What random stuff are you doing to avoid wasting food?

[MangosteenSoda]

Today I am braising a lettuce. An out of date romaine lettuce.

Make me feel better about this!

I've always used broccoli stalks, I just peel them & chop the woody end off. Slice into thick chunks & chuck in with the florets, very tasty.

We (DH, DD & I) are eating 2 meals a day now. DD is having snacks, if she wants them, but DH & I are mostly filling up on hot drinks in between. I am so grateful for the Brexit stash milk powder, can make perfectly nice cocoa without depleting the fresh milk. Evaporated milk in cocoa is also quite pleasant, IMHO.

We have some ice lolly moulds, so now if we manage to get juice, once it's been open for 2 or 3 days I'm making lollies rather than risk it going to waste. Mix condensed milk in & they're quite delicious. Also, tinned fruits in syrup (we usually get them in juice) are great blended up with condensed milk & converted into lollies. Good as a "treat" but actually quite frugal pudding.

I'm definitely trying that banana pot. I usually use them up in a smoothie but that feels ridiculously decadent these days as I would need about 100g of berries etc to go with it. Even frozen berries seem too precious just for blending up.

I’d love to get hold of some garlic. Seems in short supply round here. I’ve got some in the freezer but am trying to eke it out.
The cupboard roulette just yielded some pumpkin seeds which were nice in a salad. And I found some polenta which I may try to turn into something crispy. I don’t like polenta so not sure where it came from. Possibly a cake...

Kale stalks can go into a soup with other veg.

You could also try cutting them up really fine and sprinkling on top of a dish like macaroni cheese with some grated cheddar, then bake in the oven. Kale goes particularly well in macaroni cheese.

Frozen grapes are fabulous!
I planted slices of my last tomato to see if it will grow.

Writing the sell by dates of fridge things on the calendar (there isn’t owt else to go on there) and planning meals around what goes out of date first

My DH got me a soupmaker Xmas before last. Such a blessing. Everything goes in it, apart from tomatoes (they burn). Discovered the lushness of cauliflower cheese soup. Even the leaves go in.

I freeze bread 2 slices at a time as well as I can slot them into the freezer rather than use valuable space. Everything gets unpacked and popped into zippy bags and squished in as things like chicken thighs are in big plastic boxes. Means I can portion it out as well.

Made myself egg mayo with chopped up spam yesterday. A bit gross, but edible.

Broccoli stalks, are we talking about the big piece of stalk down the middle or the smaller stalks that attach to the florets? Please.

@pigsDofly the whole stalk, the big woody centre one. I softened some onion, diced the stalk and threw in with the onions and stock. Simmered until broccoli was soft and then whizzed to smooth.

@HelenaJustina Thanks for that. I make a lot of vegetable soup, that I smooth, and have always thrown it away, it looks so tough.

I shall definitely try it your way.

So many good ideas!

Will definitely be making crisps with potato peelings soon. And cauliflower cheese soup sounds amazing. Shame I used my cauli on a massive aloo gobi that I'll be eating portions of for ages.

My son is autistic and has really restricted food preferences so pretty much all meat and most freezer space goes to his needs. I'm McGyvering the hell out of everything else and you lot have helped a lot with all of these food hacks!

Hoping to avoid a shopping trip for a while yet.

Well, last night I cooked a pretty nice meal, by comparison to what we’ve made do with other nights. Our meat is well and truly rationed. Unfortunately I tipped my whole plate full upside down which landed all over the kitchen table and the chair I was about to sit on. I shamelessly scooped it all up back into the bowl and got stuck in 😆

Made a Spanish style omelette

Cold new potatoes sliced and fried add 1/2 onion(leftover) 1/4 red pepper and some getting old mushrooms sliced then seasoned whisked three eggs cooked and just as setting add small amount of grated cheese. Tasty. We've had it twice so far.

Debating about using some yeast DD left here last year. BB was Nov19 will it be any good? We have no bread left but hoping for shopping today as yesterday we got a Tesco slot
I haven't made bread for ages but I had two bags of bread flour in the cupboard. Might be DDs but she went off travelling and can't get home.

I've always used broccoli stalks, I just peel them & chop the woody end off. Slice into thick chunks & chuck in with the florets, very tasty
same here.

It did cross my mind about a cook book.

We're using lentils and other pulses instead of mince for a few things (chili, wraps, burgers, shepherd's pie etc).

Great thread, thanks OP - I have 3 spare lemons any ideas?

I’m loving all these ideas. I’m going to put our week past their best grapes in the freezer now, and will be using the potato peelings from tomorrow’s roast to make crisps.

I've tried a Broccoli stalk soup I got on MN ... every time I have bits of greens I won't eat too such as left over cabbage, the ends of spring onions but not roots IYSWIM ..
I pop it into n a bag for the freezer then when it's full put in n a pan with water and a stock cube then blitz. Put some Stilton in if you have some.

Literally a lunch from what would end up in a bin.

salted sliced potato, onion/garlic and lemon juice layered and baked

I blanched some fresh spinach and put it in the freezer - never done that before!! Always use broccoli stalks though, I think they’re even tastier than the broccoli!

@Brookeinabook ~~ lemon linguini or lemon sorbet?

Damn just reading that I now want lemon sorbet!

Haha, I was wondering what stalk, but a PP got there first. I never used that bit but always cut the other bit as long as poss.

Ooh both good ideas thanks AdaColeman