It’s Friday Guys – time for No Waste Tastes Great…
Wait a moment, let’s start again…
It’s Friday Guys – time for The Frugal Girl’s Food Waste Friday! Hooray!
You may have read this post and maybe this post, so you will know that today is the first time Food Waste Friday will be hosted here. It’s a great honour.
Each week since March 2008, in order to motivate her to waste less food, Kristen The Frugal Girl, has posted a picture of any food that has gone bad over the last seven days. She found this embarrassing practice so helpful, to her, that she invited other bloggers to post their own photos, and Food Waste Friday was born.
I started participating in October 2010 and have found, that 2-years on, the amount of food I waste is minimal. In fact every Friday, as part of my No Waste Tastes Great routine, I account (and devise a plan) for all my potential food waste as well as confessing to any items that I failed to save.
Kristen has kindly asked me to host Food Waste Friday, alternate weeks (when she doesn’t post herself), and her initial invite for everyone to join in is cordially extended here!
Simply Being Mum’s Friday Fridge
Top Shelf – Spreads/fats, garlic and cheese including an unopened packet of parmesan
Top Middle Shelf – Freshly made biscuit (cookie) dough
Bottom Middle Shelf – 1 nectarine
Bottom Drawer – Condiments (all in date)
Door – Milk
Not a lot to see, is there?
In my quest to eliminate food waste, as part of my Friday routine, there’s always a No Waste Tastes Great plan;
This Friday’s plan is pretty straightforward.
The parmesan has been accounted for and will feature in next weeks’ meal plan. Earlier this week, whilst keeping my eye on the prize, I whizzed up some breadcrumbs. I’ll add some parmesan and coat some chicken for wraps next Wednesday.
The cookie dough is left over from making biscuits (and cupcakes) to be given away, at a charity event, this evening.
The Kids have been sniffing around the ones I’ve already made, and have gently been told ‘hands off’. The plan is to make them some biscuit lollies today, for an after-school-end-of-week treat. After all it is Friday!
That just leaves a solitary nectarine. I did promise last Friday all the fruit, still hanging around, would be consumed, even if I had to eat it all myself. Well I managed 3 out of the 4 nectarines. The last one will meet its fate a little later today.
Unfortunately I didn’t keep my promise regarding the grapes. I’ll pick out what can be salvaged, but there will be a few to be recycled. And that’s my food waste confession for today…
Do you have anything to confess?
As my first ever Food Waste Friday is concluded, it is only fitting to leave the last word to Kristen
“How did you do this week? If you blogged about your food waste, link us up by entering your info into the widget below. You’ll save money, reduce your trash output, and get a little publicity for your blog! And if you don’t blog, you can still share about your food waste by leaving a comment.” (p.s… Jo here… if you do comment and are new to the site, I have to approve so, it may not show immediately…)
(I did want to include the fancy schmancy FWF button code for you include on your own posts, but I’m struggling to get it to display properly. It should be up next week. If you pop over to Kristen’s FWF last week you can grab the code from there)
Please note that this blog currently cannot support the link widget normally attached to Food Waste Friday. I’m sorry! It’s likely that over the next few weeks that will change, but please bear with me for now – Thank you!
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Now that’s the bare refrigerator that we’ve come to know and love. I had a couple of tomatoes go bad on me.
I know – I’m back on form! Shame ’bout those toms 🙁
Now that’s the bare refrigerator that we’ve come to know and love. I had a couple of tomatoes go bad on me.
I know – I’m back on form! Shame ’bout those toms 🙁
Truly impressive fridge. I’ve never tried it, but I think you can freeze grapes. Could be an option if you don’t think you’ll get through a whole bag.
Thanks Sarah, yes you can freeze them. I have done this, but I have quite sensitive teeth. Both frozen grapes (and even just very cold from the fridge strawberries) I struggle with. The Kids won’t eat them frozen either. Good suggestion however! It’s a case of keeping on top of my fridge fruit, which sometimes gets forgotten when not in fruit bowl on counter.
Use frozen grapes to chill white wine – works a treat and doesn’t water down the wine!!
Truly impressive fridge. I’ve never tried it, but I think you can freeze grapes. Could be an option if you don’t think you’ll get through a whole bag.
