I have been so excited about this challenge for months. Truly, I wanted to see how much food I was wasting. So, I gave myself this challenge: Waste nothing edible.
If I had been smart, I would have cleaned out my refrigerator on the last day of February and started fresh. It would have been much easier, but I didn’t think about it… until I looked in the refrigerator at the beginning of the second full week and realized that I had to throw away some food. More about that in a minute.
On the first day of the month, a quick glance in the produce bins showed a bags of organic baby carrots past their prime for snacking but still good for cooking. I also saw a pitiful stalk of celery that was limping badly. Since I had picked up two chickens, I decided to put this produce to use.
I decided to boil one chicken, making stock and putting chopped chicken in the freezer for some quick recipes during the month. The other chicken had a date with the oven. At the same time, I decided to prepare a few crock pot bags for the freezer.
I started with the celery. I cut the heart right out of it! Poor thing. I rinsed the pieces and plopped them in my stock pot.
I washed a couple of stalks to use in the roasted chicken but then looked at the rest. I knew it would not last in its current condition but celery does not hold up well in the freezer due to the high water content. Water content… hmmm.
Remember, I had cut out the heart. So, I thought that by submerging the stalk in water, perhaps it would soak up enough water to rejuvenate it. Overnight, the celery gained new life! It was as strong as ever.
Back to my cooking day…
Since I needed onions for my crock pot bags, I chopped those up. The peels went into a garbage bag but the stems and roots went into the stock pot.
Why didn’t I save the skins?
Since I do not buy organic onions, I peel off the outside in an attempt to dispose of some of the chemicals that might be present.
I used a handful of the carrots to stuff the chicken and about two cups worth in the stock pot. The rest of the bag was placed in the freezer to be used in stock, for smoothies, or for soup.
At the end of the first week, I felt good about my accomplishments. I felt creative. But, I was leaving town for the weekend and eyed my rescued celery. The celery had stayed on my counter for the entire week. I had pulled off what I needed here and there, but since I would not be home, I removed it from the water and tossed it in the refrigerator.
Come the following Tuesday, I was disappointed. The celery didn’t make it.
What did I throw out?
- My rescued celery. .. {sob}
- Leftover grits from what can only be described as a bottomless pot. (I swear… those grits kept growing and growing!)
- A bag of salad that was getting slimy.
- Half a chopped onion that I completely forgot about and should have put in the freezer.
Total waste from Week One: About $2.75
How about you? Can you take the challenge? Leave me a comment and let me know!
BLOGGERS: Now, it is your turn. Do you have a post related to food waste? Do you have a creative tip for rescuing produce past its prime? Did a glance in your produce bins inspire a new recipe? Link it up! A link back would be an awesome gesture or feel free to use my button.
Linked with love at Food Waste Friday.
I found a huge roast in the freezer that had been in there for way too long. I started to toss it out but changed my mind and started thinking how I could save it.
After defrosting it, I removed all the fat and put it in the crock pot, Then I added six canned hot jalapino peppers, a jar of salsa from the dollar store and enough water to cover it. I cooked it on high for about twelve hours. It was delicious as the main dinner dish. I later used the left overs in burritos.
That sounds awesome, Katie. Yummo!
I freeze my celery if I can’t use it all before it goes bad. In soups/stews it shouldn’t really matter if it is mushy. We don’t like a lot of celery in our food, so sometimes I’ll toss in a handful when sauteing some onions, just for a little flavor. I never use all of the celery when I buy it and would end up throwing most of it out (before I started freezing it). I slice it and put it in a freezer bag larger than I need. Then I lay it down and kind of separate the pieces and freeze like that (you’ll need the bigger bag so it will spread out some). Once frozen I bust up the pieces so I can just get out what I want, when I need it. By putting it in a freezer bag, you eliminate the cookie sheet step (less time and dishes). Oh, and don’t forget to blot the celery dry after you wash it, before slicing it so it will break up easier when frozen. I do this method with my onions and peppers too.
You know… I put celery in the freezer for my stock, but on this day, it didn’t even occur to me that I could do that with this piece. I think I was mourning too much. LOL
I was wondering why you couldn’t saute the veggies all together to reduce the water, in them and then add it to soup?? Also, one thing I would like to point out from The Complete Tightwad Gazette, all your leftovers and ho hums can be put in the freezer and then when you get enough mix it all together for one fabulous soup. This is something that we do, as a family, and we have made some fabulous soup this way.
Great idea to saute them, Jennifer! I will definitely have to try that. 🙂
Ok, so tell me more about these ‘crockpot bags’. I need some of those! Anything to make my life easier and my crockpot used more. Our oven has pitiful insulation and using it to make something fast like frozen pizza increases the temp in the kitchen/dining area by at least 20 degrees. I use my crockpot more in the summer than winter. So, educate me, please! 🙂
LOL. All in good time, my friend! I can’t give my secrets all at once. You wouldn’t have a reason to come back. 😉
There are some ‘crockpot bags’ on Pinterest, or just google/swagbucks it. Sorry Penny, I have to help. Ya know? Haha. 🙂
Yeah, yeah… sending my paying customers away. LOL I was going to mention those from Pinterest in the post next week. 😉
Have you made some that you like and are you going to post them as well? 🙂 I have thought about doing it, but just can’t bring myself to do it yet. Part procrastination, part not wanting my food in plastic (like it matters though, it already comes in plastic and Styrofoam ): ). I’ve thought about using freezer paper though. It would take too much brain power to try right now, got a lot on my plate already. 😉
I have made some. Some good… some not worth sharing. But, for those that passed the test, I will share them soon.
I did not hear about this challenge till today. But funny enough I started doing the same thing at my home since the same day on april. Well, my attempt did not go so well…. I definetely buy to much stuff for someone who lives alone. But this “challenge” has shown me how much money I waste on groceries. In almost two months nearly 25€.