The Secret Life of Leftovers • Hacker News Board

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#21

Post by EricE » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 4:58 PM UTC

notacoward wrote: post #17

I don't think I'll go dumpster diving any time soon, but I do take significant pride in using up leftovers. In fact, the poutine example is particularly relevant to me. Just the other night I made a kind of poutine from old pasta, random bits of cheese from the drawer, and leftover KFC gravy. It was delicious. "Daddy casserole" made from whatever I can find in the fridge is not only tolerated but eagerly consumed in…

I have helped a few friends kick start their kids love of cooking by sharing some free meal coupons from Blue Apron. It's a great way to ease someone into cooking who has zero experience since they provide recipes with easy to follow directions and provide the exact quantity of ingredients needed which keeps waste down. It really helps break down the intimidation barriers and get people *started* on cooking on their own. I stay with it for the convenience, but most of them have since moved on and now do their own recipe planning and shopping; but they probably wouldn't be where they are if they hadn't at least started.

As a single person the biggest thing I like about services like Blue Apron: I can have a wide variety of fresh ingredients but without the waste of buying things like family sized bundles of herbs where I end up throwing half or more out before I can use them all.

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#22

Post by uoaei » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 5:08 PM UTC

ciphol wrote: post #15

helpfulmandrill wrote: post #2

As someone who has sometimes used "food waste" as an excuse to overeat, I find the concept of "metabolic food waste" useful. That is, food that you over eat is still wasted food. If you bought or cooked too much food, that was the point at which you made a mistake, and that mistake cannot be undone by proceeding to stuff your face.

Or as I heard it, "better to destroy your food than destroy your body".

Better to save your food, maybe...

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#23

Post by ThePadawan » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 5:09 PM UTC

Shout out to my college cafeteria that used to serve "Toast Surprise" on some Fridays.

That's "whatever we couldn't get rid of during the week, served on bread and with grilled cheese on top".

If the original meal was something like overcooked, underseasoned vegetable stew, that made it 300% better.

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#24

Post by Arrath » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 5:21 PM UTC

EricE wrote: post #18

Awesome article. If there is one takeaway for everyone from it is the myth of the "expiration date". Boggles my mind that food banks routinely reject *canned* food that is even one day out of date.

This is a fight I am still waging with my girlfriend, who feels that an expiration date is law.

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#25

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 5:27 PM UTC

helpfulmandrill wrote: post #2

As someone who has sometimes used "food waste" as an excuse to overeat, I find the concept of "metabolic food waste" useful. That is, food that you over eat is still wasted food. If you bought or cooked too much food, that was the point at which you made a mistake, and that mistake cannot be undone by proceeding to stuff your face.

[deleted]

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#26

Post by GoodbyeMrChips » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 5:44 PM UTC

goatcode wrote: post #5

This seems overly pessimistic, and perhaps very myopically metropolitan. I can't imagine wasting food from a restaurant -- I always have taken my leftovers home and eaten them later. Even at home, stuff gets used or I feel shame, and unusable scraps go into the compost.

> I can't imagine wasting food from a restaurant -- I always have taken my leftovers home and eaten them later.

Is this a thing where you are from?

I suggest here in Blighty, the waiters would be rather confused by such a request; not to mention something of a social faux pas.

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#27

Post by ethbr0 » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 5:52 PM UTC

Arrath wrote: post #24

EricE wrote: post #18

Awesome article. If there is one takeaway for everyone from it is the myth of the "expiration date". Boggles my mind that food banks routinely reject *canned* food that is even one day out of date.

This is a fight I am still waging with my girlfriend, who feels that an expiration date is law.

The nomenclature was severely fucked up. "Expiration" never should have been allowed.

If it had started as "Best by" then we'd have substantially less stigma around it.

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#28

Post by ethbr0 » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 5:58 PM UTC

ThePadawan wrote: post #23

Shout out to my college cafeteria that used to serve "Toast Surprise" on some Fridays. That's "whatever we couldn't get rid of during the week, served on bread and with grilled cheese on top". If the original meal was something like overcooked, underseasoned vegetable stew, that made it 300% better.

NASA kid's Space Camp (circa ~95) staff would intercept you on the way to the trash can and say "I'll do that for you."

Tray and person would subsequently disappear into the back.

We always assumed today's meal was yesterday's extras.

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#29

Post by pertique » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 6:00 PM UTC

GoodbyeMrChips wrote: post #26

goatcode wrote: post #5

This seems overly pessimistic, and perhaps very myopically metropolitan. I can't imagine wasting food from a restaurant -- I always have taken my leftovers home and eaten them later. Even at home, stuff gets used or I feel shame, and unusable scraps go into the compost.

> I can't imagine wasting food from a restaurant -- I always have taken my leftovers home and eaten them later. Is this a thing where you are from? I suggest here in Blighty, the waiters would be rather confused by such a request; not to mention something of a social faux pas.

It's very common in the US, at least the parts I've been. It depends on the restaurant, of course, but most places will provide a takeout box to take home uneaten food if you ask.

In fact, it's not uncommon for the waiter to offer a box unprompted if you have a fair amount of leftover food.

Re: The Secret Life of Leftovers

#30

Post by spudlyo » Thu, Aug 11, 2022, 6:08 PM UTC

triceratops wrote: post #11

mc32 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So what about people who overeat just to work off the calories later? Is that food waste too? In other words is leisure exercise above that which helps keep the body fit, exercise that leads to food waste?

According to an another article I read on here a few months back, "working off calories" is basically impossible over the long term. The body will adapt to the work and become more efficient in how many calories it expends to do it. Or you'll injure yourself and be unable to do as much work.

Not sure the body's adaptation is a significant factor, but it only takes a few moments to consume a calorie dense food, and perhaps an hour of sustained exercise to burn burn it off. If I've already done my daily exercise, I'm not interested in doing any more. Seems a lot easier not to eat it in the first place.