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Nifty Thrifty:  50 ways to Not waste food!  |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 9:38:43 PM
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There are some pretty great ideas in that link! Thanks, Alee! I'm big on freezing leftovers as soon as dinner is done. I usually make a double batch of whatever I'm making and then freeze leftovers for a second meal. OR I'll pack up a container of dinner for my hubby's lunch the next day. My big problem with food is that fruits and veggies go bad so quickly. I've started freezing those, too. The only thing is, I've got a very small fridge freezer (side by side), and can fill it with only so much. We want to buy a chest freezer this year, but don't have a place for it. It would have to go in the dining room (yuck). But you do what you have to do. My husband is pretty creative. I'm hoping we can come up with some way to conceal it. :) - Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 10:22:09 PM
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Nini, we had to store ours in our living room at one house we rented. My DH found a nice table cloth that hung to the floor and put over it. My girls actually liked layin on it to watch tv with their pillows and blankets, since it was behind the couch. It worked pretty well for us.
Alee, thanks for the link. I love it! I'm gonna get ahold of my grandma and get the big ice cream buckets she offered me last month for my freezer for veges and meats. I think I could fill a chicken, beef, and vege bucket several times each year. My group loves soups with homemade noodles, so it would give me probably 5 or 6 almost free meals each year!
Just a tip on the mashed potato cakes, make them and freeze them the night you have the leftovers. Then fry them from frozen with a fair amount of oil or butter. They hold together better that way for me. My girls have actually made instant mashed potatoes just to patty and freeze so I could fry them for them.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 10:47:41 PM
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Thanks, Angela! Great ideas! I suppose the freezer will make a pretty buffet when covered with a tablecloth. Maybe a mirror and some sconces on the wall above will help it look more like furniture. :) - Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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patchworkpeace
True Blue Farmgirl
478 Posts
Judy
Jackson
Michigan
USA
478 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2010 : 08:08:12 AM
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Alee, Good ideas! Now to find a large container for soup scraps,.... BTW, we need to give you a new moniker, the Queen of Lean Living - you always seem to have good ideas, find good websites or challenge us to live leaner. I, for one, appreciate it.
Angela, good idea for frying the mashed potatoes frozen. Mine always seem to fall apart, maybe that will help.
Judy
Success is measured not by the position one reaches but by the obstacles one has to overcome to reach it. Booker T. Washington |
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corrabelle
True Blue Farmgirl
71 Posts
Corrabelle
Hamilton, Morrowville
ontario, Kansas
71 Posts |
Posted - Aug 23 2010 : 11:50:06 AM
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Lately, rather than buying more pickles..i've been saving the juice and just adding more cucumbers to it! After several days in the fridge they're good to go!
We refry mashed potatoes a lot, Or use them to thicken soup. I can't believe anyone would actually throw away half of a perefectly good pepper because they only needed half for that meal. That's kind of funny!
Corrabelle
http://themayberrysparrow.com
A Kansas gal living in Ontario. Sigh.
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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momdrinkstea
True Blue Farmgirl
180 Posts
Elizabeth
Ozark
AL
USA
180 Posts |
Posted - Aug 23 2010 : 9:03:17 PM
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I use foam cups (the cheap ones) to store broth in the freezer.
Anytime I bake/roast meat in the oven, I pour the juice off (while
still hot) into a foam cup by the stove. I put it right in the freezer.
The size is perfect, I have individual "canned broth" sizes for recipes,
and the fat rises to the top and "seals" the cup - so no "freezer" taste.
I just peel off the cup, and let it melt in a pan for the recipe.
I use a ball-point pen, and write "beef, chicken or pork" on the outside
of the cup - EASY!
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." -Albert Einstein |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2010 : 07:05:54 AM
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Elizabeth, I freeze broth too. I use canning jars, quart or pints depending. You do have to leave plenty of space and I leave the lid off until the next day for expansion. I've broken a few jars this way. That's a cool idea to use the fat to seal the cup. Do you get any aftertaste with the styrofoam. My teeth shiver thinking about it.
Best Growing |
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corrabelle
True Blue Farmgirl
71 Posts
Corrabelle
Hamilton, Morrowville
ontario, Kansas
71 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2010 : 07:51:54 AM
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hmmm...styrofoam..i should try that! I've broken some canning jars too after having them in the freezer...
Corrabelle
http://themayberrysparrow.com
A Kansas gal living in Ontario. Sigh.
