Wasting "food"?

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Feanaro_s_Wife

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**OK, I hate wasting food and think it is very irresponsible. And I am talking about people who load up their plates and don’t finish it etc, not honestly being full and not being able to finish a modest portion or something similar. I would assume that most of you would feel the same way considering that we should not be gluttonous and that we are called to be good stewards of our resources…

but what is your opinion about wasting non-food-type items? Like if you get a pop with a meal and don’t finish it? It’s not like a live plant or animal died to make that pop, lol. It’s not like vital nutrients that could have been useful to a hungry person are being wasted. It’s junk. Is it ok to waste junk???**
 
I agree with you–wasting food is bad. But I think that the principle at work there is that wastefulness is bad, not just wasting food. That pop cost money, and you’re effectively wasting money when you dump it down the drain.

I guess the trick comes in with things that aren’t good for you. What’s worse–dumping the pop down the drain (and therefore wasting some money), or gulping down the calorie-laden sugary beverage? I think it depends on circumstances, really. Sometimes it’s gluttonous not to “waste” food–to eat the huge portions we’re served these days, etc. There’s not an answer that is ALWAYS going to be right or wrong, ya know?

As for me, I wouldn’t make a habit of ordering things I couldn’t finish. I typically get water at restaurants (that’s where they make all their money–selling beverages!) and will take home my leftovers for the next day’s lunch. A lot of people today don’t seem to regard eating out as the “luxury” which those of us on more limited budgets consider it to be, and that’s where a lot of wastefulness comes in.

Sorry to be so wordy!
 
Feanaro_s_Wife said:
**OK, I hate wasting food and think it is very irresponsible. And I am talking about people who load up their plates and don’t finish it etc, not honestly being full and not being able to finish a modest portion or something similar. I would assume that most of you would feel the same way considering that we should not be gluttonous and that we are called to be good stewards of our resources…

but what is your opinion about wasting non-food-type items? Like if you get a pop with a meal and don’t finish it? It’s not like a live plant or animal died to make that pop, lol. It’s not like vital nutrients that could have been useful to a hungry person are being wasted. It’s junk. Is it ok to waste junk???**
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Assuming it’s not diet pop, then there’s ONE useful thing in it - energy from the sugar. A lot of energy, in fact. And even though it’s not from an especially nutritious source, it can, for someone who is really starving, mean the difference between life and death.

And while it’s not really a natural product (although even that is debatable - sugar does come from sugar cane, after all), there are valuable resources (electricity, water and such) expended in the making of it - and those at least would be put to waste if it’s not consumed.

So if you can, give the pop to someone else. As an alternative, even if it comes free with the meal, you can tell whoever’s serving you that you don’t want it, so that it doesn’t go to waste.
 
I have an interesting take on “wasting” food.

I am, and have always tended to be overweight.

I read once, the quote “my body is not a trashcan”. I think it is sinful to load up our bodies with food, especially with the excuse “we shouldn’t waste it”.

There have been times in history, the great depression, during the war, or during the potatoe famine, when there was scarcity in food, therefore, I can see how throwing food away was wrong. But today, where obesity is the biggest health problem we face, I don’t think “wasting” food is wrong. I think it would be more wrong to ingest food (or drinks, desserts, etc) harming our bodies in the process.

If you think about it, what is more harmful to the environment, throwing away a half eaten chicken breast, or packing it up in a huge styrofoam box that you will throw away when you get home?
In that scenario, taking the food home is actually more wasteful.
 
ecp007 said:
I have an interesting take on “wasting” food.

I am, and have always tended to be overweight.

I read once, the quote “my body is not a trashcan”. I think it is sinful to load up our bodies with food, especially with the excuse “we shouldn’t waste it”.

I completely agree

If you think about it, what is more harmful to the environment, throwing away a half eaten chicken breast, or packing it up in a huge styrofoam box that you will throw away when you get home?
In that scenario, taking the food home is actually more wasteful.
**
And that is where we are called to be prudent. What you give an example of is not necessarily what I would consider wasteful (but you could always bring your own tupperware:p). I was speaking more of a person who eats their entire meal and then says “mmmm, that was good, I want MORE” then proceeds to order more only to take a few bites and leave the rest.**
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**And back to my original question of non-essential foods, what if you have something like a cake, or half a bag of potato chips, or cookies etc that will go bad/stale if you don’t eat it. Better to eat it or chuck it out? (assuming there is no one else to give it to)? Last time I checked the food back didn’t accept half eaten anythings;)
**
 
Here is a topic near and dear to my heart.We are from a farming community where folks still grow a lot of their own food…cattle,hogs,vegetables…The elders are descendants from the old country and retain a waste not want not attitude.My own grandfather came from a very poor family in France.

