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Confession about Waste. Need advice!
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Good afternoon ladies! I just had the sickening experience of tossing out a TON of old freezer food. Some of it was not properly stored (my fault
) and some of it was just plain old. Part of the problem is that I always want to have a ton of food on hand for emergncy hospitality and for drop-by company. The reality of it is that we had a few “emergency” needs we were able to fulfill and only one drop-by company day. I keep reading that we should always be ready to serve people who come over, but in this “busy family”age we live in is that really practicle? We are not “busy” we are at home more often than not, but everyone else is running around and not likely to “drop in” (LOL). What do you ladies keep on hand for such times? We have a freezer in the garage so space is not an issue. Please help!!! Oh, that’s too bad!
Is it possible to keep a log somewhere of what’s in your freezer? That way, if you notice stuff is starting to get old, you can use it up ASAP.
First of all, I bought a Foodsaver with some of our income tax money last year; I got the Gamesaver version. I’m very happy with that investment since I have a garden and didn’t want to do what you did (though I must ask-do you have a compost you can salvage that food to?) Making specific portions is very simple and makes my life easier.
Secondly, I can goods. Canned goods last longer than frozen, generally, so perhaps you could learn that and have home-canned beans, soups, tomato/spaghetti sauce and/or stocks and just have noodles on hand to throw a soup or spaghetti on if needed for emergency company or to help someone who’s sick or needy. Soup and beans would be best in those situations anyway and canning stock, soup, and beans is the easiest items to start canning, too. In summer when produce is fresh, I naturally ferment and can. Then there’s the Winter squash, potatoes and sw. pot, which hold out well through the winter and are available for giving (butternut squash was very generous this year) and being prepared for thifty meals for guests.
Personally, I don’t think about planning for drop-ins. People who know me know that they need to let me know in advance. I’m not keen on drop-ins for several reasons: I have a chronically ill husband, I have chronic structural health issues myself so some days I do well to just get through HS’ling and supper, forget about the house cleaning and we’re just private people. I do like to have things on on to give as gifts however and canning has afforded me to give jams, jellies, and pickled goods.
HTH, Rachel
p.s. I only use a pressure canner for water bath canning and pressure canning-I DO NOT use a pressure canning for cooking. I believe in the long-held healthier, traditional practice of slow-cooking foods.
I also recommend a log for freezer inventory and pantry inventory. Having a Household notebook is very helpful as long as you keep up with it.
Rachel
We do something like Sanveann suggests. We keep a list of what we have and if we have not needed to take a meal anywhere or feed anyone unexpectedly, we eat it ourselves and make new every few months. We do like to store food, so we keep many lists of how long things are expected to be good for, and rotate, rotate, rotate. 🙂
When you’re buying food for hospitality.. how about choosing meals (or ingredients for them) that your family eats regularly anyway? Then it may be more of a “double batch”? And more likely to get used without forgetting it? I used to make a double batch of homemade pizza and freeze one for the next week, a couple of times I gave the frozen pizza to another family or we ate it when company came by. It worked for us, because I generally always had the ingredients for pizza on hand. Just a thought.
The ideas of keeping an inventory of what’s in your freezer are great! (and of course there is an app for that.) if you do come to where things need to be eaten but aren’t bad yet – and you can’t/won’t use them for your family – there are probably charities who would take it. (and you would get a deduction on your taxes as well) Just thought I’d throw that out there. 🙂
My mom and grandmother used to keep food on hand for drop-ins. If there weren’t drop-ins by Sunday evening, they used the “drop-in” food in the family’s meals during the week. My dad has funny stories of his boyhood – watching the cake on the counter all Sunday afternoon, wondering if he would get a piece or if visitors would get it first!
I do think “dropping in” is going out of style. I recall it from my childhood, but haven’t experienced it in ages.
Hmm…you’ve given my lots of food for thought (pun intended!) I agree that it may be more practical to keep extras of the foods we already eat and not try to to something “spectacular” for company. Our friends and family are just that, friends and family, and not food critics! I will keep a log on the freezers, double our usual meals and put a cake on the counter so we can eat if first on Sunday afternoons! (What a funny story!) Thank you again ladies, you always come through!
True confession: I do not make an effort to keep anything on hand for the purpose of unexpected company. I have found that a cold glass of ice water offered sincerely is just as hospitable as a full course meal; more so even. When someone drops by I believe it is God calling me to minister at that moment out of what I have…at that moment. Apparently, God knows that that person needs to see me in all my unpreparedness.
Plus it has proven to be a good exercise for the children to learn to hold back for the sake of the guests.I used to need all sorts of things on hand, prepare way over the top, and cringe if anyone dropped by unexpectedly. God has shown me that he is not impressed with my desire to be impressive. True hospitality is welcoming a person or persons into our inner lives and giving with no thought of return. It’s about sharing our hearts just as much as our home and what’s in it. I found I was wanting to be admired. This is just a little testimony that God has given to me. Thought I’d share, though it may not apply to ya’ll. So, in a word, I don’t prepare, but I know that God will prepare me.