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momdrinkstea
True Blue Farmgirl
180 Posts
Elizabeth
Ozark
AL
USA
180 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2010 : 11:57:43 AM
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No bad tastes, the fat seals it off. I get the cups at dollar stores
for $1 a bag (about 60 cups). The 8 oz. are great for small amounts,
if I'm cooking a BIG roast, I use the 20 oz. cups. The styrofoam is
made to take the heat (think hot coffee!), with no bad taste in the broth.
The styrofoam also allows for expansion. Works GREAT! I love that there's
no mess, and no clean up. I use disposable foil pans for the roast too! LOL
Can you tell I don't like doing dishes?
I also use the cups for the kids for instant oatmeal in the morning,
or for small servings of soup - it insulates against their little fingers! I tell my
kids if they can hold their pinky finger in something hot, then it's ok to eat/drink.
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." -Albert Einstein |
Edited by - momdrinkstea on Aug 24 2010 12:06:22 PM |
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shunger
True Blue Farmgirl
224 Posts
Suzanne
Helena
MT
USA
224 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2010 : 2:45:33 PM
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| Hi, here's one thing that we save and that my husband uses: we have decaf coffee each night after supper. I save the leftover coffee in the refrigerator and we drink it as iced coffee during the next day. Really good. Suzanne |
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2quilter
True Blue Farmgirl
127 Posts
Patricia
Greenwood
IN
USA
127 Posts |
Posted - Sep 04 2010 : 7:16:52 PM
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I love canned beets -- hate to waste the juice -- so when the beets are gone, I put hard boiled eggs in it, and honeybunches loves it! the same thing goes for those wonderful pepperchini -- yummmmm
When life hands you scraps, make quilts! |
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Cherime
True Blue Farmgirl
1222 Posts
Cherime
Wasilla
Alaska
USA
1222 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2010 : 08:14:54 AM
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I save broth in the small one serving juice bottles. I do have to defrost them somewhat but they don't break either and I can put stuff on top of them in the freezer because they are all the same size I like the cup idea and if I was cooking for more than one, would try that as it is quicker.
CMF |
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coloquilter
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Susan
Co
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Sep 06 2010 : 10:46:29 AM
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All really great ideas. My Mom was way ahead of her time I guess. She always did these things.
Mom grew up at the end of the depression . Her mother was a widow with 3 small children and food was precious.
At my house Tuesday is fend for yourself night. Anything leftover gets eaten. First one to the fridge gets first choice and anything left after that goes to the chickens. Today is corn freezing day and they are loving the husks! |
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pnickols
True Blue Farmgirl
808 Posts
Patricia
Parma
Ohio
808 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2010 : 06:29:59 AM
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| this reminds me of my mom and gramma, they never wasted anything and we always had leftovers, I loved her chili better as leftover for lunch the next day. there are some good ideas there |
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rosarita78
True Blue Farmgirl
206 Posts
Reina
Drought ridden High Plains
New Mexico
USA
206 Posts |
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lulu
True Blue Farmgirl
240 Posts
Connie
Geuda Springs
Kansas
USA
240 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2010 : 6:45:54 PM
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My husband dislikes leftovers, so I tell him they aren't leftovers the'replanned overs. I can either freeze for another night or I use them up in a different casserole and soup is always good. At the end of the week I have veggie soup any thing in the fridge in fair game. I've also been known to can left over chili, soup, stew what ever and when I'm in a hurry for something quick I have it on the shelf. That's better than carry out and cheaper too. Lately I've been buying the larger packages of meat and repackaging them and I try to see how many meals I can get out of a package and break down the cost of each meal. I bought one of those cook ham shank end for ham and beans, so I cut it up and repackaged it. One piece was big enough that I baked it for Sunday dinner (1) we had sandwiches at noon on Tuesday (2) I fixed ham and beans another night (3) and I still have enough in the freezer for 2 more meals. And I only paid $8.23 for the ham. I love pointing that out to DH.
Connie
LULU
farmgirl sister #1369
"Scattered Prairie Gals" chapter
Take care and write soon.
When you wish upon a star...Jiminy Cricket |
Edited by - lulu on Oct 22 2010 6:56:06 PM |
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lulu
True Blue Farmgirl
240 Posts
Connie
Geuda Springs
Kansas
USA
240 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2010 : 1:54:01 PM
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Well girls as I was reading through some of these topics and I remembered I had a bowl of apples sitting on the counter. So I stopped reading went in got the apples and started making an apple pie. It's been ages since I baked a pie, I was thinking I would use those apples for apple sauce, they were given to me by my SIL off of her apple tree (she didn't know what kind of apples they are). Didn't know if they would hold up in a pie or not, but didn't have anything to lose. Now I have a nice looking and tasting pie sitting on the counter. I was checking out what was in the freezer the other day and found some pie crusts in there so all I had to do was peel the apples and slice put in the flour, sugar and cinnamon turn on the oven and in no time a pie. I'm so pleased with myself it's sinfull.
now for supper I'm take some Pork chops out of the freezer and maybe a box of stuffing (I'm bad, should make it from scratch, but I already have the box). I had enough apple pie filling that I put some in the freezer for another pie.