Waste is not acceptable…Stale bread/crackers is given to the birds…Eating out even at a fast food joint is luxury.The pop you mentioned would have been not ordered or taken home.Leftover food…taken home for lunch or brought to a new life in another dish.

It’s a real shame that most of us buy our food at the store.We have lost the connection to it’s value.IMHO children should at the very least have a tomato or pepper plant to be responsible for.Even a city dweller can put a little herb pot on a windowsill.

Whatever happened to all the wonderful home arts? Canning,Baking fresh bread,rolling out egg noodles,sewing a dress for church,knitting an afghan,raising sheep for wool,making lye soap…
The list goes on and on.
 
Why don’t you compost food that you aren’t going to eat in time. Like potato chips, cake etc. Where I work we compost everything that can be composted. Any food returns (as long as its not meat) are composted and the packaging is recyled.
 
I face this challenge frequently and it also drives me crazy…but the issue I have is buying food at the grocery store for the week and then finding we have been busy/out that meals I planned don’t get made and food~esp. fresh items (veggies/fruit/herbs/meats) go bad and are thrown out unused. :banghead:

I’ve tried to buy less or make more frequent trips–and we do visit the farmers markets regularly–which allows frequent purchases of local produce and helps avoid spoilage/waste. I’ll be watching for suggestions or strategies other people have…
 
I agree that the act of loading up the plate with more you need is bad, but sometimes while ordering out the portions are huge. I usually take half home.
 
My view on this generally is that some things have negligible value - like soda - and aren’t worth saving. A poor person would not benefit from having more Coke. But I also agree with the PP who looked at it from a financial p-o-v. We should spare ourselves from wasting as much as possible. I really don’t like how much waste we generate with paper products, for example. And it’s so common…
 
Island_Oak said:
I face this challenge frequently and it also drives me crazy…but the issue I have is buying food at the grocery store for the week and then finding we have been busy/out that meals I planned don’t get made and food~esp. fresh items (veggies/fruit/herbs/meats) go bad and are thrown out unused. :banghead:

I’ve tried to buy less or make more frequent trips–and we do visit the farmers markets regularly–which allows frequent purchases of local produce and helps avoid spoilage/waste. I’ll be watching for suggestions or strategies other people have…
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I struggled with this for the same reasons, and have found a fairly good solution: I make a menu for the week before shopping, and always make sure to “delete” 1-2 meals from the schedule. This doesn’t include meals we plan to eat out - I just know from experience that an additional 1-2 meals will fall through the cracks during the week: we’ll either have leftovers that day, get invited to neighbors, or something else spontaneous will occur. I then shop just once a week for the remainder of the meals.

It’s not a foolproof system, but we’ve wasted much less fresh food from meals that just “didn’t happen” since I adopted it 6 months ago…
 
I try to keep the fridge as empty as possible. That way I can see everything that’s in there and use it. I don’t know if that will be tenable when my son becomes a teenager in 12 years, but it works for now. 🙂

Also, I’ve become less afraid of using good quality canned and frozen vegetables - mostly organic stuff or stuff from Italy.
 
To knowingly waste anything God has made you a steward is a sin. If you eat out and can bring it home do so. If you cook at home and don’t finish it, save it. If it is going to go bad or there are small portions left give to a pet or a bird outside.

However, to knowingly overeat in lieu of saving/disposing instead could be gluttony. So cook what you need and don’t overeat.

As far as throwing out excess “diet drinks” you shouldn’t drink anyway. Drink water.
 
Cookies and cake can be wrapped and frozen.

Of course, you can go overboard with that kind of thing as well.

If you KNOW your family will not eat an entire cake, next time only bake half a cake or freeze half of it as soon as you bake it. Bake it in two pans, for two layers. Ice/eat one and freeze the other layer (or take it to your Parish for the next potluck :))

When it comes to potato chips, divide a big bag up into small zip top bags, that way they will stay fresh longer and can be packed in a lunch.
 
Ted_in_Charlott said:
However, to knowingly overeat in lieu of saving/disposing instead could be gluttony. So cook what you need and don’t overeat.
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I got a little chuckle out of that line…because as most any mom will tell you…We never cook “our portion” we just clean up what ever the children have left on their plates…it’s a well known proven fact that no mother has ever eaten her own cooking while it was still hot:D
 
Feanaro_s_Wife said:
And back to my original question of non-essential foods, what if you have something like a cake, or half a bag of potato chips, or cookies etc that will go bad/stale if you don’t eat it. Better to eat it or chuck it out? (assuming there is no one else to give it to)? Last time I checked the food back didn’t accept half eaten anythings;)
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always have a tupperware or ziplock back for those occassions. the items you mentioned won’t go bad or get stale in 24-48 hours if properly stored. that way you can have your junk food and not waste it. 🤷
 
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