Dear Reverend,
I love hosting get-togethers with friends and family at my house. People usually bring food and drinks to contribute to the festivities, which is great. However, I live alone and often wind up with so many leftovers that I don’t know what to do with them. I hate wasting food. What do I do?
Nom Nosh (nonbinary, 45)
Dear Nom Nosh,
Many people feel that when they bring something to a party, it’s rude to take it back home when they leave. That’s quite lovely and, by most accounts, the proper etiquette — but not always what works best for the host.
The next time you throw a party, have to-go containers at the ready. You can buy reusable plastic ones or compostable boxes. If you want to be environmentally friendly and like to thrift, you can find cute dishes with lids for a dime a dozen at secondhand shops. When the party starts winding down, have everyone fill a container to take home.
That may be easier said than done, because some people will refuse leftovers at all costs. You don’t want to force anything on your guests, so here are some other options to consider for your surplus snacks.
Become familiar with your local food shelf and what donations it accepts. Most likely, it won’t take homemade or perishable foods, but unopened packages of chips, bread or crackers could qualify. You can always bring the rest of the tasty leftovers into your office to share with coworkers.
Beyond that, befriend your freezer. Instead of leaving leftovers to languish in the fridge, tuck them in the freezer right away to enjoy later. And get a little creative in the kitchen: That tray of crudités could be turned into a pot of vegetable soup fairly easily. You could also have an after-party with a few buds to help polish off the bits and bobs.
In the big picture, keep in mind that your problem is a pretty fantastic one to have.
Good luck and God bless,
The Reverend