Avoid waste and Save money by Cooking Simple Meals using Excess Veggies
We all have to tighten the belt and watch not only our waistlines but our pockets as well. Therefore I want to show you how to avoid waste and save money by cooking simple meals using excess veggies.
As a nation we all waste too much food every week; in fact we should be ashamed of ourselves for wasting money and food that we throw away.
Tips to reduce food wastage and save money
Here are a few simple things we can all do to reduce the food we throw away every week:
- Make a shopping list and stick to it
- Be organized and plan your meals before you shop; I am not organized but this would save you wastage
- Buying food on Impulse because it is cheap is wasting money if you throw half in the bin.
- Store all food in sealed containers in fridge so it keeps longer.
- Look in your fridge and cook oldest food before it goes soft; do not buy food specials if you don't need it
- Buy tinned food on special or in bulk; check expiry date.
- Cook double quantities; eat one and freeze one for another night. This saves extra cooking time.
Scrambled eggs with a difference
Use your normal basic recipe
Now try adding these items
- 1 small diced onion
- Left over ham, chicken or pork
- 4 spinach leaves and stems
- Little oil or butter
Method
Sauté onions, add chopped spinach stems, then your meat of choice. Add your beaten eggs and pepper and salt, and stir continually. Just before it's cooked add chopped spinach leaves.
Tip: To make this for two people I use 5 beaten eggs, 1 cup milk, with a teaspoon of corn flour mixed in. (this makes it go further).
Variations: you can add anything at all that you have in your fridge that needs using up. Like Capsicum, bacon, mushrooms, carrot. That's the beauty of this type of meal. It can even be served on toast or similar.
Chili and beef stir fry
This is another great way to use up your veggies
- Diced Chicken, steak, or meat of your choice
- 1 diced onion
- 2 small carrots cut in thin strips or grated
- 1 teaspoon of garlic or ginger depending on choice of beef or chicken
- 1 diced capsicum
- 2 sticks celery cut thin
- Small button mushrooms
- Small quantity of oil
- Sweet chili sauce or diced chili
Method
Sauté onions, remove into another dish. Brown diced meat or chicken with chili or garlic, place in dish with onion. Sauté the harder vegetables then add the softer ones, now toss in the meat and onions and continue to stir then serve.
Tip: Serve on rice or pasta to make it go further.
No we haven't forgotten the salads
Most people love a fresh salad, whether you are serving it with barbecued meat, fish or chicken.
Tips for buying and storing salads:
Tomatoes- look for the half ripe tomatoes. These will keep longer, although you still need a few ripe ones to use now. Do not store green tomatoes in the fridge as they won't ripen the same.
Cucumbers- Avoid buying ones that are yellowing. If possible buy the ones pre-wrapped in plastic these will keep longer, you can wrap your own to keep better. If you have an excess number of cucumbers instead of giving them away, slice them and put in jar, cover with vinegar and seal.
Lettuces- buy ones with solid heart. Watch out for ones overwatered which have brown marks inside. Store them in an airtight container or plastic bag. Each day cut a bit of the stork off so it doesn't soft and brown.
Celery- Cut the tops off celery (leaves) before storing in fridge. Remove inside leave too as these are first to deteriorate then store in sealed plastic bag.
Before making any salad always check your crisper and see which salads need to be used first. Also check them for any spoilage, and trim them before you lose the whole lettuce, cucumber, celery etc.
By eating fresh salads and vegetables you are encouraging a healthy way of living and reducing the waste of your vegetables you are saving money too.
Why not try growing your own fresh vegetables and save even more money
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Comments
Great ideas eileen; adding more vegetables to meals is something I like to do. Thanks!
These are great ideas. I hate throwing out leftover vegetables ... and I love scrambled eggs. Thanks for the suggestions.
Great ideas! I like to freeze up bits of leftover veggies , and make a nice soup when I have enough!
introspective, it sure saves on wastage
deborah, thanks for stopping by, yes scrambled eggs and excess vegies make a simple and easy meal.
Bayoulady, I try to make a double batch of a lot of my meals saves a lot of time and makes it easier. And like you say freezing is a good way to build up your backlog of meals.
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