Please settle an argument....Do most families

I have had problems with my internet so have not been able to chime in. I will be honest, I'm NOT going to read all 12 pages. Just someone tell me why would a family get into an argument one way or another about leftovers????

It's been a long winter and nothing good on TV?
 
I have had problems with my internet so have not been able to chime in. I will be honest, I'm NOT going to read all 12 pages. Just someone tell me why would a family get into an argument one way or another about leftovers????

I don't know but I've read most of the thread, and maybe a poll question would have helped keep track because I'm not sure of the consensus.
 
I guess if you're a frequent shopper that's a pretty ideal set up. Even if I could so easily walk to get such good quality groceries I can't imagine fitting that into my schedule. I did shop more often when my children were young and I was a stay home mom. I had to adjust when I went back to work and now that they're grown I have responsibilities for our elderly parents, I'm really trying to get together more regularly with different groups of friends and I am devoting some time to a social effort I think might help our community tackle some issues.
You do sound busy. I am lucky that i am currently in a "sweet spot"--no aging parents to care for (no idea how we'll manage that---my parents live in Mexico and I, an only child live in Germany, it is something I very much worry about), I volunteer a fair amount but do not work, both kids are grown . . .
But even when I had a newborn and we lived in a little trailer out on a cattle ranch 40 miles from the nearest store and were so broke that paying gas for me to drive to town just to shop was so not in the cards, so I rode in with DH once a week, fit in all errands/doctors appointments/etc and did whatever else I could think of to entertain my little one or keep my baby out of the elements and then bought groceries at the end of the day to get through until the next week---I still cooked the portions we'd eat and did not do leftovers.
For ME, being the way I taught myself to cook and am used to, that is faster, easier and less stressful than following recipes and making big batches. I suspect for someone used to cooking in larger quantities and measuring things trying to cook like i do would be more time consuming---there is a lot to be said for being in a routine --regardless of what the routine itself is.

(by the way---I doubt I spend more time shopping than most anyone else here, assuming they don't have it all delivered. I walk or bike past the places I duck into anyway, and am nearly always in and out in under 10 minutes. Small stores, i know where things are and there is rarely much if any line at the times of day I end up there)
 


I don't know but I've read most of the thread, and maybe a poll question would have helped keep track because I'm not sure of the consensus.
I haven'T seen an argument, just discussion. Though I admit I bristle at people who seem to think anyone who does not eat leftovers is throwing out tons of food (rather than just making portions that don't result in leftovers) and at the poster who insinuated that if you do not like leftovers it#s becuase the food you cook is not good to begin with.
Some people love having left overs and/or following recipes meant for more than they need, or cooking in big batches once a week and other people don't and like cooking fresh daily and only what is wanted/needed for that day. Niether is right or wrong (and niehter is wasteful in and of itself)
 
You do sound busy. I am lucky that i am currently in a "sweet spot"--no aging parents to care for (no idea how we'll manage that---my parents live in Mexico and I, an only child live in Germany, it is something I very much worry about), I volunteer a fair amount but do not work, both kids are grown . . .
But even when I had a newborn and we lived in a little trailer out on a cattle ranch 40 miles from the nearest store and were so broke that paying gas for me to drive to town just to shop was so not in the cards, so I rode in with DH once a week, fit in all errands/doctors appointments/etc and did whatever else I could think of to entertain my little one or keep my baby out of the elements and then bought groceries at the end of the day to get through until the next week---I still cooked the portions we'd eat and did not do leftovers.
For ME, being the way I taught myself to cook and am used to, that is faster, easier and less stressful than following recipes and making big batches. I suspect for someone used to cooking in larger quantities and measuring things trying to cook like i do would be more time consuming---there is a lot to be said for being in a routine --regardless of what the routine itself is.

(by the way---I doubt I spend more time shopping than most anyone else here, assuming they don't have it all delivered. I walk or bike past the places I duck into anyway, and am nearly always in and out in under 10 minutes. Small stores, i know where things are and there is rarely much if any line at the times of day I end up there)

Well I've said before, I'm mostly a seat of my pants cook at best. I'm not sure I could estimate with great accuracy what might get consumed at dinner on any given night or not. Then again, Vegas would probably refuse to give odds on who or how many might or might not show up for dinner on a given night. It's not a big deal for us because the leftovers are very much enjoyed for lunches. Super convenient for my husband when he gets to work from home, which he can do on an increasing basis these days.

