterer]

Take it home.

Make a chicken risotto and a soup with the carcass, put it all in fancy pots and boxes and send it back to her.

It might encourage her to think more sensibly!

[AnnoyedinJanuary]

Totally different reply here - but at one stage that chicken was alive - had feelings and probably lived on a factory farm for the 6 miserable weeks it was alive and had to face the horrors and God know what else - of the slaughter house - (we've all seen the secret videos of what really goes on with animals before they are slaughtered) and so if they are to be killed - then at least do them the honour of eating everything. Your friend is one of the reasons there is an "animal genocide" (Michael Mansfield QC) going on. Good for you for asking - let her think what she likes.

[pollymere]

I'd have confessed my mucky habit of picking at the carcass/remaining chicken whilst watching Call the Midwife 😅 Good for you. It would bu if you'd asked to take home food she'd planned to use later but rescuing stuff before it ends up in the bin sounds fine to me. I know I've taken leftovers, and stuff I've brought, home from parties after casually asking the hostess if I could have something destined for the bin. They always seemed relieved but a little are you sure? I wouldn't worry over much about it. You might get offered stuff next time!

[MiniMum97]

It's not odd at all. She was going to stick it in the bin so why would she have a problem giving it to you. I hate food waste and would have asked for it too. Food waste is a massive issue and we should all do what we can to reduce it. Well done you!

[hallgreenmiss]

SpreadYourHappiness You don't care, but I care about having my council tax pay for disposal of your excessive waste.

[MsJamieFraser]

Each to their own, I wouldn't have, however I don't eat left over meat.

[cherish123]

If she was throwing it away - I am sure she would not mind.

[BertrandRussell]

"Each to their own, I wouldn't have, however I don't eat left over meat"

Why not?

[Foldedtshirt]

Annoyed my feelings exactly.

[Properjob]

Glad to hear someone else does this I was horrified to see practically a whole turkey (minus some breast meat) going to the bin at my SILs one Xmas years ago. It went in the freezer instead and made us at least two of the best meals of the year at home (I love turkey stew). They're from Yorkshire too...unbelievable!!!

[2017SoFarSoGood]

good for you OP. Brave and smart to ask.

I do not eat chicken nor do I particularly care for them as a creature nasty pecky beady-eyed looking things but I cannot bear that they give up their sad little lives for so little.

Leftover challenges can be such fun! Hope you can inspire your friend to join in at some point.

[BionicMercenary]

Jeeze... id take the leftovers and my friends would know id want them if they didn't... i also take veg peelings to feed my animals... my friends know me well enough now to save them for me

[kateandme]

no no no no this is all kinds of wrong!leftover chicken is one of the best bits.cold chicken sandwhiches.bubble and squeak.all sorts.plus its sat in the fridge so all the fatty goodness is much better

[Weedsnseeds1]

I have a friend who will roast a chicken, cut off breast meat and then bin the rest of the chicken and the SKIN FROM THE BREAST. Because"it doesn't taste nice". I almost burst into tears. You have convinced me, I will demand she hands it over to me next time!

[morningconstitutional2017]

I wouldn't have asked for the leftovers myself but I would be astonished at the waste. I wonder, does she sometimes complain about not having enough to make ends meet? Maybe not, but if so this would be an obvious place to start.
MY MIL (who is an awkward old biddy at the best of times) who came through the war would be raging about this.

[BertrandRussell]

"have a friend who will roast a chicken, cut off breast meat and then bin the rest of the chicken and the SKIN FROM THE BREAST. Because"it doesn't taste nice".

I genuinely think I couldn't stay friends with someone who did this...........

[BertrandRussell]

But one of my mother's many catch sentences was "Wicked waste makes woeful want"

[CorporalNobbyNobbs]

The thing is I don't even think of roast chicken left over as 'leftovers', they are as nice as the roast! Chicken sandwiches!!

[theworldaccordingtome]

Does bulimia fall into this category of horrific waste (as well as tragic mental illness, and the person needing help of course) to you?

[Bluntness100]

IMO, saying "food waste doesn't bother me at all" is a bit like saying "it's fine to be rude to old people because it doesn't actually hurt them" or "I'm ok with vandalising buses, they still run, what's the problem?"

[SukeyTakeItOffAgain]

theworldaccordingtome FFS please don't try and start an argument about eating disorders. That would be the most ridiculous example of someone trying to find offence ever.

[theworldaccordingtome]

Not offended or trying to find offence. I have done what the OP did and she shouldn't worry about it.