Please settle an argument....Do most families

[Squirlz]

When we order out we always order way more than we can eat. Like two subs and two extra large pizzas for the two of us. Since we work at home it's great to have stuff we can easily warm up for lunch.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

We have leftovers from dinner almost every night. I am the only one that eats them. Every weekend I empty the fridge with all the food my wife insist we keep but no one but me eats.

 

[neverlandsky]

No leftovers here. DH and our kids hate them.

 

[clori]

For us it depends on the meal but I don't mind having leftovers for lunch either the next day or day after. My kids have no issue with leftovers though some food doesn't reheat as well. Right now I have one college kid so some meals have a bit more leftovers. I have one pickier child so occasionally it is nice to have a leftover she likes while we make something we know she doesn't really like. Sometimes with her activities it is also nice to have a quick meal for an early dinner. For restaurants I guess it depends on what are plans are - some we take home and other times we don't knowing it probably won't get touched.

 

[ronandannette]

We eat leftovers in our house. We just had my teen daughter's boyfriend with us for a weekend away and he does not eat leftovers. He said he's never had to. I can't imagine never eating leftovers! I will say that my kids don't prefer leftovers, but they do eat them depending on what it is.

This would be my DS, although I'm confident he would keep his trap shut and politely eat anything a host was gracious enough to serve him.

Rare for us as I have teen boys that are eating me out of house and home! But I try for leftovers and do take them for work lunch if they are available.

Also rare for us to afford supper out so if I have leftovers from a restaurant for lunch I'm super excited! That's the best!

I was brought up not to waste food and instilling that value in my children.

We often make a roast on Sundays (English tradition) and use leftovers on Monday for hot roast beef sandwiches.

So people actually throw out perfectly good food?

It was you!! I remember now. You insisted that not eating left-overs equated to wasting food, although several of us tried to point out we manage portions (both at home and while eating out) specifically to avoid waste.

 

[Disneylover99]

I’m often not in the mood to eat dinner after tasting and smelling food as I cook. I prefer eating the meal the following day. The rest of the family is happy to eat the leftovers as well. Bonus!

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Yes we do.

 

[CdnCarrie]

This would be my DS, although I'm confident he would keep his trap shut and politely eat anything a host was gracious enough to serve him.

It was you!! I remember now. You insisted that not eating left-overs equated to wasting food, although several of us tried to point out we manage portions (both at home and while eating out) specifically to avoid waste.

Yes I do remember that

But not having leftovers because you make small portions and refusing to eat leftovers are not the same thing.

So if you order pizza or Chinese food and there’s some left you just throw it out?

If so I just find that the most bizarre thing. Just so odd.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Have leftovers? I say yes that people make extra food to have for lunches or another dinner during the week.

Not every family deliberately makes leftovers. But inevitably, they will occur.

 

[ronandannette]

Yes I do remember that

But not having leftovers because you make small portions and refusing to eat leftovers are not the same thing.

So if you order pizza or Chinese food and there’s some left you just throw it out?

If so I just find that the most bizarre thing. Just so odd.

My DH's refusal to eat leftovers is the reason I do everything in my power to make sure we never have any. And believe it or not, pizza and Chinese food can be ordered in various quantities. I'd not say we never throw anything away, but I'd wager it's not much more than you do and if you claim to never waste a single morsel, I'd have a hard time believing you.

ETA: Now food waste due to things I buy and don't use before they spoil (spring mix, I'm looking at you) is a different issue and one I've yet to properly master, but I guess that's for a separate thread.

 

[QueenIsabella]

We have leftovers, eat leftovers, and sometimes have planned-overs. Like, if I buy chicken breasts, I'll get a large package (cheaper). Then DH will marinate and grill them all, leaving leftover grilled chicken to have for another meal--in sandwiches, on salad, whatever. Some dishes, like chili or soup, actually taste better the second day. I have no problems finding takers for leftover pizza or pasta.

The biggest issue I have is DS21--he frequently comes back for seconds--or third, around 9pm. So, I'll THINK I can have leftovers for lunch the next day...but they're gone!

If there's a large amount, I might freeze it for a future meal--specifically, I'm thinking of salsa chicken. I would love to do this with chili, but it seems no matter how much chili I make, it vanishes. That reminds me--time to pull some ground venison out of the back freezer.

 

[amcnj]

We ate leftovers growing up, and I still do today, but I know others who won’t, and at the end of the meal, anything left goes right into the garbage.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Dh and I do

 

[willowsnn3]

When I was cooking for a family we usually always had some leftovers. Some on purpose. For example my husband insisted on having beans (pinto/butterbeans) just about every day so I usually cooked a big pot at a time so it would last pretty much all week. Other leftovers were usually what I had for lunch the next day. Alway made xtra spaghetti & ordered xtra pizza as my then teenage boys loved both the next day, straight from the fridge, lol.
Now I only cook for myself so while I don't make big meals anymore, I do try to make some kind of casserole that I can heat & eat for the rest of the week for myself cause I don't want to cook after work at all now, lol.
I usually don't have many restaurant leftovers as I can always clean my plate . But sometimes like last week my 2 daughters & I tried a new restaurant that just opened close to us. We each ordered a meal & an appetizer. We were pretty full after the appetizers and I only ordered a sandwich as my meal so I did eat that but DD1 order a pasta dish that she took home & said it was very good the next day & DD2 ordered a fish & chips type of meal that came out with 6 huge pieces of fish. She managed a bite of one & took the rest home & her dad & teen nephew finished it off, lol.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Usually no, but there are few meals that we will purposely make enough for leftovers.

 

[kimblebee]

I don’t purposely make more to have leftovers but usually end up with some. We eat leftovers. I don’t eat them after a day or so and I’m picky about what I will eat warmed up. Never, ever mac and cheese. My husband, on the other hand, is a garbage disposal and will eat leftovers from the fridge 4-5 days later and never has an issue. He has an iron stomach.

 

[AnnaS]

Not intentionally. I paid money for the food. I took the time to prepare it, cook it and clean up. No reason to waste it. Easy lunch the next day.

When the "kids" were home, they barely ate leftovers for dinner. Sometimes for lunch/snack.

There are some foods that I have said, it tastes better the next day

Not many people eat leftovers - like I said, including my kids. Yet, many will go to a deli, supermarket, specialty store and buy prepared food that has probably been sitting there two days if not more. I still remind my kids of this.

To each his own.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Like a lot of posters, I don’t make extra on purpose, but if there is some left, I’ll take it in my lunch to use it up, it I prefer just to take a salad for lunch. DH is a police officer, so he is out in his cruiser all day and can’t eat lunch leftovers because of not having a way to heat them up.

 

[dish rag]

I have no problems with left overs and it’s common for us to make extras for the next day. As far as restaurant food, pizza is the only thing I will bring home.

 

[LSUmiss]

Yes I do remember that

But not having leftovers because you make small portions and refusing to eat leftovers are not the same thing.

So if you order pizza or Chinese food and there’s some left you just throw it out?

If so I just find that the most bizarre thing. Just so odd.

Pizza & Chinese food are about the only leftovers we’ll eat. But, we still try not to over order so we often don’t have any.