Thanks Sarah, yes you can freeze them. I have done this, but I have quite sensitive teeth. Both frozen grapes (and even just very cold from the fridge strawberries) I struggle with. The Kids won’t eat them frozen either. Good suggestion however! It’s a case of keeping on top of my fridge fruit, which sometimes gets forgotten when not in fruit bowl on counter.
Use frozen grapes to chill white wine – works a treat and doesn’t water down the wine!!
Wow that is one empty fridge! I had a horrible food waste week this week because I cleaned out my freezer 🙁 but hopefully that should make for a better week next week 🙂
There’s a reason why there’s the saying ‘no pain, no gain’… ‘m sure it will make for a better week next, and think of the weight that’s been lifted knowing you haven’t got a cluttered (inedible) freezer! Yay!
Wow that is one empty fridge! I had a horrible food waste week this week because I cleaned out my freezer 🙁 but hopefully that should make for a better week next week 🙂
There’s a reason why there’s the saying ‘no pain, no gain’… ‘m sure it will make for a better week next, and think of the weight that’s been lifted knowing you haven’t got a cluttered (inedible) freezer! Yay!
A suggestion for the grapes – we like to freeze all fruit that is coming to its end, and then toss the pieces into a water bottle throughout the week. It flavors the water all day and depending on how much fruit you throw in the bottle, may keep it slightly chilled. I have done this with citrus fruits, grapes, strawberries (although they tend to get a bit mushy in the water), cantaloupes, and apples with great success and flavored water feels like a treat. Herbs work well too, along with the classic lemon and cuke slices.
Great suggestion Neena. I do tend to freeze lemon and use as ice cubes and to flavour water if they look as though they may go to waste… but it may be you’ve resolved my never-ending potential-waste issues with cuke! It gets me every time. The herbs sound great also, I’m wondering which work best? Maybe mint? Thyme?
A suggestion for the grapes – we like to freeze all fruit that is coming to its end, and then toss the pieces into a water bottle throughout the week. It flavors the water all day and depending on how much fruit you throw in the bottle, may keep it slightly chilled. I have done this with citrus fruits, grapes, strawberries (although they tend to get a bit mushy in the water), cantaloupes, and apples with great success and flavored water feels like a treat. Herbs work well too, along with the classic lemon and cuke slices.
Great suggestion Neena. I do tend to freeze lemon and use as ice cubes and to flavour water if they look as though they may go to waste… but it may be you’ve resolved my never-ending potential-waste issues with cuke! It gets me every time. The herbs sound great also, I’m wondering which work best? Maybe mint? Thyme?
My fridge was extra bare this week because I was out so many nights, I didn’t grocery shop or cook much! Back to normal this week.
Sounds like a good week on all counts! 🙂
My fridge was extra bare this week because I was out so many nights, I didn’t grocery shop or cook much! Back to normal this week.
Sounds like a good week on all counts! 🙂
3 tomatoes on the turn, need to eat up quickly..
I only just discovered that tomatoes are the ‘only’ (I believe) fruit that is better for you cooked rather than raw! However my gran ate a raw tomato every day (rather than an apple) and lived relatively illness-free until she was 96… but she was an amazing lady all round, so not sure it could be credited to the toms!
3 tomatoes on the turn, need to eat up quickly..
I only just discovered that tomatoes are the ‘only’ (I believe) fruit that is better for you cooked rather than raw! However my gran ate a raw tomato every day (rather than an apple) and lived relatively illness-free until she was 96… but she was an amazing lady all round, so not sure it could be credited to the toms!
Terrible week here–the last serving of not-very-good soup, some feta, part of a cantaloupe, a couple of pears, and some greens. Too much food in the fridge! Hoping to be back on track next week.
Sure you will be!
Terrible week here–the last serving of not-very-good soup, some feta, part of a cantaloupe, a couple of pears, and some greens. Too much food in the fridge! Hoping to be back on track next week.
Sure you will be!
