To not understand people that dont eat leftovers?

[Eliza9917]

I've seen a lot of people say this, and wondered why? What could eating leftovers possibly do to you? Is it a fear of poverty in some way?

My sister knew a girl that would roast a chicken for Sunday dinner and only eat the breasts and throw the rest away. To me, that's madness, I'd get at least 2-3 dinners and a soup out of a large chicken.

Guinea pigs are handy for salad waste

If I've cooked too much food I'll normally portion up the extra straight out of cooking pan to put in freezer.

If I have any worries that something may be getting s bit out of date or sometimes I've cooked and played good that doesn't get eaten - in those cases I feed it to the dog

Trying, i would cover it now, and it it in the fridge when it is cool but not cold.

I always try to warm something up in a dish that it completely fills so it cooks evenly rather than drying out at the eges.

Having a combi microwave, I can't help you on the time, as I tend to microwave and cook at the same time so that it heats up without drying up.

2 days is fine, for 3 or more i would freeze it tonight and then thaw, but that's just what i do.

Played good = plated food

@Imissgmichael. Thank you for your comment. At the moment it seems like my children are taking after DH.

It isn't healthy for children to have a parent setting the example of not trusting perfectly safe food like 2-day-old cake. It must be ruinously expensive to keep buying new food when the food already in the house is perfectly safe and good to eat. And that's before we even start on the environmental implications.

Poor old chickens. Sent off for slaughter and half the flesh ending up in landfill. I can't get my head round why you would buy a whole chicken if you're only going to eat the breast. Baffling. It takes a lot longer to cook a whole chicken than just roast, grill or fry the breasts, so you're using more fuel too.

I cook many things intending them for leftovers! Pork roast= pulled pork,
Beef roast= French onion soup
Chicken roast= pie
Italian food is better the next day.
I use "long term" planning for many meals. I hate waste and what i don't/can't use goes to dogs and cats. ....or dh for lunch

I would refrigerate it when it’s only slightly warm, or about a couple of hours after it came out of the oven. I would cover with foil or climgfilm. I’d reheat it at 160 or 170 (fan) until it’s piping hot. Maybe about 20 min, but it’s different from dish to dish. Probably uncovered so that the pastry wouldn’t be soggy, but I’d watch it to avoid the pastry burning.

@Bittermints I do understand I'm not setting a good example for my children but I can't change the way I think of food

Have you considered trying to get counselling, Hushhush? It must be so limiting for you and your family. I'm not being snippy, I'm genuinely concerned by what you've said on this thread.

@trying

1, When the pie has cooled to room temperature, cover it with cling film and put it in the coldest part of the fridge, which should be below 5c.

2, Reheat it until it’s piping hot all the way through in either in the oven (180 sounds about right) or microwave. Cover with a lid or foil in the oven.

3, If your fridge is properly cold, it will be fine for 3-4 days.

OMG - I love this topic - seems to really divide people. Both my father and my husband's relatives have an issue with leftovers. In my book they are CRAZY. Leftovers are FANTASTIC. I have 2 small kids and a full time job - I cook meals from scratch about 4-5 times a week and I have to say there are nights when I am just too tired to be bothered cooking and then I remember the veggie chilli/bolognaise/Curry/cottage pie that I cooked 2 nights ago and often it tastes better the second time round.

I deliberately cook too much - so I can have it for lunch the next day or later in the week (sometimes I freeze it)- it's like a free meal - all the hardwork is done - I know what went in it so I am not tempted by really processed food.

If you aren't embracing leftovers you are missing a trick. Both your energy saved as well as the planets - it is a no-brainer.

I have NEVER been ill from leftovers. I don't have time to be ill.

No one in my house eats chicken legs so they either go in the bin or the meat is taken off and given to the dog. I don’t like left overs. Most foods don’t taste as nice a day later and I worry about bacteria. I suffer with IBS and it doesn’t take much to make me ill. I would never eat a ready meal and I’m fussy about where I eat. I’m well aware that I’m awkward but that’s my right. Luckily I have an equally awkward husband

I don't tend to eat leftovers (gross word, reminds me of slops) as I just cook the actual amount of food I want to eat

I associate the word with the types of people who call things 'yummy', or 'cook from scratch'. All these words/people make me feel a little queasy.

So why do you buy a whole chicken, Chocolate? I just don't get this at all. If you don't like chicken legs why on earth would you buy them?

@Bittermints the way I am with food does not affect my children or DH, we had roast chicken yesterday that I ate and my husband made curry today with the leftovers, they all had that and I ended up making myself something different once they want to bed.

I could never go counselling, I can never bring myself to talk about my problems face to face with anyone, I have tried (not about food tho) amount of times I've booked in with doctors, I get there and I will talk about something completely different instead....

I purposely make some meals slightly bigger by bulking them out so that there are left overs for the evenings I work because I won’t be at home to cook.
I add diced carrots to my bolognaise, extra rice and veg in a risotto etc.
By the time dh finishes work at 5pm and collects our dd from childcare there’s not much time for him to prep and cook a meal, it would be 6.30/7pm before they ate dinner and dd usually goes to bed at 7pm. Times tables and reading also need to be done!
I don’t like to keep meals in the fridge for longer than 2 days though so sometimes I’ll freeze them then defrost in the fridge over night the night before needed. We’ve never had food poisoning! I have friends that keep leftovers for much longer!

Just because an armchair psychologist diagnoses 'OCD or some kind of phobia' doesn't mean we shouldn't challenge someone's behaviour.

Please do consider using a food sharing app such as Olio. As Ottolenghi says 'one man's trash can be another man's treasure, and the by-product from one food can be perfect for making another'.

Challenging someone’s behaviour will make fuck all difference unless they want to or have some motivation to change. It’s up to them what they do and why they do it. Unless they’re asking for help what on Earth makes you think it’s any of your business?

Anyway it’s none of my business what you do on this thread, so I’m happy to mind my own business now.

Your welcome Hushhush it must be very difficult for you.

I had a work colleague with a food phobia. In her case she would prefer only eat food straight out of the freezer and cooked straight away from frozen. I can remember rushing in the office during my lunch break to take an important phone call. Whilst trying to talk to the client she was trying to wrestle my M and S bag with a pizza and some sides out of my hand. When I finished the 2 minute call she became very agitated and said I was going to kill my kids as the food wasn’t put straight in the fridge. It really was a bizarre situation.

The worst thing was that she knew she was being irrational but couldn’t help it. She finally only sought help when her DH left her because he couldn’t stand it anymore.

LisaD I make chicken pies with left over chicken from chicken roast. Pick off all the meat from the carcass, cook some bacon and mushrooms in a pan, add the chicken, leeks, broccoli, frozen peas, chicken stock. Then take off heat, add some creme fraiche. Put in pie pots or one pie dish and cover with shop bought filo pastry, and put in oven for about 20 minutes. It is a Hairy Bikers diet recipe. Very nice, quick, easy and not too calorific, win win

@Imissgmichael it can be difficult and i know I need to change, but I've been like this for 11 years now and (probably sounds weird) but it scares me to try and change the way I think of food

You're right it's not my business, but as soon as someone starts commenting on a thread they are communicating their opinions and thus open themselves up to being challenged if others disagree.
If you don't want to be challenged don't comment just lurk it's quite simple.

I've been really inspired by some of the suggestions on here. I love leftovers and supermarket reduced sections. It's a great opportunity to try fancy food items at a fraction of the price. I don't eat meat myself but I will use as much of it as possible when I buy it for my family.
Are there any veggie/vegan leftover cook books anyone would recommend?
I'm also going to Google the food digester as I hate throwing veg peelings etc in the bin.