Food for Thought – Leftovers

We are always trying to do our best to buy organic and eat whole foods but we are really bad with leftovers. They sit in our fridge uneaten for weeks. We have things growing in there that could sprout legs and walk away. While browsing the web contemplating breakfast this morning I came across this great slideshow over at TreeHugger of old food posters encouraging people to;

1. buy it with thought
2. cook it with care
3. use less wheat and meat
4. buy local foods
5. serve just enough
6. use what is left

These messages are still relevant today and we try to stick by them but we in particular need help with numbers 5 and 6. See I come from a big Italian family where too much food is just barely enough. We could have fed armies with our family meals. I’m not sure what was done with the leftovers but I don’t remember food being wasted. So conserving and cooking only enough is not something that I am good at. I ALWAYS cook way too much which leads to the rotting leftovers and the small jungle growing in the fridge. So today I’m making a change. I’m going to try to cook just enough and if I fail I will try to use every morsel of leftover food in our fridge.

There’s no time like the present so I started this morning. I was reaching for a packet of oatmeal when I realized that we had rice in the fridge that was not long for this world so instead of ripping open a packet of instant oatmeal I put the rice in a pot with some milk, maple syrup and cinnamon  and simmered it for a little. It made an amazing hot rice cerial and used up some of the leftover rice. My kids on the otherhand were not so conviced and are currenly eating cereal.

Please share your leftover tips, seriously I need help!