31 Utilization of Leftovers

S. Deena

1. INTRODUCTION

The uneaten edible remains of a meal after the meal is over and everyone has finished eating are called as leftovers. Scraps of food such as bones or the skins of some vegetables and fruits that are not edible are considered as waste material. Any other remaining edible portion constitutes the leftovers. Factors such as the place where the meal was eaten, the preferences of the diner and the existing social culture have to be considered in dealing with leftovers. Hotels can obtain financial as well as environmental benefits by adopting few simple steps to waste less and recycle more and by working out the cost of food waste to the business. Each time food is wasted, the water, energy, time, manpower, land, fertilizer, fuel, packaging and money utilized for growing, preparing, storing, transporting and cooking the food is wasted.

2. OBJECTIVES

After completion of this topic you will be able to understand

the ways of dealing with leftovers
creative ways of utilization of leftover food
leftovers and food safety
new habits developed by hotels to reduce leftovers and their benefits

3. UTILIZATION OF LEFTOVERS

Leftovers at home are generally saved to be eaten later. Leftover foods can be stored in airtight containers and refrigerated. Some of the leftover food can be eaten cold from the refrigerator, while other foods can be reheated in a microwave or mixed with other ingredients and re-cooked to make a new dish.

Leftovers are used to make new dishes which are quite common in world cuisine. Such new cuisines were created very early in the days before refrigerators and airtight containers existed. In hotel kitchens, nutrients are extracted from inedible bones in the form of stocks and broths. These stocks and broths can be used as a base for adding leftover morsels of food that are too small to be a meal in themselves. Leftovers can also be used in the preparation of casseroles, fried rice, shepherd’s pie and pizza.

Instead of just throwing away leftover food, the best way to extract value from a meal is to utilize every bit of it. This not only helps to reduce waste but also helps to reduce the cost per meal. The only problem with this is that leftover food is not very tasty for the palate so it has to be efficiently reused.

3.1. Leftovers in hotel

A large portion of the waste produced in hotels and lodging facilities comprises of food waste. Some of the reasons which lead to accumulation of food waste are over preparation, table scraps, cooking losses and packaging failures. The steps involved in creating food waste reduction program may involve the following steps:

The executive chef will monitor the food inventory, the amount of food per meal and the percent of waste per meal. This helped to reduce the quantity of food waste.
The executive chef will regularly check the amount and type of food commonly disposed in the recycling containers and will determine the foods that could be reused and help to decide how to revise the food preparation procedures to reduce food waste.
Some fine dining restaurants employ food controllers whose duty will be to check spoilage and wastage of food, which will help in cutting costs.

3.2. Effective ways of reusing leftover food and beverages

Some of the ways by which left over food and beverages can be effectively reused is given below:

3.2.1. Leftover Beverages

The following are some of the ways by which leftover beverages such as soda and mixers can be used:

Leftover cola can be used in the preparation of barbecue sauce. A sweet, tangy barbecue sauce can be obtained after the cola and other ingredients are simmered together. This sauce will last for several months if stored in the refrigerator.
Leftover dark sodas can be used in the preparation of thick and flavorful sauces.
Leftover Sprite, 7 Up or some other brand of lemon-lime soda, can be used to make delicious, flaky biscuits. The clear, citrus soda adds flavor, lightness and mild sweetness to the biscuits.
Citrus soda can be used to prevent fruits from browning reaction. Cut fruits can be soaked in the soda to maintain freshness in the preparation of fruit salad. However use of citrus soda will increase the sugar content of the fruit salad.
Leftover coffee can be used instead of water in cake batter in preparing a cake, especially chocolate cake or brownies for a little added flavor.
Leftover coffee can also be combined with milk, cream, eggs and sugar to make coffee ice-cream.
Leftover slices of bread can be used to make French toast for breakfast. The moisture in the batter used to prepare French toast and the heat used to cook it helps to soften the bread in addition to giving flavor.
Leftover slices of bread can be used to make bread pudding.
They can also be diced and used to prepare croutons for salads or soups.
Left over cheese can be used to make a cheese sauce called Fromage Fort. This sauce can be made by combining left over cheese, salt, pepper, garlic and a little white wine. This can be put on crackers which is a baked good typically made from flour or melted on cheese toast.
Left over rinds of Parmesan cheese can be used to enhance the flavor of soups.
All the left over cheese can be melted together and used to make fondue which is a hot dish made of melted cheese and wine and eaten with bread.

