We eat left0vers on a regular basis because most times the original dish prepared was too much for two at one sitting. Many of the foods are from Italian recipes my father-in-law brought from Italy and my wife grew up enjoying. The sauce, or as some call it, gravy, has a unique taste that all the relatives love, but after getting the recipe from my wife, their results are always lacking and a poor substitute for the original. Lucky me.
I'm a leftover fiend . . . especially lasagna! Cook it 3 times . . . 4 times . . . it gets even better.
I love to cook and my meals take hours to make to begin with. I eat leftovers pretty much every day. Food should not be wasted.
When I was growing up in the 50's, we ate a lot of pasta, garlic toast and salad. If you went hungry, it was your fault. At six o'clock dinner was served whether you were present or not and after the table was cleared, you had to fend for yourself and clean your dishes.
I'm the only one in my family who feels that way. I make it a point to ask my wife what she's thinking about throwing out so I can eat it before she does so . . . that occasionally makes for some pretty strange meals.
I find yogurt in the "bargain bin" at the store as low as a nickel each. I routinely eat yogurt that is a month past the expiration date. Hasn't killed me yet. My wife doesn't even bother to throw things out. I'll most likely eat it. If it ain't moving it's probably edible you know.