So, no picture this week because there was no food waste! We almost had a red pepper casualty, but I cut off the moldy section and I used the unaffected portion. I have about half of a huge container of hummus (that I purchased at BJ's...what was I thinking???) that needs to be used soon, as the expiration date is tomorrow. I will probably mix it in with some salsa or chicken broth and use it over pasta or mixed in with some potatoes, black beans and onions (very delicious). I'll have to freeze those things though because there would be no way for me to use it up and then be able to eat all I made before IT goes bad. Anyone know how hummus would freeze?
I also have a block of cream cheese that expired on 3/16. I haven't opened it yet, so I'm sure it's still fine. I bought it to use for a specific recipe, but I have since used all the other ingredients. I haven't had the time or energy to look for another recipe that uses it because I've had a pretty miserable toddler with teething (and tummy) issues this week. If anyone has a healthy suggestion on how to use the cream cheese, I'll take it.
One side note, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution airs next week on ABC. I encourage all of you to watch it. He goes to the fattest city in the nation to try and reform how the people perceive healthy food. He is met with much resistance. Check out the trailer.
How was your food waste this week? Head over to Frugal Girl to check on how other people did!
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I haven't started keeping track, but ever since you started this post I am so much more mindful of what gets tossed (and how much!) I am feeling convicted...
ReplyDeletegreat job Beth, this isn't easy! Especially with a baby with tummy issues!
and really? you can do all that with hummus? I have never thoght outside of the pita, cucumbers and crakers box when it comes to hummus!
ReplyDeleteThe use by date is a suggestion for peak flavor and freshness. Unopened items will last well beyond that. The cream cheese can be cut into 1 cup blocks (if its a big BJS brick) and frozen. The hummus can also be frozen (although you may want to use it as a spread not a dip once frozen).
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
Doesn't sound like too much waste, Beth! Not sure about the hummus...no one in my family likes it but me so I don't buy it very often at all. When I do it is just for crackers or pieces of pita bread as a dip.
ReplyDeleteMy waste this week was minimal...yeah! I ended up throwing away a half of lime because I had forgotten it was in the fridge and was all brown.....it might have been there since feb winter break which was the last time i made gin and tonics with lime! I also had to toss about 1/3 c. of chicken soup i found in a container that my teenager had cooked. there was about 1/3 c. left and we all had forgotten about it...was 2 weeks old....ick....
Lauren - Yes, you can use it for all sorts of stuff! I made a cream sauce out of it yesterday to put over pasta. I sauteed an onion and garlic in about 2 tsp of olive oil (this is the way I start everything ;)), then added a green pepper once the onion got soft, dumped in some hummus and chicken stock and then played with the spices a little. You can mess with the amount of chicken stock you use to make it a thinner or creamier sauce, depending on your preference. I also often mix hummus and salsa (looks nasty, but so yummy) and put it on chicken. I saw a recipe recently using hummus on pizza instead of tomato sauce. That looked really good, but when I cook with hummus, I don't tell my hubby because he doesn't like it (if he doesn't know it's in something he'll eat it). I wouldn't be able to hide the hummus on pizza very well.
ReplyDeleteTree Huggin Mama - I didn't know you could freeze cream cheese. Thanks for the tip! It'll give me a little longer to figure out what I'm going to do with it.
Faith - Don't ya love finding science experiments in your fridge? ;) Sounds like you had a pretty good week!