One of the mundane items I claimed from my mom’s few possesions after her passing was a set of stackable aluminium food storage containers. Why do I cherish these humble pre-tupperware kitchen containers?
1. As part of her mother’s trousseau, they tell a story of family kitchen love.
2. As ergonomically useful, they tell the story of environmental integrity.
3. As standing the test of time, their excellent durability tells the story of leftover hospitality.
We had a weekly meal plan tradition in our family. Friday night was leftover night. Out from the fridge came these aluminium pre-tupperware containers with their saved leftovers. My mom could make a guest worthy meal out of leftover ingredients. For example, a pot of soup could be created and freshened up with fresh garden produce like chopped herbs and tomatoes. Served with a pan of steaming hot biscuits or crispy cast iron skillet cornbread, “leftover ingredients soup” was reborn!
Daddy had the habit of impulsively inviting whomever for dinner. Mom never knew who was to be a dinner guest, but another table setting would be quietly added.
Such hospitality reminds me of the New Testament story where Jesus took five leftover loaves of bread and two fish collected from the crowd’s lunches. From these leftover humble ingredients, He fed the crowd. Do we practice leftover hospitality?
I’m privileged to use my hand-me-down leftover food storage containers. They remind me to be frugal in food prep but generous at mealtimes. I want my home to be a standard-bearer for leftover hospitality!
Have your leftover five loaves and two fishes been blessed?
Then, taking the five loaves and two fishes, he looked up to heaven, said the blessing, broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to distribute….They all ate to their hearts’ content.