I would be a disaster in a household that wouldn't use leftovers. I don't even want to see what that learning curve would look like!
 
I don't know but I've read most of the thread, and maybe a poll question would have helped keep track because I'm not sure of the consensus.

I'm still wondering the intent of the original question -- she seemed to be asking if people *intentionally* make extra to have for lunches, not necessarily "if you have leftovers will you eat them."

So it seems like there are multiple possible answers:
-- I intentionally make extra food so I can have leftovers (for lunch, another whole meal, etc.)
-- I don't intentionally cook more food than I intend to be consumed at one meal or more than "one recipe's worth" of food, but if I end up having leftovers, I will save/eat them.
-- I don't intentionally cook more food than I intend to be consumed at one meal, and if I end up having leftovers, I throw them away because nobody here would eat them anyway.
-- I never have leftovers because I only cook the amount of food I need.

(And a number of variations on those themes including "I don't eat leftovers but other family members will." "They won't, but I will." "I don't reheat "leftovers," but sometimes I will do "batch cooking" or will "meal prep" for a future meal.")
 
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I too did not read all 13 pages. We always eat leftovers. Any night I don’t have to cook is good. I do not make extra food for leftovers though.
 
I'm still wondering the intent of the original question -- she seemed to be asking if people *intentionally* make extra to have for lunches, not necessarily "if you have leftovers will you eat them."

So it seems like there are multiple possible answers:
-- I intentionally make extra food so I can have leftovers (for lunch, another whole meal, etc.)
-- I don't intentionally cook more food than I intend to be consumed at one meal or more than "one recipe's worth" of food, but if I end up having leftovers, I will save/eat them.
-- I don't intentionally cook more food than I intend to be consumed at one meal, and if I end up having leftovers, I throw them away because nobody here would eat them anyway.
-- I never have leftovers because I only cook the amount of food I need.

(And a number of variations on those themes including "I don't eat leftovers but other family members will." "They won't, but I will." "I don't reheat "leftovers," but sometimes I will do "batch cooking" or will "meal prep" for a future meal.")

And don't forget "Other!" Although that may be the batch cooking or meal prep...Okay, well I think I'd be "A."
 
Or some people can cook well and still do not like the way refridgerating and reheating affects their food. Geeze.

I have no issues with those who love leftovers, but I find it rude to judge those who do not like them as poor cooks.

You’re reading way too much into my post. I do not think all people who don’t like leftovers are poor cooks and I don’t judge them at all.

I actually think the exact opposite. I think many people who refuse to ever eat leftovers are foodies who are very concerned with quality, particular about cooking methods, etc.

That, of course, is not everyone. So I was trying to come up with some reasons why the average person (me and most others) may choose to not eat leftovers. For me, that would be because the food was unappetizing— either because it wasn’t good to begin with or because it was stored in a manner that grossed me out.
 
I'm still wondering the intent of the original question -- she seemed to be asking if people *intentionally* make extra to have for lunches, not necessarily "if you have leftovers will you eat them."

So it seems like there are multiple possible answers:
-- I intentionally make extra food so I can have leftovers (for lunch, another whole meal, etc.)
-- I don't intentionally cook more food than I intend to be consumed at one meal or more than "one recipe's worth" of food, but if I end up having leftovers, I will save/eat them.
-- I don't intentionally cook more food than I intend to be consumed at one meal, and if I end up having leftovers, I throw them away because nobody here would eat them anyway.
-- I never have leftovers because I only cook the amount of food I need.

(And a number of variations on those themes including "I don't eat leftovers but other family members will." "They won't, but I will." "I don't reheat "leftovers," but sometimes I will do "batch cooking" or will "meal prep" for a future meal.")

You forgot: "I intentionally cook way too much food even though no one in my house eats leftovers so I throw tons of food away each week. And it brings me joy." :laughing:
 
Op here, thank you for your replies. It does seem like there are many here who eat leftovers. The argument in my house is my DH not liking that I cook some of our meals so there is leftovers for the week. I do that so he and I have lunches and a night that I don’t have to cook. I like to have a break from cooking. He can’t cook because he gets home too late. But he does cook sometimes on the weekend.
 
