Food purchased - just in case?

No! I find the thought of throwing out food abhorrent. And to keep repeating it is beyond me. As I said in another thread, too much money and no common sense. Or, a very bad memory.

Was it about me in that thread too, petra?

I'm afraid it is inevitable when you live alone, as so much food is only sold in two-packs... I do find that the second portion is sometimes unused until well past its 'use by' date, and has to get the big heave-ho.

I only buy "just in case" food during holidays (Christmas, Easter etc.) as I want to have food for any visitors! Unfortunately I always tend to buy too much and as I hate to waste food end up eating it myself (although the freezer is a great help).

I think I inherited it from my mother who was a chronic over buyer (if there is such a phrase!). When my brother first married his new wife asked him what she should buy for Christmas food - his reply was to ask mother - and then half it!!

I find there is some waste, can't stop myself from buying things 'just in case' someone (family really) calls - sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. A shopping list helps enormously, but there's usually one 'just in case' on it. Hopeless case I think.

That was pretty nasty petra. Maybe you live 2 minutes from a supermarket whereas some of us live ,as in my case, a 7 mile journey in either direction. If I fancy a a glass of orange I'm going to have to buy a carton.... haven't actually seen it sold in one- glass sizes apart from the c...p juice sold in mini cartons for kids.
I buy small where I can, and detest throwing anything out but unless I want to eat pate wearing a fur coat there are times when it is inevitable. Oh, well maybe I too lack common sense and brains. Just surviving (happily)on a state pension means I don't have too much money,so that kinda shoots your theory down

I am on Petra's side. I live in a rural area. I plan my menus, buy what we need and never buy things that people just might want.

If one of us occasionally has a yearning for something we rarely consume, they either go out and buy it, even though it is 10 mile round trip to the supermarket or they go without. I certainly do not waste money buying on the off chance and then throwing it away. My menu plan starts with a quick survey of what is in the fridge to make sure anything with no obvious immediate used is incorporated into the next few days menu.

Anyway I have an almost empty fridge most of the time because if I do not have an obvious use for something in the next two days, it goes in the freezer until it is wanted again. This will apply to every thing from packets of cold meat, pate, half used tins of baked beans or tomatoes, anything. I keep these left overs in one basket and plan menus round them so that they do not stay there very long.

With me it's soft drinks. I always feel we need to have them in for visitors, yet they of course drink one glass and we're left with the rest of the bottle till it's flat or way out of date. I do feel guilty when I pour them away, but surely it's better than drinking them just for the sake of it?

I had to throw out two packs of raspberries yesterday that had mould on them. Flippin' Ocado! I'm sure their stuff isn't always as fresh as it could be.

I agree re the soft drinks Maggie, but now that they have been condemned as the root of all dietary sin, there's no need to feel guilty about throwing them away
I always have some ham, eggs, cheese and bacon in the fridge.
They usually get eaten for lunch with salad, but I can make a main meal too if I need to. I rarely throw anything away.

The only thing I buy 'just in case' is and that's just in case somebody turns up and drinks my share.

Is there no Co-op, or 8 till lates, in these out-in-the-sticks places?

Not where I live jbf My nearest shop is 5 miles away. Although that is not quite true - we do have a post office in the village - open one half day a week!

No jingls!

I only buy chocolate and biscuits just in case, so nothing gets wasted!

I avoid our village shop like the plague but I had to nip in for a pint of milk last week due to the hard working builders greedy buggers and their tea breaks.

75p??? They're 'avin a larf!

When we moved here in 2012 we brought with us our tall freezer which used to live in the utility room in our previous house. Here it lives in the garage as there is a fully fitted kitchen but no utility room (really miss my u.room) There is, however, a fitted 3-drawer freezer in the kitchen.

I have, or rather had, a bad habit of buying BOGOFs and putting one in the garage freezer, which gradually filled up and which I hated using as access to the garage is not easy, being full of Mr Gaga's hoarded "things which may come in useful" (hmm) plus his bicycles (several) plus wood stored for the wood burner etc etc.

So I decided that two of us really should be able to manage with the built in 3-drawer freezer and I have gradually used/disposed of the stores in the garage one. There are only 2 large pizzas and a fruit tart in there now and once I have used them up I shall defrost the beast and sell it. Or give it away. Either way its days are numbered.

My shopping habits have changed as a result and my weekly supermarket spend has much reduced. I now turn away from anything that is not on my list. We are only 1 mile from the shops and about half a mile from the Spar shop. I really hope that I can keeep to my new regime and not be tempted to buy food "just in case"!

It is not me that is a just-in-caster, it is DH. We have had family to stay this weekend and I planned the meal for Saturday down to the pudding and the cheese, but we still had to get two supermarket chocolate pudding thingies - just in case we didn't have enough of what I had made for dessert. There was plenty, and we now have two chocolate puddings that are destined for the freezer until we can palm them off offer them to future guests!

The thing is that, although I plan dinners for every day, I don't plan lunches so we have what is available or what we fancy. Lots of stuff goes with coleslaw (if you fancy it) and we quite often have what we call a 'plate' of what ever is going: ham, smoked mackerel, pork pie, hard boiled egg and coleslaw! Orange juice is bought because, if you come in gasping for a refreshing drink, you don't want to have to go to the pesky village coop (not far away but costs a fortune and not much choice!) especially if wearing gardening clothes

Obviously, I have more money than sense, am very profligate and losing my marbles to boot.

kitty ....... I like you!

kitty!

Well I have to confess that my fridges (as opposed to freezers) are often stacked with very similar stuff to yours kitty and it does usually get eaten. (Yes, I have 2 fridges too) I plan meals also but sometimes have a mad moment and disregard the menu.

Mr Gaga is pretty good at eating whatever I give him but I don't buy orange juice except when DS and family are coming to stay. Mr G prefers a bottle of beer or even water when he comes back from his biking trips.

I absolutely disagree that you are as described in your last paragraph. I think you are just normal!

Agreed too kitty. Earlier ( first) post a bit rude I think

Must say I abhor waste- but sometimes, especially when having visitors, a small amount of it can't be helped. Fettlebaum- why not try and better plan the use of the second portion- with cooking it with the other, and then freezing for instance- or using it 2 days later with different veg and/or carb/sauce, etc.

Have far too much fruit because of visitors, and some veg too- so tomorrow I will cut out any brown bits and stew the fruite, and make a ratatouille sort of thing with veg- eat some, freeze the rest. it just takes a litte planning and effort to avoid most, but not always all- waste.