That’s one empty fridge. Awesome! I love when my fridge looks like that. This week, I had no food waste, but only thanks to my dogs who will eat anything 😉
Good work… no dogs here, only outdoor fish, not sure that’d work 😉
That’s one empty fridge. Awesome! I love when my fridge looks like that. This week, I had no food waste, but only thanks to my dogs who will eat anything 😉
Good work… no dogs here, only outdoor fish, not sure that’d work 😉
I have a question not directly related to food waste but about air circulation in fridges and freezers. Is it true that it is better to have your fridge not packed full so the air circulates more efficiently and thus uses less energy, but a full freezer is better because, once frozen, the freezer only has to maintain the temperature? I love the clean look of your fridge!
Hi Elizabeth… There are 2 schools of thought on this. Firstly it’s recommended that you keep your fridge at least half-full. I believe it is to do with air space and maintaining temperature when the door is opened and closed frequently. My interpretation is that the energy cost savings aren’t huge, but savings indeed they are. However the counter argument is that by packing a fridge, it costs you more in purchases, you may buy potentially not required food increasing spend and also waistline 😉 – there’s also the issue of extra food-waste. One way to combat this is to add bottles/cans as the fridge empties. I do, do this. My fridge is small by US standards, and increasingly so by UK standards, as we here generally move toward larger fridge-freezers. After I have done my grocery shop on a Friday, it’s full. It’s only really by Tuesday significant space starts to emerge. At this point, I may put the fruit bowl in there, that I normally keep on the counter. I may add bottles of white wine (if we have any in storage) or cans/bottles of beer, that normally live in the cupboard until required – I chill as needed. It’s suggested by many to add bottles of water (tap).
I’m not so sure about the freezer, I need to investigate. My freezer is also small, and is generally half full, as I keep my food-waste ‘saves’ in there as well as frozen fruit, ice-cubes and some bread. Hope that helps? Jo
Thanks. Jo! That is a great idea using the bottles to fill the space. You are so right about food waste–I just discovered half a head of cabbage buried deep in the back. It is a big French door style fridge and it is too easy to lose sight of things, so keeping it less full will hopefully help. Part of the problem is that my husband likes to shop and likes abundance, but he does not cook most of what he buys, thus messing with my meal plans.
You use what you can see… hidden food is always difficult. That’s why I use my fridge drawer right at the bottom for long-life condiments rather than produce. Good luck reigning the Hubby in on the purchases 😉
I have a question not directly related to food waste but about air circulation in fridges and freezers. Is it true that it is better to have your fridge not packed full so the air circulates more efficiently and thus uses less energy, but a full freezer is better because, once frozen, the freezer only has to maintain the temperature? I love the clean look of your fridge!
Hi Elizabeth… There are 2 schools of thought on this. Firstly it’s recommended that you keep your fridge at least half-full. I believe it is to do with air space and maintaining temperature when the door is opened and closed frequently. My interpretation is that the energy cost savings aren’t huge, but savings indeed they are. However the counter argument is that by packing a fridge, it costs you more in purchases, you may buy potentially not required food increasing spend and also waistline 😉 – there’s also the issue of extra food-waste. One way to combat this is to add bottles/cans as the fridge empties. I do, do this. My fridge is small by US standards, and increasingly so by UK standards, as we here generally move toward larger fridge-freezers. After I have done my grocery shop on a Friday, it’s full. It’s only really by Tuesday significant space starts to emerge. At this point, I may put the fruit bowl in there, that I normally keep on the counter. I may add bottles of white wine (if we have any in storage) or cans/bottles of beer, that normally live in the cupboard until required – I chill as needed. It’s suggested by many to add bottles of water (tap).
I’m not so sure about the freezer, I need to investigate. My freezer is also small, and is generally half full, as I keep my food-waste ‘saves’ in there as well as frozen fruit, ice-cubes and some bread. Hope that helps? Jo
Thanks. Jo! That is a great idea using the bottles to fill the space. You are so right about food waste–I just discovered half a head of cabbage buried deep in the back. It is a big French door style fridge and it is too easy to lose sight of things, so keeping it less full will hopefully help. Part of the problem is that my husband likes to shop and likes abundance, but he does not cook most of what he buys, thus messing with my meal plans.
