"Don't throw that away...I'll eat it."

There aren't many things in this world that I hate. Hate is an extreme term that I don't like to use because of its definitive level of anger behind it. Some things are deserving of that title, though. Some things like elitist attitudes, the Boston Red Sox, bumper-to-bumper traffic, talentless celebrities...wow, this list is really adding up quicker than I thought. Anyway, there's one other thing I really can't stand. It really bothers me to see somebody throwing food away, especially in large quantities. I know there are sometimes exceptions, such as mold, if it fell on the floor/ground, or if it's burnt beyond edibility. Other than that, there aren't many reasons why food should be disposed of.

Well that makes sense...the road is wet.

Growing up, I learned to appreciate everything that was given to me. Those who took care of me and provided for me through the years worked their asses off to do exactly that, so I didn't (and still don't) take it for granted. Whether it was any little gift, a small cash allowance or a home-cooked meal, I made sure I didn't let it go to waste. It didn't take long in life to know that not everything we had was easy to come by. As for food, there was typically plenty to go around for everyone; usually enough for leftovers, so I made sure I wrapped it up and tossed it in the fridge. Some people don't think like that, yet I'm here to convince you to follow my lead. Yea...I said it.

One of the reasons you hear most often has taken on a much less serious meaning, so I will only touch on it as opposed to using it as a reason. Everyone's heard it before; nobody cares all that much.

"Think of all the starving children in [insert random third-world country here] who don't have the privilege to have this food..."

Now it may sound heartless that I say nobody cares, but let's all be honest...you're not thinking about malnourished kids while you're eating that steak cooked medium, baked potato and green beans. You're only concern is quieting your growling tummy. I'll be the first to argue that it's not the fault of our selfish ways that we forget about the underprivileged. Want to know who I feel is responsible? Sally Struthers. Sure, you may laugh, but don't you find it rather curious how they're still starving, yet she remains fatter than ever? It's quite evident where all of those donations are going. She is one of the greediest people on earth, and it's because of a slob like her that nobody takes that issue seriously. As I said, though, this isn't a main reason to me. I'm just pointing out a filthy waste of space and good air. I'm always willing to make those better known.

Nom Nom Nom!!!

So all worthless frauds set aside, there are other reasons you should save extra food. One of the best reasons is it can be an easy solution for a future meal. Sounds simple enough, but think about how often we're in a mad rush and we don't have time to make a legitimate sit-down feast. So when I do get that opportunity to make a big meal, I try to make some extra to store in the fridge. Suddenly, I have my lunch for work or a lazy-man's dinner for another day that week. If you think I'm making a big deal of nothing, just consider how many times you are feeling too lazy or too busy to make a thought-out meal, yet you resort to some fast food combo or some other questionable quick solution to satisfy your hunger. You'd have something ready to be heated up that is likely to be healthier and taste better anyway. How can you pass that up? Still not convinced?

How about the financial aspect of it? We all spend a lot of money on groceries, but that's because in the overall scheme of things, it ends up cheaper than going out to eat. You make meals in bulk that you'd normally pay much more to have served to you. If you feel that it's always worth that bit of convenience, well then be my guest and spend all of that money. For people like me (and I know there's plenty of you out there), I know that saving money is crucial, no matter how it gets done. I'm also not telling you to never go out to eat, but you'll find that your money doesn't disappear nearly as fast if you keep it to a minimum. Plus, you're saving the gas money to go to and from these joints, and you won't have to worry about tipping anyone. With all the extra cash you'd have, you can go out and get that three-in-one pocket knife/flashlight/kazoo you've been dreaming of. I just laid out the blueprints...now it's up to you to make it happen.

This is no ordinary kazoo. This is the MacGyver Kazoo.

Then there's the convenience factor that some people forget about. We've talked about it being a simple solution for a meal, as well as being less of a financial strain. How soon you forget about being in the comfort of your own home. You could go out to some restaurant, bar, fast food chain...whatever it may be, but then you'd have to deal with the crowds, usually a lengthy wait, and the undeniable noise pollution. Unless you yourself have a loud toddler, you can avoid listening to some screaming child (or several demon children) while you're trying to enjoy your chicken parm. Maybe you won't have to tolerate the chubby bastard sitting behind you that is boisterously complaining about the service as he continually bumps into your chair with his skillet shakers. For those who aren't familiar with what 'skillet shakers' are, it's that loose fatty skin that is clearly falling victim to gravity when said person's arms are extended and it just flops around as if they are shaking a skillet. Skillet shakers. See? You learn something new every day. My advice is...stay home. You'll be less annoyed and not disgusted, guaranteed. Plus you can watch the game and chow down on the couch. The more I sit here and think about it, the more reasons I can come up with. I think that's good enough for now, though.

Your child is not cute. Kickable...but not cute.

Take my words for what they're worth. Save yourself some time, money and aggravation and don't waste any food. If you feel like you still might throw it away, refer back to the title. I won't pass on a free meal.

Seriously...I won't.

D.