Life: Food Waste Challenge Week 1

Do you find yourself discovering mouldy food in the depths of your fridge or finding that the once much longed-for new cereal is about to go out of date with only two bowlfuls eaten?

I am generally quite good at using up leftovers and planning meals accordingly, but when my work/life balance became a bit too work-heavy in January, I found myself slipping again. After finding some slimy coriander, mouldy green beans and half a loaf of mouldy bread on Saturday, I decided that enough was enough and I would try not to generate any food waste during February (starting 2 February). 

As I have a compromised immune system, I’m not going to be eating anything that would actually risk my health, just taking a more common-sense approach!

Here is how I got on during my first week:

Sunday

I have five eggs that go out of date today, and I know that as long as I do the float test (if they float, discard) they should be okay for a few more days. However, my mission is to use them all up!

Breakfast

My usual Sunday breakfast of poached egg (used 1) and spinach on toast was complemented by the surprisingly tasty addition of some cooked leftover leeks from Friday's dinner (lightly cooked with the spinach in a little butter). For my husband and son I made up a batch of American pancakes (another egg).

Lunch
Leftover Chicken Arrabiata Pizza (eaten cold) and salad.

Additional

My son is always moaning about how much food we buy in plastic, and I completely agree, so rather than buy plastic wrapped treats in the supermarket, this week I made some chocolate chip cookies (another egg plus a random assortment of chocolate including pillow chocolates from hotels!).

Actual food waste: satsuma peel, egg shells

Monday
Breakfast
I found half a sachet of porridge with super seeds in the cupboard and paired this with an apple with a large bruise which I ate chopped and raw. The porridge sachets had been passed on to me by my mum who didn’t like them. 

Lunch
Used a hard boiled egg (boiled yesterday) for an egg salad sandwich.

Dinner
Half a pack of sliced chorizo which was dated yesterday got used in one of our family favourite recipes, Basque Chicken. This was eaten with the end piece of some crusty bread which no one else wanted.

Actual food waste: Apple core and bruised section, satsuma peel, onion skin, pepper seeds, egg shell

Tuesday
An all round fail today, starting with throwing away half a slice of uneaten toast (too much), and not using up any leftovers for lunch or dinner.

Actual food waste: half slice of toast

Wednesday
Breakfast
I have learned my lesson and only toasted one slice of bread at a time 😄!

Lunch
Half a tub of soup with two slices of baguette that are a bit stale but fine for dipping in soup.

Dinner
No leftovers used or discarded.

Actual food waste: Satsuma peel

Thursday 
One opened pack of fresh spinach has been washed and frozen as I decided that I would not be able to eat the rest before it spoils. 

Dinner
Roast chicken with vegetable mash (pre-made) with broccoli (including stalk - I just cut it to look like tender stem) and bread sauce made with some breadcrumbs using up the last of the crusty baguette. The remaining breadcrumbs have been frozen.

Actual food waste: Onion skin, chicken carcass, peppercorns and half an onion which had been used to steep in the milk for the bread sauce.

Friday
Lunch
Lovely sandwich made with the leftover chicken from last night’s dinner.

Actual food waste: apple core

Saturday
The other half of the soup which I had for lunch on Wednesday has been frozen as I am away today.

Breakfast
My usual weekend breakfast of poached egg with spinach on toast has been made using the frozen spinach. This spinach should last another couple of weeks.

Summary
This week has not been typical as we have eaten out three times. I definitely feel that I am being more proactive with freezing things before they spoil if I know I can’t use them. I’m wondering whether I just buy too much food but on the other hand I like the variety.  Next week’s meal plan is already incorporating food that I know needs eating.

Love Mrs Jones x