Can we have a chat about what food/s you most frequently throw out from your fridge and how they could actually be used up?

[Mintyy]

I'll start:

Creme fraiche - I buy this to go in a chicken paprika casserole thing I do, but then can't think of another way to use the other half pot within a week.

Sweetcorn - the dc like tuna sweetcorn (ick!!) in wraps and sandwiches but again I only need half a tin. So the other half festers in the back of the fridge until it grows blue mould someone realises and chucks it.

Coleslaw - never eat the whole tub

Olives - ditto

Grapes - similar

Apples - quite often the apples end up going wrinkly

Potatoes - omg, I have thrown away so many potatoes and now we have full blown potato plants growing out of our compost bin

I stick our 'elderly' veggies (loving that) in stock along with chicken carcasses.

Green peppers - We have a jar of black bean paste in the fridge which lasts forever because its already fermented and do beef/pepper stir fry in black bean sauce.

Philadelphia - Dash of white wine and garlic, and any leftover green veg makes a lovely pasta sauce (with smoked salmon is especially nice)

Leftover kwiw/ oranges or non crumble fruit I chop up and set in jelly for DS.

I second the beansprouts issue and also leftover brie from having guests for dinner oh and the little tubs of prawns in brine.

Only the other day, I was think why can't they do smaller packs of lettuce, single use enough for one day!

I always make to much mash.I put the leftovers in the fridge full of good intentions but always end up chucking themAny ideas ?

Green peppers are much sweeter roasted or made into veggie kebabs with carrots,mushrooms,toms etc that are still hanging about

To use up a green peppers, couple of wrinkly spring onions, half punnet of chesnut mushrooms
www.wagamama.com/at-home/recipes/poached-cod-with-shiitake

YUM !

Root veg goes in Fridge Clear Out Shepherds Pie

Ham freezes really well (not sure about the ready sliced stuff though as we boil a big piece for sandwiches). We chop it up and put it in little pots for Macaroni & Cheese

No reason you can't use up salad veg in hot meals if you don't want to make a separate salad.

Little gems fry up nicely in a stir fry, just use it as you would any other leaf veg.

Rocket can be cooked into things, or is also really nice sprinkled over lots of meals near the end, like stir fries and tomato based stuff, (a bit like you would use coriander).

Also non-naked rocket keeps longer than naked rocket.

Don't refrigerate peppers, tomatoes or aubergines. It kills the natural enzymes that keep them fresh. They will all go mouldy in the fridge, while in a bowl in the kitchen they tend to go wrinkly but still be very useable for quite some time.

Yoghurt keeps for ever for much longer than the dates as long as you are scrupulous about hygiene- don't put a licked spoon into it or the saliva enzymes will break down all the protein and you'll be left with soup.

I have rarely known Philadelphia to go off. That's why I don't buy it any more. It bain't be natrel.

In fact if you don't like your peppers green, put them next to a bunch of bananas and wait until they ripen. I think they're vile so don't ever buy them green, but you ripen pretty much anything with bananas. Can't understand why people like them unripe.

Don't buy stuff you aren't going to eat. If your family doesn't like oranges, don't buy them!

Organised no, tight yes.

There is a really good pear and almond tart recipe I found on here that is pretty much fool proof and is perfect for old pears even if they are almost totally squishy. It can also be done with apples. I will find it and link it. It also doubles up really well too.

you allneed to have more kids so theres no food left over.we have 5 and theres never any half pots of anything!

Sorry, wasn't implying you were tight, Still. I am just inadequate in the face of your organisational skills. Im getting better though.

I used a leftover strawberry and raspberry fruit coulis (homemade, natch) to pour over rhubarb from the garden, along with tonnes of extra sugar to make a crumble. It was all the better for having the leftover fruity sauce in it.

I am saying I am tight. The list of things I won't buy unless on offer is massive and as I say I won't return to the shops for fruit until the bowl is bare, I don't care if it's not your favourite, you shouldn't have eaten all the nectarines 1st leaving the apples....

This one: www.mumsnet.com/food/recipe/2604-Pear-and-almond-tart

www.mumsnet.com/food/recipe/2604-Pear-and-almond-tart

Oh I hate green peppers - didn't realise they were unripe peppers!

I buy all my fruit and veg from a market. I choose paper bags for everything too as mushrooms, cherry tomatoes etc font 'sweat' in paper in the fridge. I then compost the bags.

Lettuce I grow my own. Also trying potatoes, strawberries and red peppers this year. I don't seem to be able to keep cucumbers slice, though.

Has anyone suggested adding a spoonful of icing sugar to creme fraiche to serve with pudding? Goes very well with elderly fruit puds and tarts as well as stewed fruit.

For leftover mash, only make extra if you have a plan (or freeze it in portions). Favourites here include potato cakea (add egg) covered in ketchup.

Baked potatoes done in the oven - freeze and reheat in the microwave. Just put them in the oven when you're cooking something else to save energy, freeze them when they've cooled. Lovely!

my name says it all

iK8 I like creme fraiche as it is (no added sugar) with cake instead of regular cream! That slight tartness works really well with rich cakes such as chocolate.

I've tried to like it but... that bit of sugar makes all the difference

A bit of lime zest in it is good too. Or orange zest and a squeeze of the juice with a good dark chocolate cake

Or add the stuff to mustard (any kind) and stir into sausages, pork chops or even rabbit to make a sauce. Could add taragon too if you had some.

I'm quite hungry now!

creme fraiche buy some lolly moulds and freeze it for ice creams

tinned sweetcorn buy frozen instead, if you haven't got a freezer make sweetcorn fritters for brekkie, v popular in my house

Coleslaw - never eat the whole tub - buy smaller tub ? Mix in some prawns or cheese and use to top jacket spuds

Olives - ditto put in a frittata with your boiled potatoes

Grapes - similar cheese and bics for lunch ? Make jellies with grapes in

Apples - quite often the apples end up going wrinkly buy fewer !

Potatoes - omg, I have thrown away so many potatoes and now we have full blown potato plants growing out of our compost bin again why buy more than you need ? Boil and use in a frittata or mash to top a cottage pie. Or freeze mash for future reference

Love this thread. I am the Queen of leftover food :) never throw anything away

Mozzarella can be frozen