Oh, Leftovers: I Keep Meaning to Eat You Before You Rot in the Fridge...

on October 21, 2009 at 11:15 AM

tupperware When it comes to leftovers, I always have the best of intentions...

Usually, we have food leftover from dinner, and so I store the remnants in Tupperware, fully intending to serve it again for lunch or dinner (or breakfast!) the next day. But without fail, somehow the "next day" becomes the next day after that, and before I know it I have unidentifiable hairy stuff growing in my fridge. Do you ever have this problem with leftovers?

It's not that I don't enjoy leftovers (I know some families can't stomach them). Hardly. Leftover mac 'n' cheese for lunch? Delicious. Cold leftover pizza for breakfast? My favorite. And my husband doesn't mind them either.

It's just that sometimes I forget that the leftovers are even there. Or, I have a taste for food that I didn't just eat the night before. Or, quite simply, there isn't enough of the leftovers to feed both my husband and I, and so I end up cooking a whole new meal.

I hate when food goes to waste! But I can't seem to be efficient about my leftovers.

Does this happen in your house? Does your family eat leftovers? Or do you avoid them like the plague?

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About the author Kim Conte

has shoes that make people stop her on the street and ask "Where did you get those?" but it doesn't work for taxi cabs as she was hit by one ... and lived to tell the tale. She has more freckles than Lohan but way less attitude. And she's a fierce cook with tons of recipes to share -- and wishes she could share some with Bourdain.

Filed Under: food

Comments (7)

LuminousMom

on Oct 21, 2009 at 11:18 AM

Happens to me all the time... sometimes its that I dont want to eat something like lentil stew or chili twice in a short period of time because the flavors are intense and savory.. but usually its because there isnt enough to split between me and my two kids.. so I will make them lunch.. and then forget about it.

I immediately freeze half of whatever soup/stew I make now and then we have it for lunch on DH's days off with salad and bread, seems to work well for us, especially on days where I am just not up for cooking hehe

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sodapple

we have that situation at home not everyday but once in a while and i hate to be the one throwing it out because "hairy stuff " is growing lol, and it tends to happen because there is not enough for the two of us to eat but if it was good and i know it will be even better the next day, i'll make something for him and i eat the leftovers =-D my daugther hardly eats what i cook so there are leftovers for her too.

toriandgrace

on Oct 21, 2009 at 1:29 PM

It really depends on the food. There are certain foods that I LOVE as leftovers, chicken noodle soup is my favorite. So even though it's just my daughter and I right now, I made a big pot so that I can eat it for two dinners and two lunches at least. I like to make extra taco meat and have nachoes a time or two after having tacos. We do have our fairshare of moldy leftovers though.

navyma23

on Oct 21, 2009 at 1:44 PM

Yes, I hate it. I have a whole shelf that needs to be thrown out!

athenax3

on Oct 22, 2009 at 7:18 AM

Happens here all the time, we are a large family, so often there just isn't enough to make it two nights, and though I like leftovers, dh acts as if it's an insult to eat them usually, lol...my dad if he's here however will eat them, he loves leftovers = but I still find myself having to clean out the "mystery" bowls every couple of weeks, lol....

MybabyKisses

on Oct 26, 2009 at 9:25 PM

Oh yes this happens to me all the time. I always keep leftovers just in case dh wants to take some in his lunch the next day or so we can have it for dinner another night through the week but there are times that does not happen and alas 2 weeks later I am dumping out enough food to feed Africa...lol! Such a shame :-(

aetrom

on Oct 13, 2010 at 7:06 AM

my family doesn't really like leftovers so I pop it in the freezer and reuse it in a different meal later. this usually works and is very simple. what is leftover goes to feed one of our dogs. :)