Well, I bought that lovely chicken on Sunday. I have proceeded to eat one meal of it and the rest will go to waste if I don’t eat it for dinner tonight and figure out what to do with it ASAP. (This was drafted for posting on Wednesday day, but never got around to posting. I DID end up eating dinner at home last night.)
The weather is still really hot to start making soups, but I have about 6-8 cups of stock ready to go. I ran out of tupperware for freezing it.
Monday night I got hijacked because my friend was feeling lonely. That was a painfully expensive dinner since she wanted to eat Asian food and the only place nearby was a Japanese restaurant.
Tuesday night I could have had a ham sandwich at work if my friend from OH had told me she was going to be late. This was planned, but after Monday night’s budget fiasco, I really didn’t need to dine out expensively again. (It’s either expensive Italian or a pastry from Starbucks and I don’t like sweets for dinner)
Lunch? Well, I needed to catch up on some work gossip on Tuesday, but I managed to have a sandwich at work on Monday. I hope to have sandwiches the rest of the week.
This is how I end up wasting food a long time ago. I always bought groceries I never ate. I am not interested in wasting food again.
What sucks about dining in is the lack of flexibility on what I get to do socially during the week. I mean honestly, if a friend calls you last minute to have dinner (as was the situation on Monday) do you value your leftovers more than friendship? Ugh. I hate that notion. Of course I don’t! But what was I going to do? Say no, I have to go home to eat when she was obviously hinting that she wanted to tell me she was pregnant and I am the first person besides her spouse she was going to tell?
I do not resent going on Monday one bit. I am just telling you the situation because it’s this is the position my friends put me in, variously going through job crises, emotional trainwrecks, etc. I can’t always invite them home to eat since usually that puts them out because there isn’t enough for two, my apartment isn’t presentable, or they live far enough away that they it’s asking them to drive a fair distance.
The things we do for love and money or love of money?
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I tend to have the same problem (and probably a smaller freezer
). If you crack it, be sure to let me know.
i know what it’s like to have friend-bonding seem to always coincide with spending money. but the best solution is house hopping. sure, it might be a pain to drive from here to there, but it’s the cheapest, yet often most rewarding way to see your friends. of course going out to eat is a great way to converse, but often, my friends are trying to save money too. we discovered it’s easy and cheap to host or visit each other. setting dates helps with that, too.
Hello,
I personally have no problem eating leftovers for several days straight….
But I guess that’s probably why I eat out so often. It’s the price of not having to deal with the hassle. I save money every where else I can to fund my expensive eating out habits…and DC is expensive!
-Raymond
I’m not convinced on the health benefits, but I am convinced on the financial benefits of a larger freezer. Can you freeze the leftover soup to hold it for a few more days (weeks?)
Not enough tupperware to freeze the soup?
Take the frozen soup out of the tupperware and transfer it to a plastic ziplock bag. Return to freezer.
Use the now empty tupperware to freeze the next batch of stock.
Of course, freezer space will run out at some point and you’ll have to make a decision about buying a second freezer….
As for the friendships revolving around spending money….
I’m older so have got over that. Now we meet for ‘tea’ at my house, or go out for a walk around the neighbourhood.
For you, I’d suggest welcoming people to your place – pick up some great hearty buns at a local bakery and put your soup stock to good use. You and your friend can chat while cutting up veggies for the soup pot, and then sit and bond over a light dinner (maybe your friend can bring a decadent dessert?)
You are right, people are always more important than things, but there are ways we can put people first and still stick with our values and budgets.
I second the zip-lock bags. But I just measure 2-cup and 4-cup portions into the zip lock, zip it carefully and lay a stack of bags in the freezer. Easy-Peasy. I don’t generally reuse the bags, because I end up tearing them off the block of stock to get it in the pot for a quick thaw.
Thanks CanadianKate & Christy! I do freeze extra spaghetti sauce in ziplocs. Because soup is so much more viscous, I didn’t think to try the ziplocs for it. But that’s an excellent suggestion. (I’m eating a bowl of the soup RIGHT NOW as I type.)
I have actually about 2 portions left, so I might be able to eat it all before it spoils. (This time around)
CanadianKate & Sistah Ant- Thank you for the supportive comments. However, it’s almost always an afternoon phone call of a crisis, ‘OMG this is sooo important’ nature. Planning ahead really isn’t what I am describing. Though you are right, just making a casual get together is all that is required sometimes.
The other thing is driving around in DC rush hour is not very fun. We’re talking the equivalent in Philadelphia of going from King of Prussia, PA to Cherry Hill, NJ in rush hour, taking the Blue Route.
Yes, Dean. I could freeze the soup. But I have nothing left to freeze it in until the suggestion of the ziplocs. Generally speaking, I don’t freeze meat that’s already cooked.
Ah, someone beat me to it – I was also going to suggest freezing the stock in zip top bags. Or you could freeze it in ice cube trays. This has the advantage of allowing you to use just the amount you need when cooking. Also, freeze whatever chicken is left and throw that in your soup when you are ready to make it. Or freeze the meat in individual portions and use them to make chicken quesadillas when you need a quick and easy meal. You won’t notice any degradation in flavor if you shred it (especially in the quesadilla, with some cheese, beans, and salsa).
I completely understand what you’re saying about eating in reducing flexibility. It was easier for me before we had kids because things didn’t seem to come up as often back then. I try to build in some flexibility by having freezer meals that can wait if we have a change of plans, and coming up with alternative ways of using what’s on hand (or thinking of how best to freeze them). I also buy a little less than I used to, since I know that we’ll be eating out at some point.