Monday, February 8, 2010

Waste Not, Want Not

One of the big chores that I got done yesterday was going through all of the dry, canned, and frozen food that is in the house and making a mental inventory of what we have. It’s been a long time since this was done. I am going to be trying to incorporate a lot of these items into my diet over the next few weeks to try and use up the majority of the excess stuff that we have. I will be doing this in a healthy way.

There is quite a bit of preserved fruit, so that shouldn’t take too much adjusting. I know it’s not as good for me as fresh produce, but at least I am not letting anything go to waste. There are a number of cans of flaked meat, plus lots of the frozen packaged variety too, which means that I will be making more meals that utilize that food group. There are a few pre-packaged dehydrated items that I will go through a little more slowly. Also, I have a lot of soup that should be used up before the warmer weather hits and it is likely shuffled to the back of the cupboard.

The biggest thing that I need to be careful of while implementing this process is monitoring my sodium intake. I don’t want to make these temporary adjustments to the detriment of my weight loss, and the potential for water retention could result in exactly that. I think, though, that the biggest selling point of this plan is that it will shake things up for my body and keep it guessing. A lot of the items were bought prior to me beginning this journey and I want to make sure that they aren’t wasted, but it is also an opportunity to surprise my system with the introduction of unfamiliar foods in a health-conscious manner.

14 comments:

  1. the canned stuff that you just SHOULD NOT eat.. you can donate it to charity! that way, it's not on your thighs and it's not going to waste! (:

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  2. I scrounge our pantries and invent meals all the time. My hubby teases me, but we've got some great stuff out of it!

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  3. Yes, donate the stuff you don't want and it will make you feel good too. Otherwise I'll do that sometimes to not waste the food.

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  4. I have been doing that too...but as a prerequisite to starting a food storage system.
    waste not want not....plan now, want not later.

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  6. We have a cupboard full of canned soup, too. I love soup, because there are so many different kinds. I say one can never get sick of soup. But daughter says one can. :)

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  7. I should go through the cupboards and use stuff up, too. I've already gone way over my weekly grocery budget, so if I want to get back on track, I'm going to need to do something similar. I can understand the worry about the foods not being as healthy as you'd prefer, though.

    Pssst...what did Stu MacFarlane up there do?

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  8. Oh nothing! It was basically just an advertisement! I don't want anyone to think I am endorsing something I don't know anything about! :)

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  9. And, yeah, budget is a factor too. If there is anything I know won't get used it will definitely be going to charity as I know times are tough all around.

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  10. I wish I could maintain a store cupboard. I start with the best of intentions, but somehow it all gets eat! Dunno who does that, I think I have a gremlin living in there ....What I dont have, I cant eat. And yep - I am capable of opening a packet of dehydrated anything and convincing myself its nice just as it is....

    BR.

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  11. I cleared out my cupboards after my stint in hospital as well...through so much away...gave some away and ate the few things I was able...
    the joys.x

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  12. Ive been thinking a great deal about that lately.

    sodium is the last thing I KNOW I really need to work on...yet Im not.

    YET!

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  13. There is such a thing as wasting food on your body. Eating things that are not good for you just to use them up. I'd be very careful there. You are worthwhile, don't waste that sodium filled canned stuff on your waistline. Helping yourself is helping others.

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  14. Thanks for the comments, everyone. Anonymous, I think you are so right! I will not be eating a ton of the stuff just to get rid of it though; I just want to make sure that I slowly incorporate it into my diet in place of other perishable items to use it up. It's really just the sodium that I am monitoring; there is nothing really bad amidst the stuff I had stored. Yesterday, for example, the only thing that I used was a can of pizza sauce and a can of pears. That's a very minor adjustment. Thank you for reminding me to stay on track and that I am worthwhile!

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