Growing up in the 60's, I was taught to be a member of the 'Clean Plate Club'.
Then in the 80's and 90's, it became vogue
to leave a bit of food on your plate. I guess it was a sign of self
control in a society of people becoming obese. But it is a sign of
nothing more than arrogance and wastefulness and worst yet, perhaps subconsciously
we know that the processed foods that we are eating in school cafeterias, buying at
grocery stores, and ordering at restaurants are garbage so we don't feel bad about tossing what we don't eat in the trash. Maybe if we bought and ate quality foods that cost more, we might not be so apt to throw food away.
But whatever the reasons for wasting, there are good reasons not too. One key reason is that it might help you loss weight and then maintain your correct weight. If before a meal you think about the amount of food you need, and take just that amount, you will be eating less. This is a very important lesson to teach our children also.
So don't waste food. Some thoughts on what this
encompasses.
1. Teach your children and yourself to take a small
portion of each food choice - if you have never tried something before take
just a teaspoonful the first time. You can always go back for
seconds. Then if you don't like it, you won't be leaving uneaten food on
your plate. Luckily, what one person doesn't like, often another one in
the family will love. For my boys, when they were little,
they learned to eat everything on their plate (they had to finish everything on
their plates, which was a little bit of all items served, before they
could go back for seconds of the things they loved).
2. Plan your meals and know what you have in your
refrigerator and freezer. Use the produce and foods that you are
buying. Put the newly purchased grocery items in the back and then use
what is in the front first. Typically most items last from several days
to a week or two in the refrigerator. Raw meat lasts a day or two; dishes
you prepared and saved as leftovers typically last about 5 days; and things like carrots and celery
can last a couple weeks. (I store my potatoes and onions, which last
a couple weeks, in a dark drawer in the utility room, not in the
refrigerator.) Items can be frozen for months.
3. Save what is not eaten at a meal and plan
'leftover' meals. Often, I make extra ingredients (such as roastedpotatoes or taco meat) that are then added into a new dish so it does not seem
like we are having leftovers and I have a quick, easy meal that is
delicious in the next day or two. Or else, I make one new item (a salad or biscuits for
instance) to go with the leftovers.
4. Leftovers are often great for lunch - take
advantage of that delicious real food that you created.
5. Finish off the perishable items with your meal first. Things like salads don't keep well for long, so have seconds of
those rather than the chicken that you can use in another meal. If you
have teenagers, have them eat the perishable items before they have seconds of
the other foods. Hungry teenagers can be coaxed into eating just
about anything!
6. Save money by learning to use all of the food you
buy. You also become a wise steward of the land when you don't throw away
food. The amount of food thrown in the trash in the United States
7. Take all of those unopened foods that have
ingredients on the 'Foods to Avoid List' to a food
pantry. Replace them with good quality real foods and plan yourmeals wisely using what you have on-hand. Then teach your family to
appreciate these wonderful, delicious foods and to not throw away uneaten
food. You will reap the benefits.
"Jesus told his disciples: 'There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'" Luke 16:1-2
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