I hate wasting rice

We had lunch yesterday at the food court in T&T Supermarket (Guildford) yesterday. T&T is an Asian supermarket so all the food stalls there sell either Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Indian food. No Filipino stall, unfortunately.

Food at T&T is relatively cheap, although we paid $27.95 (or Php1,118.00) rin, so hindi masyadong nakaka-guilty (we've been eating out a lot and that takes up so much of our monthly budget).

But I really felt guilty for not eating all the rice.

Growing up in the agricultural-country Philippines where "rice is life," it really breaks my heart to see this much rice going into waste. Just like what all Filipino mothers say to their children, "maraming ibang batang/taong nagugutom." Nakakahinayang talaga.

But what can we do now? My husband and I are diabetic -- and white rice is our number one opponent! As Pinoys though, we cannot totally give up rice, of course. We just watch our intake, making sure that we don't eat beyond 1-2 cups a day (1 cup per meal). At home, we eat brown rice because it has lower glycemic index than white rice and doesn't cause blood glucose levels to rise as rapidly.

Kaso most Chinese restaurants here serve a lot of rice in their meals. I think that's one of the reasons why I gained more weight din when I lived here. Malalaki talaga ang servings nila dito, be it pasta, burgers, pizza, etc. As a wife and mother, naging role ko na rin ang magsimot ng pagkain kasi nga nanghihinayang akong magtapon. Pero sabi nga ngayon ng asawa ko: "Sayang o patay? Nanghihinayang ka sa pagkain pero sa sarili mo hindi?"

Oh well, may point naman siya.

I just wish there could be a way para lang maiwasan ang wastage. Sana pwedeng umorder ng half cup noh? Even in Filipino restaurants, malaki ang cup nila ng rice eh.

As much as possible naman, hubby and I share na lang sa isang rice meal. Tapos magdadagag na lang kami ng ibang ulam/side dishes. But there are times din naman na magkaiba kami ng preference sa gustong kainin (that's why we often eat sa foodcourt) kaya ang dami-daming rice na natatapon. I am tempted na nga sometimes to tell the vendor na bawasan ang rice, kaso sobrang hassle naman because most of them are Chinese who cannot understand and speak English well. Matagal na diskusyon pa. Saka siyempre style nila ang maraming rice para magmukhang marami ang isang order.

Hay rice! I love you but I hate you at the same time. Pero kahit may love-hate relationship tayo, ayaw pa rin kitang nasasayang talaga.