Favorite Thing: Amore Tomato Paste
Here at A Better Bag of Groceries, I often write about my favorite things. I also have some un-favorite things. Like wasting food. Definitely one of my least favorite things. So, I hate that every recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of tomato paste, but that the standard container for this food is a can. It’s a small can, but it probably contains at least 6 Tablespoons. You end up buying a can, using the one Tablespoon for the recipe, and then you put the rest in a little Tupperware-like container and you store it in your refrigerator. For about a week. Then, especially if you are a Food Safety Freak (like me), you throw it out, because you know that you are way beyond the 5 day maximum allowed for open tomato products. Or, you lose the container in the way back of your fridge, you find it months later, but now it’s growing mold.
I’ve grown tired of the tomato paste dance, so I just cut to the chase and throw out the can after I use the 1 Tablespoon. Which makes me feel horribly guilty. I hate wasting food.
Last week, we put Cooking Light’s Chicken Sausage and Provolone Penne Bake on our weekly menu. The recipe called for 1 Tablespoon of tomato paste (of course!) My husband did the grocery shopping that Saturday – and he found the Amore Tomato Paste that you see in the photo above. I love that you can just squeeze out the one Tablespoon that you need and you can use the rest when you need it. This makes so much more sense. It was $2.50 at the local grocery store. I figure this is much more economical than throwing out cans of tomato paste. It feels better too.
I was happy to see that we’ve scored this brand of tomato paste at NuVal. It gets a score of 52. There are tomato pastes that score higher on the NuVal scale. Like Hunt’s No Salt Added (NuVal score of 82). Or Cento (NuVal score of 75). It would be great if those manufacturers would put them in a tube! In the meantime, I’ll take a little knock on the score for the convenience of the tube.
Another idea – if you have the time – is to take that high-scoring tomato paste, measure it out into one-tablespoon dollops, wrap the dollops in plastic wrap, and freeze them. I love that!
I don’t think I’ll ever throw out an almost-full can of tomato paste ever again. And that feels good. It’s the little things.
Question of the Day
What do you end up throwing out at the end of the week in your fridge?
Posted by: Melissa 8 comments
Posted in: Cooking Light, tomatoes, Two Favorite Things
on Jan 17th, 2013 at 7:17 am
I have solved the tomato paste problem by freezing the leftovers in a plastic bag. Once the paste is frozen you can cut it with a knife to get a Tablespoon or whatever amount you need for you next recipe. If you cut both ends off of the can, you can use one end to slide it into the bag-very easy!
on Jan 17th, 2013 at 9:35 am
Usually left overs as my boys just don’t like the same meal twice…. I can’t wait to make that pasta bake!!
on Jan 17th, 2013 at 9:53 am
I too tried tomato paste in a tube this week and loved it. But mine was from Whole foods…there brand and once opened it expires in 2 wks. : ( In the freezer it will go. I like put a tablespoons worth in ice cube trays and freeze them that way.
on Jan 17th, 2013 at 9:58 am
never thought of freezing it. I have used Amore for a long time.
on Jan 17th, 2013 at 10:02 am
It’s not called Amore for naught!
on Jan 17th, 2013 at 11:24 am
I end up throwing away deli meat. I can never get the quantity I need down quite right. I buy a lot and no one makes sandwiches (after they all tell me they will) or I buy too little and everyone is fighting over it.
on Jan 17th, 2013 at 5:07 pm
i’m going to look for the paste
on Jan 17th, 2013 at 11:38 pm
haha I just bought that last week for a soup recipe! Absolutely loved it http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pasta-kale-and-white-bean-soup-recipe/index.html