Tonight was the big test…a whole roasted chicken! Every week, I buy a whole chicken, and of course we never finish it. I’m told that it is going to get eaten for lunch, but every Saturday, I throw away what is left. Today, I decided to take the “chicken challenge” and make sure it gets eaten. I personally packed up the leftovers, so that I could assess the remnants. There is a huge amount left, and easily enough for dinner tomorrow night. I bought 2 organic carrots and an onion, thinking I would make a small pot of chicken stock with the leftovers,and use up some herbs festering in the produce drawer. Will there be enough chicken left to bother, or will we actually eat it all? If I don’t make the stock, what becomes of the onion and carrots? A new dilemma!
I cleaned and chopped all the lettuce I bought, including the arugula that is miraculously still hanging in there after a few days, and put what I didn’t think we needed in a plastic bag with a paper towel in it to absorb the moisture. There is plenty for another meal,and the work is already done for me!
I even used a rubber spatula to get ALL the yogurt out of the container, instead of tossing those last few spoonfuls.
Awareness of the problem is proving to be half the battle for me. Planning for waste is helping me eliminate waste.
Stay tuned to find out what REALLY happens to that roasted chicken!
photo: Glasshouse Images
Tags: day 4, dinner, dinner tomorrow night, food waste, leftovers, lettuce, roasted chicken, salad, spatula, stock, waste case project, whole roasted chicken, yogurt
Indigo jones 
March 29, 2012 at 7:32 am |
We always have chicken and gravy the next day- the kids love it! Also we have made a great chicken pot pie! All hearty meals.
good luck
March 29, 2012 at 10:03 am |
You read my mind, I have chicken waiting to be roasted and then simmered to make broth! I find I have to freeze some of the leftover chicken and make salads out of it during the week, as it does not get eaten as fast as needed here either!
April 26, 2012 at 12:46 am |
I just happened to findcome across your sit and the write up Waste Case Project: Day 4 Indigo jones. The essay you provide really causes me think. Thanks for writing the article.