Our family usually has dinner together. All of us work. So, dinner is one meal we usually have together. Many times, there is food that is leftover. When there is a lot, it is fairly simple. Put it in the fridge and if someone wants to have it the next day, heat it and eat it. Otherwise, give it to the servants.

The problem is when there is just a little left. Say, a couple of mouthfuls. What do you do about this?

I found my mother would usually convince us to finish it off or if all of us refused, she would eat it herself. She felt that the hassle of transferring that small quantity to the fridge in a vessel and then storing it there for a whole night simply outweighed the benefits! Many a time she would finish the remaining food even though she was quite full!

I used to criticize my mother asking her why she did not throw that portion? I asked her whether she preferred dumping the food in her stomach rather than the trash?! When she was full, it was always better to throw it rather than eat it, I argued.

Cut to the present.

I am home alone these days. I run into similar situations quite often. The food being cooked is for one person. Very often there is a little bit of food left. I have a few choices - put the remaining food in the fridge, throw it or eat it. Putting it in the fridge seems too much of a hassle. Throwing it - well, honestly, I cannot bring myself to throw the food. I don't know what it is. I just cannot do it. So, most of the time, I end up - well, eating it!