Connie
LULU
farmgirl sister #1369
"Scattered Prairie Gals" chapter
Take care and write soon.
When you wish upon a star...Jiminy Cricket |
Edited by - lulu on Oct 25 2010 1:56:52 PM |
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momdrinkstea
True Blue Farmgirl
180 Posts
Elizabeth
Ozark
AL
USA
180 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2011 : 10:28:39 AM
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FREEZING! I've quit putting leftovers into the fridge, and now I just freeze them right away. Got tired of throwing away good food! I label it with a date 3 months out (ex: Lasagna - TOSS BY 6/1/11), if it's not eaten by then, OUT it goes - (usually thawed out for the dogs to enjoy). I check the freezer each weekend for what can be used/tossed. Great also for busy nights with no time to cook! Just grab & mike! :)
Stacked Stone Farm
feel free to follow my blog: www.stackedstonefarm.blogspot.com |
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Bellepepper
True Blue Farmgirl
1207 Posts
Belle
Coffeyville
KS
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2011 : 11:56:45 AM
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I can't believe I missed this topic until now. I do most of the 50 that were on the web site. I can add another use for mashed potatoes. In fact I had a bunch of potatoes sprouting in the pantry and cooked them all up and mashed and seasoned them with butter, cream cheese and 1/2 & 1/2. I put them in a large corning ware cassarole and put them in the freezer. After frozen, I ran hot water over the bottom to release the block of potatoes and then used my foodsaver to package them up. When I am ready to use the already cooked potatoes, I'll put them back in the same dish, let them thaw then add some grated cheese, bacon bits and greenonions and Pop them in the oven to heat and brown on top.
When I have limp celery, I boil the heck out of it and freeze the broth (the celery is pretty used up so I compost it). I then use the broth in pot roast, potato or veg soup.
When I have left over veggies from a veggie plate, (I can't spell that French word for veggie plate),I put a little olive oil in the skillet and fix stir fry or put in the oven for roasted veggies. If there is left overs from that, I'll whip it up in the blender and make soup.
Lots of ways to use up stuff but it takes some planning.
Belle |
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SusanScarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
317 Posts
317 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2011 : 4:43:11 PM
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| Interesting to me when members of my family say they don't like leftovers. What do they think they're eating when they eat prepared frozen meals, etc ?? |
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momdrinkstea
True Blue Farmgirl
180 Posts
Elizabeth
Ozark
AL
USA
180 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2011 : 06:00:10 AM
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Susan - LOL Errr...maybe chefs' leftovers taste different? :)
Stacked Stone Farm
feel free to follow my blog: www.stackedstonefarm.blogspot.com |
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bbteacher
True Blue Farmgirl
134 Posts
Bonnie
BALTIMORE
Maryland
USA
134 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2011 : 3:56:56 PM
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Ladies,
Here's an easy way to save left over liquids like soup, gravy, vegetable water (I throw in a couple of these cubes into the veggies and if any juice is left over-I recycle)-use plastic ice cube trays. I use them exclusively for the individual liquids-gravy has its own, broth, etc. Once the cubes are frozen, you can pop them into plastic bags and take out the number you need.
Also, when we do go out for a treat, my hubby and I will go to 5Guys for burgers. We order a regular fry which they hand cut and give you a bazillion. We take the left over fries home. Next day, I make potatoe homefries-I cut the fries into pieces about 1/4 long, chop up some sweet vadalia onions, and sometimes I add left over turkey sausage. These homefries taste yummy with eggs and biscuits!
Enjoy,
Bonnie |
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meggy2
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
barb
Flemington
Missouri
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2011 : 4:24:19 PM
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| If you have limited freezer space, I dehydrate veggies and fruits that will not be used before they go bad. Celery, mushrooms,bananas, apples all dehydrate well, and a bunch of them will fit in a mason jar on your shelf. Just rehydrate them to use in pies, soups, stroganoffs, etc. |
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2011 : 4:20:15 PM
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I have kept the water from making pasta and rice (I make rice like I make pasta) and use the water to thicken up soups.
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
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Nifty Thrifty: 50 ways to Not waste food! |
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50 ways to Not waste food!
