I save leftovers for soup and stew.

I always freeze large amounts of leftovers. It's a win-win because the food doesn't go to waste, and it makes for a quick and easy dinner on a busy night.

People out of the Great Depression used every scrap of food they had and composted the rest. Veggies past prime but still edible ( and that definition edible stretched from what it is today) went into the freezer for broth and or in soup if there was enough of it. Coffee and tea got used three times then composted . USE IT UP. WEAR IT OUT. MAKE IT DO, OR DO WITHOUT. was a common phrase and common sense. so your apple has spots.. if you must cut out the spot and put it in compost do so. TAKE CARE OF YOUR COMPOST. NO MEAT NO DAIRY NO FATS> and that is that. Aerate to oxygenate and if possible get worms to help you . Getting worms to help you compost more efficiently is easier today than yesteryear. I actually listened to my grandmas and they made a lot of sense. A frugal life style pays off in dividends you can only imagine.

What are the pros and cons of using garbage disposals for food waste? It's more convenient than composting. What are the downsides?

I keep a bag of veggie scraps in the freezer to use for stock- I fill it with rubbery but still good celery and carrots, onion and garlic scraps and skins, the ends of broccoli, cauliflower leaves, you name it. Pretty much anything that's not gone bad goes into it. We compost the rest of our food and lawn waste, and recycle or compost our paper waste. I also lacto-ferment vegetables, so if there's a great deal, I stock up and pickle them. I've also ordered a dehydrator and can't wait for it to arrive. We're working toward a 0% kitchen.