3.2.4. Leftover meat and poultry

Left over carcass of chicken/beef/pork can be simmered with some vegetables to make chicken stock/beef stock/pork stock.
Leftover chicken can be cut into small strips and served with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise sauce, shredded cheese, salsa (a tomato-based spicy sauce) and tortillas (a thin, flat maize pancake, eaten hot or cold with a savoury filling) to make tasty wraps.
Leftover steak (high-quality beef taken from the hindquarters of the animal cut into thick slices that are cooked by grilling or frying) which has become very tough can be revitalized and tenderized by making beef stew with it. As the stew will be simmered slowly, the meat will be tenderized and made juicy and succulent again.
Leftover steak can be cut into small pieces and to this a can of kidney beans can be added along with a can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato juice and chilli powder. This can be simmered for one to two hours and eaten.
The leftover meat loaf can be cut into small cubes and to this a can of tomato sauce, little basil and oregano can be added and then allowed to simmer. Some boiled pasta can be added to this mixture.
The liquid from the leftover beef stew can be drained off and the remaining meat and vegetables can be ground using a food processor. This mixture can be scrambled with eggs to make a tasty scrambled egg dish.
Leftover ham can be chopped into small bite-size pieces, put into a pot and to this chopped potatoes and green beans can be added along with water and salt and pepper to taste. This mixture should be simmered for one to two hours to make a delicious soup.

3.2.5. Leftover pot roast (a piece of meat cooked slowly in a covered dish)

Normally there will be abundant left over after cooking a pot roast with onions, carrots, celery and potatoes. Instead of reheating the left over pot roast, the vegetables can be put into a food processor with some of the broth and made into a puree. To this mixture bread crumbs can be added and patties which are small flat cakes of minced meat are formed from it. The patties are then cooked in a frying pan over medium heat with little oil until they are light brown on both sides. A little cheese can be added to the mixture but it is optional.

3.2.6. Leftover ice cream

Leftover ice cream can be mixed with some self-rising flour to make delicious muffins which are small domed spongy cake made with eggs and baking powder.
Leftover hard candies can be used to make flavored vodka by soaking the candies in vodka overnight.

3.2.7. Leftover fruits and vegetables

Leftover pulp after the preparation of fresh juices can be combined with water, cinnamon and ginger, simmered and strained to make a healthy, flavorful fruit tea.
Leftover pulp of fruit juices can be added in baking of muffins, cakes and cookies for added texture and flavor.
Leftover citrus peel scraps can be used to season stews and tomato sauces.
Leftover pulp of vegetables can be baked to make veggie crackers.
Leftover bits of chopped vegetables can be simmered to make vegetable stock.
Leftover mashed potatoes can be frozen in small amounts in paper bags and can be used in recipes instead of flour. In any recipe one part mashed potatoes can be used with two parts flour.
Leftover fruits can be put in a blender with some soy milk, peanut butter and made into exceptional smoothies. A smoothie is a thick smooth drink consisting of fresh fruit pureed with ice cream or yoghurt or milk.

3.2.8. Leftover spaghetti

Leftover spaghetti can be chopped into small pieces and mixed with the sauce. This mixture can be poured into a loaf pan, coated with a layer of mozzarella cheese and baked in the oven at 3500 until the cheese just begins to turn brown.

