Are leftovers low class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP 9:54.

I’ll be honest: I hate leftovers. Absolutely gross. Rare exceptions for my MIL who keeps an immaculate kitchen and is a gourmet cook. She typically doles out portions before a meal, packs up just so we can take an entire meal home. This feels fresher and not at all a leftover if that makes sense.

Is this not how everyone does it? We pack up the buffet directly after eating. Food safety. The leftovers aren’t sitting around playing cards...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Etiquette reminders:

It's rude to offer guests left-over food unless you are very close and know this person enjoyed that particular dish. If you do this to other types of guests, it means you don't respect them. Freshly-cooked and well-presented food that you offer on a plate at a table is a symbol of your respect for your guest. Boxed food meant to be reheated the day after is not.
The host may even be attempting to get rid of their food because of lack of space or because they didn't like the food, which is even ruder because it reduces the guest to a useful trashcan.

I'm not American and have family in Europe and Asia. None of them would dream of handing me their leftovers. That would be rude. I understand that Americans have a more relaxed culture, but still. Keep your leftovers for those cherished friends and relatives who are gazing longingly at it.

You can keep your etiquette reminder, it’s not needed. I literally do not know anyone who offers guests leftovers. It’s for personal use only.

This is such a WASP-y thing. Immigrants of all income levels offer guests leftovers all the time. I think it might be because it can be hard to get the ingredients for ethnic foods, so guests may want a second helping. But I also wonder if it's cultural. In India (where my family is from), you don't offer leftovers, per se, but it's common when you're preparing special foods or foods that you're known to make well to prepare more than you need and portion it out to send to close friends and family.

I'm US born-and-raised, but I will never get over how bizarre certain aspects of American food "etiquette" are. Like good etiquette being leaving some piece of food on your plate and not asking for seconds. In so many cultures, these things are actually incredibly rude!

[Anonymous]

People are so weird. Overthinking overrationalizing. Just take the stuffing and gravy with a smile, Deirdre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are so weird. Overthinking overrationalizing. Just take the stuffing and gravy with a smile, Deirdre.

Yeah, I never understood this either. Just take a few leftovers and throw them away when you get home. Or, don't push leftovers on people unless they ask. Easy peasy, no need to overthink or judge.

[Anonymous]

I would rather be low class than wasteful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are so weird. Overthinking overrationalizing. Just take the stuffing and gravy with a smile, Deirdre.

Yeah, I never understood this either. Just take a few leftovers and throw them away when you get home. Or, don't push leftovers on people unless they ask. Easy peasy, no need to overthink or judge.

Or yknow. Have them for breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would rather be low class than wasteful.

Same. It’s part of the sharing bit of a big holiday meal. We make extra to gift.

[Anonymous]

Put yourself in the shoes of an average UMC or rich person. They take your (let's assume) high-quality leftovers home and put them in the fridge. Leftovers aren't a breakfast item, so they're pushed into lunchtime or dinner (perhaps upwards of 24 hours later).

If you have a fridge and pantry full of fresh food, why would you reach for a day-old plate of lousy microwaved food?

It's very rare that I'm so blown away by someone's food that I want more of it from the microwave the next day -- outside of maybe a spectacular soup or chili, which will reheat well?

Exception would be cookies and desserts, which don't require reheating and are generally still very good the next day. I will absolutely devour a good piece of chocolate cake, cheesecake, pumpkin pie, or apple tart the next day. But I'd never want anything like sloppy trays of cobbler, cream pies, whipped cream desserts which always look sad after sitting out and then scooped into to-go trays.

[Anonymous]

High quality spiral ham reheats well the next day and is terrific for breakfast. Outside of that, no thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP 9:54.

I’ll be honest: I hate leftovers. Absolutely gross. Rare exceptions for my MIL who keeps an immaculate kitchen and is a gourmet cook. She typically doles out portions before a meal, packs up just so we can take an entire meal home. This feels fresher and not at all a leftover if that makes sense.

Like what specifically is gross about them? Your family never uses the microwave to reheat something? Everything is pitched? Soups and stews? Pizza?

[Anonymous]

Saves me an Uber eats order. Yes, I’ll take them. If that makes me low class that’s fine. Declining speaks largely to a general stance of things being disposable, which I suspect also extends to people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Put yourself in the shoes of an average UMC or rich person. They take your (let's assume) high-quality leftovers home and put them in the fridge. Leftovers aren't a breakfast item, so they're pushed into lunchtime or dinner (perhaps upwards of 24 hours later).

If you have a fridge and pantry full of fresh food, why would you reach for a day-old plate of lousy microwaved food?

It's very rare that I'm so blown away by someone's food that I want more of it from the microwave the next day -- outside of maybe a spectacular soup or chili, which will reheat well?

Exception would be cookies and desserts, which don't require reheating and are generally still very good the next day. I will absolutely devour a good piece of chocolate cake, cheesecake, pumpkin pie, or apple tart the next day. But I'd never want anything like sloppy trays of cobbler, cream pies, whipped cream desserts which always look sad after sitting out and then scooped into to-go trays.

Because they’re lazy?

[Anonymous]

You must not think much of your hosts when putting Disney their offer of a second portion for later. It’s thoughtful. The holidays are hectic. One meal off of cooking, provided by friends is fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe the opposite: throwing away perfectly good food is low class because it's disrespectful and wasteful.

This times infinity.

Not to mention the instances when an animal gave its life - just to be thrown in the garbage. Talk about disrespectful.

[Anonymous]

The most upper-class WASP people I know are all about leftovers. You know, Puritan thrift and all that good stuff.