Blessings,
Cindy
I also do not keep special things on-hand for company. I can’t think of one person we know who would stop by unannounced. If there ever is a time when we’ve been given a very short notice, I usually make some good tea and offer that; and I always have some kind of snack to nibble on if the guests are hungry, but not staying for a meal.
As for storing food, I do that. I like to have a full pantry and freezer…helps me sleep better at night.
One day per month, I go through the deep freeze. If I find something that needs to be used, I thaw it out and use it at some point in that week’s meals. I actually just did that yesterday. I pulled out some ribs (which we had this evening), a roast (which we will have this weekend), some ground turkey (for turkey burgers tomorrow night), and some already cooked and portioned hamburger meat (which I will use to make a lasagna for some friends of ours who just moved into a new home). Regularly checking what I have is a great way to make sure nothing spoils or goes to waste.And, frozen things will keep much longer if they’re stored properly (ie. Foodsaver). I always have quart- and gallon-size freezer bags around. In fact, I found ground beef for .99/lb. tonight, so I bought 21 lbs. That’s going to last us a long time! So, those bags are going to come in handy later when I portion the meat out and freeze it. I don’t skimp on buying bags either (like buying the cheap brand). I always go for the name brand because I know from experience that they’re better for storing frozen foods. One day, I’ll be able to get a Foodsaver…sigh.
I do wish I knew how to can like Rachel. That is something I’ve been wanting to learn for a long time. We don’t have a garden, though, so I am waiting until then. I think that’s a skill that would benefit us all nowadays.
Blessings,
Lindsey
Yes, Cindy, I concur. The blessing is giving out of what we have; as a sacrifice of ourselves and for the one who is being served there is a heart of thankfulness for what we’ve shared.
One of the things I enjoy about having a garden and preserving is depending upon G-d to provide by His seasons and being good stewards and preserving; thereby taking care of my family and being a blessing to others in whatever form that takes. In our family, it’s not the drop-ins or visitors, but the ability to give to those that are in need or responding to the Spirit’s urging by giving to friends or neighbors who may be blessed by an extra jar of jam or stock or eggs during the summer because they’re short this month in cash and/or food. Plus, we can share our skills of frugal food prep. with those other moms who are also from the modern generation (like myself being 35) who weren’t taught these necessary skills.
Personally, I think the latter is going to be the more needed in our communities of both the believer and non-believer in the harder times to come; that we may be a blessing to those who are short on food, because we have chosen to become G-d Dependant and self-sufficient. Sharing G-d’s Love by taking care of each other instead of the gov’t. being the one to do it; but in order for us to be a blessing, we must learn skills of self-sufficiency and preservation to have those things available to give; not allowing them to go to waste of course; that’s where knowing what your inventory consists of comes into play. Having what you need for your family, having your stocked pantry from the work of your hands with extra to give as G-d gives you the opportunity.
ok, I’ll get off my soap box now because I could talk all night about this and get somewhat off topic.
Rachel
@Rachel: Your posts have just appeared and I am very thankful for your links, I’ve printed them both and bookmarked the site for later perusal. I totally agree with:
The blessing is giving out of what we have; as a sacrifice of ourselves and for the one who is being served there is a heart of thankfulness for what we’ve shared.
One of the things I enjoy about having a garden and preserving is depending upon G-d to provide by His seasons and being good stewards and preserving; thereby taking care of my family and being a blessing to others in whatever form that takes.
That’s what I was getting at when I said I wanted to have extra for others. You have made me blush however because I have a Foodsaver and I only use it during hunting season! In fact it is still put away because my husband was gone this year and didn’t get to go hunting. I am going to take it out today and start using it for daily storing. That never occured to me!
Also, you are very blessed to be able to can. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to learn. There’s so much I would want to put away!!
Once again thank you all for your suggestions!
) and some of it was just plain old. Part of the problem is that I always want to have a ton of food on hand for emergncy hospitality and for drop-by company. The reality of it is that we had a few “emergency” needs we were able to fulfill and only one drop-by company day. I keep reading that we should always be ready to serve people who come over, but in this “busy family”age we live in is that really practicle? We are not “busy” we are at home more often than not, but everyone else is running around and not likely to “drop in” (LOL). What do you ladies keep on hand for such times? We have a freezer in the garage so space is not an issue. Please help!!! 
One day per month, I go through the deep freeze. If I find something that needs to be used, I thaw it out and use it at some point in that week’s meals. I actually just did that yesterday. I pulled out some ribs (which we had this evening), a roast (which we will have this weekend), some ground turkey (for turkey burgers tomorrow night), and some already cooked and portioned hamburger meat (which I will use to make a lasagna for some friends of ours who just moved into a new home). Regularly checking what I have is a great way to make sure nothing spoils or goes to waste.Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
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