By Pattie Mihalik

There was a time when the message of “waste not, want not” was ingrained in the minds of most people.

That was especially true when it came to food. Wasting a morsel of food was almost unthinkable, especially for those who lived through the Great Depression or the war years.

It also held true for those of us who were warned by parents and grandparents to never waste food. That caveat continues to influence some of us to this day.

When I offered to take my husband out to eat for his birthday, he said no. We had too much food at home that he didn’t want it to go to waste.

Both of us grew up in homes where it was unthinkable to waste anything. We were conditioned not to waste food, money, water or other resources.

When I was growing up, having enough food was a daily problem for my mother. When the mines stopped working, the money stopped coming. A woman had to know how to stretch a dollar. Making the most of every scrap of food was essential.

My mother’s generation learned how to make delicious meals from leftovers. Leftover mashed potatoes became potato patty casserole. Leftover vegetables became stew. A little leftover meat (very little) was stretched into a pasta casserole.

A generation or two later, few worried about having no food. The big problem became how to cut back on food to avoid eating too much.

I sometimes hear people admit they throw food away so they’re not tempted to eat it.

That so contrasts with how I was raised.

Through the years we had plenty of great meals for our extended family. We feasted and nothing was wasted.

I have great memories of big family get-togethers where there were so many of us we ate at a makeshift table (plywood over strong cardboard boxes) that stretched from the dining room to the front door.

But one family meal remains unforgettable for the horror it inflicted on my mother and her sisters.

My cousin Joann had just finished serving us a grand meal that included several entrees we all enjoyed.

When it was over we couldn’t believe what we saw. Joann took every bit of the considerable leftovers and quickly heaved it all in the garbage.

“We never eat leftovers,” she proclaimed.

I think it was one of the only times my entire Italian family was speechless.

They recovered in time to lecture her about wasting food. She said her husband made clear when they were married that he never wanted to have leftovers.

“So why save it?” she asked.

A similar thing happened when I made a big pot of pork chops and gravy to take to my daughter’s house after she had a baby. I made extra pork chops so she wouldn’t have to cook the next day.

It was shades of Joann all over again. This time it was my son-in-law who threw away the leftover pork chops.

“We don’t eat leftovers,” he explained.

Personally, I love leftovers. If I’m going to go through all the trouble of cooking, I want to make enough so I have some for the next day.

Plus, there are plenty of things that taste better the next day, including soups, stews and sauces.

When my daughters come to visit, they never complain about eating leftovers. Sometimes when I make something they really like they ask for it the next day. No problem with serving leftovers.

I think it’s called “Your home, your rules.”

My home, my rules.

I have no idea how much influence I’ve had on my daughters. I do know that my mother had a major influence on my daily practices that continues to this day, even though she is long gone.

I follow the old “waste not, want not” adage with more than food.

From my mother I learned the importance of not wasting a penny. If gas is more expensive at my neighborhood station, I wait until I’m near a lower priced station before I fill up the tank.

One friend scoffs at that. “So you save 70 cents, so what?” she says.

I can still hear Mom’s voice saying, “Save a penny here and a penny there. Soon you will have a dollar, and then another dollar. Every small savings adds up.”

She never shopped at just one grocery store. Instead, she studied the food ads and bought the specials at each store.

I still find myself doing that. I buy my produce at one store because it’s fresher and better priced but I buy my canned and packaged goods at another store because they are typically a dollar cheaper on many items.

My friend scoffs at that, too. “It’s a waste of time and gas to shop around,” she insists.

As mom would say, “Save a dollar here and a dollar then and soon you’ll be able to treat yourself to something you want.”

Personally, I’m pleased I learned thrift from my mother.

As the only boy in the family, my brother Richard never spent much time with Mom in the kitchen. Yet I’m surprised and pleased to see him using Mom’s thrifty tips and techniques.

We are among those who still believe there is much importance behind the maxim waste not, want not.

Contact Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net.