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I do the majority of the week's cooking on Sundays, so I guess we always eat leftovers. It's just the two of us and we have erratic schedules. DH teaches until 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I teach until 9pm on Thursdays. He rarely is home before 7pm the other nights, so I also tend to stay at work later or go do errands or have a pint with friends on my way home- or, like tonight, I am proctoring an exam until 8pm. It's nice to have something "real" ready to pop into the microwave when we get home, and healthier and more affordable than an endless cycle of pizza, subs, Chinese, etc. Minimal food prep, minimal kitchen cleanup late in the evening! So YES we eat leftovers- all the time!
 
Op here, thank you for your replies. It does seem like there are many here who eat leftovers. The argument in my house is my DH not liking that I cook some of our meals so there is leftovers for the week. I do that so he and I have lunches and a night that I don’t have to cook. I like to have a break from cooking.
If he doesn't like leftovers, maybe he'll take over that extra night of cooking.
 
The argument in my house is my DH not liking that I cook some of our meals so there is leftovers for the week. I do that so he and I have lunches and a night that I don’t have to cook. I like to have a break from cooking. He can’t cook because he gets home too late.

my dd works swings, and with the current snowy roads doesn't roll in until around 11-11:30 p.m.. she still cooks. when she's awake during the day (or before she heads to bed) she preps stuff for the next day's dinner. she uses a crock pot some times, other times it's something that can be cooked within 30 minutes of arriving home.

when dh and i had different schedules it wasn't unusual for one of us to do the prep work of a meal the night before so that the one of us that got home earlier could finish it up. i'm sure you wouldn't mind just having to put something in the crock pot in the morning or the oven or stove top when you get home as compared to all that goes into making a meal. if he doesn't like leftovers and you do then i would suggest this along with you planning on making enough for each meal to also cover just YOUR own lunch the next day. if he can't stomach leftovers for lunch he can make his own lunch from scratch.
 
my dd works swings, and with the current snowy roads doesn't roll in until around 11-11:30 p.m.. she still cooks. when she's awake during the day (or before she heads to bed) she preps stuff for the next day's dinner. she uses a crock pot some times, other times it's something that can be cooked within 30 minutes of arriving home.

when dh and i had different schedules it wasn't unusual for one of us to do the prep work of a meal the night before so that the one of us that got home earlier could finish it up. i'm sure you wouldn't mind just having to put something in the crock pot in the morning or the oven or stove top when you get home as compared to all that goes into making a meal. if he doesn't like leftovers and you do then i would suggest this along with you planning on making enough for each meal to also cover just YOUR own lunch the next day. if he can't stomach leftovers for lunch he can make his own lunch from scratch.

My family is not a fan of crockpot meals except if it’s chili. my DH could make his own lunches but since I am home I do him the favor. He appreciates it. I gave him the same lunch 3 times last week so this is why he is complaining about leftovers too. I don’t normally do that and will be more mindful.
 
You are clearly doing it wrong then. I put it in the fancy china, light the candles, call everyone to the dining table and ask if I can interest them in a blueberry special K appetizer or if they’d like to go straight to the Raisin Bran entree. If anyone is feeling adventurous we finish with a Lucky Charm dessert. For holidays I’ll sprinkle the champagne glazed blueberries in. We then obviously throw away any cereal left in the box because ewww leftovers.

(the champagne blueberries are a legit think I make for brunch)
:rotfl2:I will definitely add this to the very helpful list of things I've learned I'm doing wrong thanks to the DIS. ;)
Yes!
DD always loved to cook and could prepare a meal at a fairly young age. She's a good cook today.

I tried to teach DS, too, but he had little interest. He might've started off watching or helping, but he'd disappear before you knew it, lol. Fast forward to today, he cooks basic things for himself in the house he shares, but his girlfriend really likes to cook so now they are often preparing "real" meals together. They've made things like chicken broccoli and ziti, chicken parmigiana, full breakfasts, etc. I think she thinks I never taught him, but I did try! Some kids just aren't into it when they're young, but I guess there's hope for later in some (? many) cases!
This was us exactly. When he was much younger and I was a homemaker, I had great aspirations of him loving to cook and becoming great at it. Not so much. But it's similar to many mundane life skills I've tried to teach him; he's never shown much enthusiasm. I'm at peace knowing I did my best and he's just the kind of person where necessity will become the mother of invention. I'm confident he'll make his way when he needs to. :goodvibes
I have had problems with my internet so have not been able to chime in. I will be honest, I'm NOT going to read all 12 pages. Just someone tell me why would a family get into an argument one way or another about leftovers????
:confused3 Maybe because they're not fortunate enough to have a swell bunch of internet strangers to argue with like we do! :rotfl:
 

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