You use what you can see… hidden food is always difficult. That’s why I use my fridge drawer right at the bottom for long-life condiments rather than produce. Good luck reigning the Hubby in on the purchases 😉
Not so good here this week:
– In the past couple of months I have been gifted with many cheese. Only some were in the rind or shrinkwrapped. Now I have a substantial number of cheese that need to have the mold pared off. There’s something wrong with the idea of paring mold off blue cheese.
– In a past attempt to not waste grapes I added them to a smoothie. Even after sieving out the skins it wasn’t to my taste. One cup of smoothie into the compost pile for the micro-herd.
– 1 lb of sliced mushrooms went bad in 3 days. I don’t think I’m responsible, given the speed, but I did have to send the mto the micro-herd also.
– most of 1 bunch of asparagus that I just waiting too long to use.
Not-So-Amazing Save: the remaining bits of mushrooms, asparagus, the last couple scallions and some cheese, natch, became my lunch omelet.
Keeping an eye on:
– head of romaine; it’s good for me but I’m not totally fond of it
– 3 large cukes, at the bottom of the veggie drawer
– aforementioned cheese
‘Not-So-Amazing’ maybe, but works every time. Eggs just save the day. Omelette’s have to be one of the most versatile meals ever.
With you on the grape smoothie, just the sound of it puts me of trying!
Not so good here this week:
– In the past couple of months I have been gifted with many cheese. Only some were in the rind or shrinkwrapped. Now I have a substantial number of cheese that need to have the mold pared off. There’s something wrong with the idea of paring mold off blue cheese.
– In a past attempt to not waste grapes I added them to a smoothie. Even after sieving out the skins it wasn’t to my taste. One cup of smoothie into the compost pile for the micro-herd.
– 1 lb of sliced mushrooms went bad in 3 days. I don’t think I’m responsible, given the speed, but I did have to send the mto the micro-herd also.
– most of 1 bunch of asparagus that I just waiting too long to use.
Not-So-Amazing Save: the remaining bits of mushrooms, asparagus, the last couple scallions and some cheese, natch, became my lunch omelet.
Keeping an eye on:
– head of romaine; it’s good for me but I’m not totally fond of it
– 3 large cukes, at the bottom of the veggie drawer
– aforementioned cheese
‘Not-So-Amazing’ maybe, but works every time. Eggs just save the day. Omelette’s have to be one of the most versatile meals ever.
With you on the grape smoothie, just the sound of it puts me of trying!
Nice job! Not much food waste here, just a little bit of spinach in the bottom of the bag. I have been having trouble with potatoes over the last few weeks though, it’s spring and if I don’t buy them any earlier than the day before I’m going to use them, they have a bad habit of sprouting on me! So a few more trips to the vegie store, but no spuds thrown out this week 🙂
Bagged salad, always a tricky one. When it turns, it turns quick! I have some in the fridge this week and will need to be extra vigilant.
I always love hearing about how the total opposite way round our seasons are. Spring is my favourite time of year, and it’s so heartening to hear you’re going into it, as we hit dark nights!
Nice job! Not much food waste here, just a little bit of spinach in the bottom of the bag. I have been having trouble with potatoes over the last few weeks though, it’s spring and if I don’t buy them any earlier than the day before I’m going to use them, they have a bad habit of sprouting on me! So a few more trips to the vegie store, but no spuds thrown out this week 🙂
Bagged salad, always a tricky one. When it turns, it turns quick! I have some in the fridge this week and will need to be extra vigilant.
I always love hearing about how the total opposite way round our seasons are. Spring is my favourite time of year, and it’s so heartening to hear you’re going into it, as we hit dark nights!
Oh darn,I missed food waste Friday! I’ll catch it next time and check out your blog til then 🙂 Nice to meet you
Nice to meet you too, I’ll just hop on over to yours!
Oh darn,I missed food waste Friday! I’ll catch it next time and check out your blog til then 🙂 Nice to meet you
Nice to meet you too, I’ll just hop on over to yours!
My food waste friday – http://lessismoreihope.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/no-waste-tastes-great-14th-sept-2012.html
A nice tidy fridge Claire…
My food waste friday – http://lessismoreihope.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/no-waste-tastes-great-14th-sept-2012.html
A nice tidy fridge Claire…