3.2.9. Leftover rice

The leftover rice can be mixed with pancake batter to make pancakes. A pancake is a thin, flat cake of batter, fried on both sides in a pan and rolled up with a sweet or savoury filling.

4.1. Leftover foods to be re-used in a buffet

All hotels should calculate the requirements for the day. Three months after beginning operations, a hotel can experiment by the addition of one kilo to the quantity ordered of each food item till an optimum level is reached. Any other perishable product is ordered according to need. In case 20 chickens are marinated and 14-15 are sold, the rest can be sent to the Quick Service Restaurant where rolls, kebabs and sandwiches will be served between 7 pm and 8 pm.

However during festival period there may be wastage of food as it is difficult to estimate the footfall at that time.

4.2. Leftovers and Food Safety

Food should be cooked to a safe temperature and the leftovers should be refrigerated promptly in order to ensure that leftovers are safe to eat. The two main causes of food borne illness are not cooking food to a safe temperature and leaving food out at an unsafe temperature. Leftovers should be handled safely in order to reduce food borne illness. Some of the points to be noted in handling leftovers and food safety:

4.2.1. Food should be cooked safely

The first step in having safe leftovers is cooking the food safely. A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the food is cooked to a safe, minimum internal temperature.

Red meats: Raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145° F. The temperature should be measured with a food thermometer before removing the meat from heat. For safety and quality, meat should be allowed to rest for at least three minutes before being carved or consumed.

Ground meats: Raw ground beef, pork, lamb and veal should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160° F.

Poultry: Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F.

4.2.2. Food should be kept out of the Danger Zone

The ideal temperature for bacterial growth is between 40° F and 140° F. Once food is safely cooked, hot food must be kept hot at 140° F to prevent bacterial growth. Leftovers must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking the food. All perishable foods that have been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be discarded. Cold perishable food, for example chicken salad should be kept at 40° F or below. When food is served at a buffet, hot foods should be kept hot in chafing dishes and cold foods in bowls of ice. Cold leftovers that have been left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature should be discarded.

4.2.3. Food should be cooled rapidly

After cooking it is important to cool food rapidly to a temperature of 40° F or below in order to prevent growth of bacteria. This can be done by dividing large amounts of food into small portions and placing in shallow containers. Similarly large items of food like whole roasts or hams can be cut or sliced into smaller portions to cool. Hot foods can be rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath and then refrigerated.

4.2.4. Leftover foods should be wrapped well

Leftover foods should be wrapped in airtight packaging or sealed in storage containers. This helps to prevent bacterial growth, helps to retain moisture and also helps to prevent leftovers from picking up odors from other foods in the refrigerator. The wrapped leftover foods should be refrigerated or frozen immediately for rapid cooling.

4.2.5. Leftovers should be stored safely

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. However frozen leftover foods can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer period of time.

4.2.6. Frozen leftovers should be thawed safely

Leftovers can be thawed safely by three ways- in the refrigerator, using cold water or in the microwave oven.

The longest time taken to thaw is in the refrigerator but the leftovers stay safe the entire time. After thawing, the food should be used within 3 to 4 days or can be refrozen. The frozen leftovers must be kept in a leak-proof package or plastic bag. In case there is leakage of the bag, water can get into the food and bacteria from the air could enter it.

The time taken to thaw using cold water is faster than the refrigerator but it requires more attention. Foods that are thawed by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing. The fastest method of thawing is by microwave. When thawing leftover foods in a microwave, it should be heated until it reaches 165° F. Foods thawed in the microwave can be refrozen after heating it to this safe temperature.

4.2.7. Leftovers should not be reheated without thawing

Frozen leftover foods can be safely reheated without thawing, in a saucepan or oven or microwave. However the time taken for reheating the food will be longer than if the food is thawed first.

