Food debris vs. Food waste

[jokaec]

Person A: What do you use this container for?
Person B: I use it to contain "food debris" or "food waste" when having a meal, such as left chicken bones, fish bones, clam shells and so on.

Are they both correct? If so, which is better in this situation or a better phrase for this situation? Thank you.

 

[jwood]

Probably the most idiomatic response would be to just refer to the food items themselves, perhaps with the term "leftover."
Sometimes "leftovers" (noun) is used to describe an uneaten part of a meal you want to save and eat later: I only ate half of my dinner, so I'll put the leftovers in the refrigerator and have it for lunch tomorrow.

But, here, "leftover" (as an adjective) would be understood to mean waste.
A: What do you use this container for?
B: I use it for things like leftover clam shells and chicken bones.

 

[Hermione Golightly]

I'd use 'remains' - 'for food remains'. That means stuff that's no use. 'Left-overs' are edible.

 

[Roxxxannne]

I'd use 'remains' - 'for food remains'. That means stuff that's no use. 'Left-overs' are edible.

I agree. In the northeast US, 'leftovers' are food that didn't get eaten and will be saved for some other meal in the near future. Unlike jwood, I don't call shells and bones leftovers if I'm going to throw them away.

As for the container in the OP, I would answer "I use it to hold garbage -- food scraps and bones." Or, if I compost my garbage, I'd say "I use it to hold the stuff I'm going to compost."

 

[jwood]

I think the difference here is using leftovers as a noun vs. using leftover as an adjective that modifies a particular item esp. when the item is understood to be scraps or waste.

In other words, if I asked my host or server "where can I put my leftover chicken bones," it would be understood I am looking for a place to put the chicken bones I am ready to discard, not that I intend to eat the chicken bones later. Whereas if I asked "may I have a container for my leftovers," I would be asking for a container for the uneaten portion of my food I intend to eat later.

 

[Hermione Golightly]

I find it hard to imagine these scenarios.

 

[jokaec]

Thanks all of you! I think I will use "food garbage".

 

[Hermione Golightly]

I don't think anybody suggested the term'food garbage'. It's nor BrE anyway.

 

[Linkway]

when having a meal,

Although you might have a waste bin or food waste bin somewhere in your kitchen, I assume you mean something small for a person sitting at the dining table to use. Typically, this would be a dish, bowl, or other open-top container such as a plastic box.

I would definitely avoid using words like garbage or debris for any item that you'd put on a dining table for use during a meal.

 

[jokaec]

Although you might have a waste bin or food waste bin somewhere in your kitchen, I assume you mean something small for a person sitting at the dining table to use. Typically, this would be a dish, bowl, or other open-top container such as a plastic box.

I would definitely avoid using words like garbage or debris for any item that you'd put on a dining table for use during a meal.

Thank you Linksay! You suggested avoiding garbage or debris, so what do you suggest to use?

 

[Myridon]

As far as I know, there is not a name for it. The restaurant servers here say something like "Here's an extra plate for the ..." and name the thing - bones (chicken, ribs), tails (shrimp), shells (crab), husks (tamales), ...