We have all been there- you have just a small amount of pasta, cereal, meat pieces, etc. However, none is enough for a meal. Or maybe you have made too much rice and don't want to eat stir fry again. Produce is also something to go bad quick, creating a lot of waste. So what do you do with those little bits? How do you use up that wilted spinach or mushy banana? Here are some ideas and tips to get the most out of your food "scraps".
*Make soup!
Soup can be a great way to use up all your food scraps. You can put almost anything into soup and it is a good way to use up small amounts of things. Here are some soup ideas:
+ Chop up the miserable looking carrots, the wilty spinach and throw in the rest of that can of corn from last night's dinner.
+Use left over meat such as chicken or sausage from a prior meal. Or, if you have maybe a small chicken breast in your freezer with some slight freezer burn, putting it into a soup with many other items will lessen the freezer burn taste.
+Only have a half cup of rice or noodles, not enough for a big meal, but enough not to waste, you can put that into your soup too.
+Don't hesitate to make use of left over mashed potatoes, adding them to soup will help thicken your soup.
*Make your own broths
No need to spend $1 or more on a small little can of broth when you can easily make your own without buying anything extra.
+Don't throw out the chicken or turkey "bones". You could also use meat pieces for this. I like to add some onion to mine usually as well. Add it to a pot with just enough water to cover. Simmer until liquid has reduced by 1/4-1/3. Remove the bones and discard. Let broth cool. You may want to refrigerate as some of the fat will come to the top, which you can skim off. Put into freezer safe containers and label.
+Veggie broth can be made a few different ways and with different vegetables. This is a good way to use up vegetables that are getting mushy or wilted. Or if you have left over fresh vegetables from making a soup or garnish tray and don't have plans to use them, this is a good way to make use of them. I personally find that carrots, celery, onion and a few herbs are easy and flavorful. You could also use cabbage or other greens, peppers, etc. Add about 3 cups worth of mixed, diced vegetables to a large soup pot with water (about 6-8 cups) simmer until reduced by 1/4 to 1/3. Using a colander with a bowl under to catch the broth, pour broth into colander. You could also use a skimmer to scoop out the vegetables. If you want a bit of a twist, you could let the pot cool slightly and put it into a blender and blend with the vegetables for a thicker broth. Freeze in labeled containers.
*Left over pastas and rice
Aside from soup, rice and pastas can be used in many different dishes in small amounts. Here are some ideas:
~Dry rice and pasta
+Designate a container to hold all of your "end of box" pastas. As we use different pastas for different things, there is often a small amount left. Add that small amount to the container. Break up spaghetti, fettuchini, etc. After a while, you'll have enough to make a whole meal. Remember, most pasta is good for a few years.
+ Another option for small amounts of pasta is to add it to a salad or use it as a side for lunch or dinner for a single person. Cook pasta, cool under running cold water and add to a leafy salad for a little something extra. Or, cook and add a little butter and some seasoning or cheese for a side dish.
+ Rice can go a long way, so a little bit left could actually be enough for a meal. Other than brown rice, most rice will keep forever.
+ Consider adding small amounts of rice to soups or meatloaf.
~Cooked rice and pasta
+Left over plain pasta can easily be turned into a quick pasta salad. Add your favorite dressing, some cheese, veggies etc.
+Rice is very versatile and can be used in sides, main dishes, soups, etc. It can also be used for a sweet treat. Search recipes for rice pudding or eat in place of oatmeal, adding raisins, brown sugar and milk, etc.
*Cereal
You get to the end of your cereal box and have less than you would need make a bowl or there is a little bit that is on the verge of going stale and you don't want cereal. Here are some ideas of what to do with it.
+ Eat it dry as a snack, maybe pack it in with lunch.
+ Make your own snack mix: Add in other cereals, crackers, nuts, seeds, etc.
+ Make cereal bars, like rice crispy treats. If you have enough or if you have a couple different cereals that would work well for these, you could combine them with marshmallow and butter to make your own cereal bars
+ Some cereals work well in cookies and muffins. Try allrecipes.com for ideas.
*Crackers and chips
+ Crush into crumbs and use as a breading for chicken or fish, etc. I have found tortilla chip crumbs make an excellent breading for chicken. You could really use probably any type though.
+ Crush flavored chips and crackers into more of a "powder" and add to your favorite dip sour cream to add a kick of flavor.
+ Add to pasta salads for a bit of flavor
*Vegetables
This category is pretty vague as there are many different vegetables that are good for different things. Mainly remember most vegetables, while not best flavor and texture quality will be good even if wilted or starting to brown. Watch for mold and brown spots or mush. Cut the bad spots out. Use your personal preference as to what vegetables you would like to use.
+As stated above, great to add to soups or to make broth
+ Add to stir fry
+Dice into small pieces and add to spaghetti sauce or other casseroles
+Squashes are great for making breads and cakes. Aside from zucchini bread, try using butternut squash in place of pumpkin. Get creative.
*Fruits
Like vegetables, fruits can go bad quickly as well. They are also still edible even with rough spots. Watch for brown spots, mold, mushy spots and cut them out.
+Use fruits such as apples, peaches and pears as a topper for hot oatmeal.
+Cook fruits until soft, mash and cool. Eat like you would apple sauce. You could also add it for flavor to oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.
+Use in breads such as banana bread, apple bread etc. You could get creative with other fruits as well. Search for recipes that use the fruit you have.
*Sauces and Condiments
There is a condiment for everything, so naturally we all seem to have 20 open bottles of this and that. Sometimes it is hard to used up all of something.
+ Consider making your own marinades by mixing similar dressings and sauces.
+ Stretch your BBQ sauce by adding some ketchup, Worchesershire, honey, brown sugar, and mustard.
+ Experiment with alternatives to stir fry sauce or meatloaf ingredients with items you will find among your condiments.
+ Make pasta salad to use up little bits of salad dressing, mayo, mustard.
+Use left over spaghetti, pizza or marinara sauces for dipping grilled cheese sandwiches, topping garlic toast
*Misc.
+Visit recipe web sites such as allrecipes.com. You have an option of listing ingredients you have on hand and it will come up with various things you can make with those items.
+Plan consecutive day meals so that you can use part of your left overs without eating the same meal. Such as making a large amount of chicken and rice. You can have chicken tacos one day and chicken with rice soup the next.
+Left overs and "end of bag/box" things are a good way to experiment with trying new things and coming up with new dishes. If you are using the last bits of things that would otherwise maybe not get eaten, it is a little less of a "lost" feeling if your creations don't come out as planned.