4.2.8. Leftovers should be reheated safely

Leftover foods when reheated should reach 165° F as measured with a food thermometer. Sauces, soups and gravies should be reheated by bringing them to a rolling boil. Leftovers should be covered while reheating. This helps to retain moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through. When food is reheated in the microwave, it should be covered and rotated for even heating. The food items should be arranged evenly in a covered glass or ceramic dish and some liquid can be added if required. The moist heat that is created will help to destroy harmful bacteria and will ensure that the food is cooked evenly. The temperature of the food should be checked in several places with a food thermometer and a resting time should be allowed before the internal temperature of the food is checked with a food thermometer. The cooking time is longer in dense foods such as a whole turkey or beef roast than in less dense foods like breads, small vegetables and fruits.

4.2.9. Refreezing Previously Frozen Leftovers

Sometimes there are leftover “leftovers.” The food remaining after reheating to a temperature of 165° F can be refrozen safely. In case only a portion of the frozen leftover food is required, the entire food can be thawed in the refrigerator and the required portion can be removed and the rest be refrozen without reheating.

5.1. Developing new habits by hotels to reduce leftovers

Buffets and in-room dining is an integral part of the hospitality experience. But all the leftovers once guests have finished eating will be hauled off to landfills at a great cost to the establishment and an even greater cost to the environment. To combat this situation hotels have started developing new habits to reduce leftovers.

5.1.1. Reducing food waste

The first step a hotel can take is reduction in the amount of food produced. Reduction in portions of food will play an important role in reduction of waste.

5.1.2. Using Food Inventory Techniques

Reduction in food cost can be brought about by reducing waste of perishable food which in turn can be achieved by adopting an organized inventory process.

5.1.3. Composting and Donating Edible Food

Most of the hotels have their own composting systems. In case leftover food is to be donated it has to be ensured that food meets safety standards.

5.1.4. Working with Suppliers and Vendors

Reduction in food cost and subsequently reduction in food waste can be achieved by substituting special ingredients with alternatives.

5.1.5. Training of Staff

All the employees should be given training and food waste reduction can be made a part of their job description. The training that can be imparted to staff in hotels can include:

Conduct of workshops by environmental waste management companies to educate hotel staff and committee members
Incorporation of information and policies into training and hotel orientation
Making the reduction of food waste a priority
Change in the size of serving and garnishes
Conduct of audits of various areas to ensure that proper recycling procedures are followed 5.2. Benefits of reducing leftovers

5.2.1. Environmental Benefits

If left over food is not utilized effectively and if wasted and thrown in with the landfill it will rot and become a major source of methane gas.
By reducing wasted food, it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emission as 14% of greenhouse gases are associated with growing, manufacturing, transporting and disposing of food.
If the amount of food wasted is decreased hotels need to pay less for the disposal of their trash.
If food waste is prevented, hotels can reduce their costs by purchasing only the food that will be used. This in turn will also help to increase efficiency of staff and reduce the amount of energy and labour associated with the disposal process.

5.2.3. Social Benefit

Hotels can donate safe and healthy leftover food to feed those in need.

Conclusion

The output of waste is increasing at an alarming rate and studies indicate that 40% of the accumulated waste is brought on by food. It has been found that food waste emits 20%-25% of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. The control of food waste should be directed at the hospitality sector, more significantly the hotel segment. The hotel industry has realized the need for a more sustainable environment and has taken steps to reduce food waste.

you can view video on Utilization of Leftovers

Bibliography

S.K.Bhatnagar (2009). Managing Food and Beverage Operations, Frank Bros. & Co.; New Delhi.
Krishna Arora (2010). Theory of Cooking, Frank Bros. & Co.; New Delhi.
Ronald Kinton & Victor Ceserani (1992). The Theory of Catering, Hodder & Stoughton; London.

Web link

www.greenhotelier.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leftovers
www.thesimpledollar.com/nine-creative-ways-to-utilize-leftovers-from-c
www.foodwaste.ie/web-images/Food-Waste-Prevention-Guide.pdf