I was raised by parents who lived through wartime and postwar food rationing. The idea of wasting food was offensive to them, and they passed that value on to me. The only excuse for throwing out food is if it has spoiled. If it is edible, I eat it.
We save our leftovers and combine them. My mother used to call this "once through the fridge. My wife and I call it "smorg" (prairie restaurant shorthand for "smorgasbord", i.e. a buffet). Smorgs are some of our tastiest meals, as unexpected flavours blend together.
