Is Leftover Food Bad?

Japan Watching | 残った食べ物はまずい?

Is Leftover Food Bad?

The “shoumi kigen” – best before date – is displayed on food packaging sold in supermarkets and other stores. This does not mean that you are unable to eat food that is past the date, but stores do not sell it as the taste deteriorates. Coming near closing, many stores lower the price of unsold food, such as packs of sushi and side dishes. One day, I visited a friend of mine who is an owner of a cake store. I asked him, “How’s business going?” He replied with a pun, “Uchi no ke-ki no hyouban wa ii kedo, ke-ki ga warui.” (Our cake has a good reputation, but business is bad) His wife who manages the store said, shrugging her shoulders, “A few went unsold today, too.” Then he said, looking at me, “Your wife likes cakes, doesn’t she?” As I nodded, his wife shook her head saying, “No, it’s not a good idea to give away leftovers.” I said, “Can’t you sell leftovers cheaply?” Then she had to say this. “If a first time customer eats it, the rumor that our cakes are not delicious will spread, and as a result our customers will decrease. We have no choice but to throw them away.” As I muttered “What a waste,” my friend said, “Well then, these were made this morning, but why don’t you try them?” and he put some unsold cakes into a box. When I returned home, I handed the cake box to my wife, pretending I’d bought them myself. Delighted, my wife bit into the cake and exclaimed, “Wow! This is the most delicious cake I’ve ever had!” I don’t eat cake since I am not fond of sweets, but I again thought that it was a waste to throw away those that my wife happily ate and declared delicious. My wife who doesn’t know the truth innocently said, “Buy me this cake again please.” (From July issue, 2014 / 2014年7月号より)

スーパーすーぱー
Su-pa-
supermarkets
などの
nado no
and other
みせ
mise
stores
de
in
販売はんばいされる
hanbai sareru
sold
食品しょくひん包装ほうそう
shokuhin no housou
food packaging
には
niwa/ha
on
賞味しょうみ期限きげん」が
“Shoumi’kigen” ga
(the) best before date
表示ひょうじされています。
hyouji saretei masu.
is displayed
これは、
Kore wa/ha,
this
その日付ひづけ
sono hizu/duke ga
the date
ぎた
sugita
(that) is past
食品しょくひん
shokuhin wa/ha
food
べられない
taberarenai
(you) are unable to eat
という
to iu
that
意味いみではありません
imi dewa/ha arimasen
does not mean
が、
ga,
but
みせ
mise wa/ha
stores
あじ
aji ga
(the) taste
ちる
ochiru
deteriorates
として
to shite
as
販売はんばいしません。
hanbai shimasen.
do not sell (it)
おおくの
Ooku no
many
みせが、
mise ga,
stores
閉店へいてん
heiten ga
closing
ちかづくと
chikazu/duku to
coming near
のこっている
urenokotte iru
unsold (food)
寿司すしパックぱっく
sushi’pakku
packs of sushi
ya
and
惣菜そうざい
souzai
side dishes
など
nado
such as
no
of
価格かかく
kakaku o/wo
(the) price
げます。
sagemasu.
lower
ある
Aruhi,
one day
わたし
Watashi wa/ha
I
ケーキけーきてん
ke-ki’ten
(a) cake store
no
of
オーナーおーなーである
o-na- de aru
(who) is (an) owner
友人ゆうじん
yuujin o/wo
(a) friend (of mine)
訪問ほうもんしました。
houmon shimashita.
visited
わたし
Watashi wa/ha
I
ビジネスびじねす
“bijinesu wa/ha
business
うまくいっている?」
umaku itte iru?”
how’s going
to
[that]
きました。
kikimashita.
asked (him)
かれは、
Kare wa/ha,
he
「うちの
“Uchi no
our
ケーキけーき
ke-ki no
cake
評判ひょうばん
hyouban wa/ha
(a) reputation
いい
ii
(has) good
けど、
kedo,
but
けーきけーき景気けいき)が
ke-ki (keiki) ga
business
わる」い
warui”
is bad
と、
to,
[that]
ダジャレだじゃれ
dajare o/wo
with (a) pun
いました。
iimashita.
replied
みせ
Mise o/wo
(the) store
仕切しき
shikiru
(who) manages
おくさんは
okusan wa/ha
(his) wife
今日きょう
“Kyou
today
mo
too
すこ
sukoshi
a few
のこったわよ」
ure nokotta wa yo”
went unsold
to
[that]
い、
ii,
said
かた
kata o/wo
(her) shoulders
すくめました。
sukumemashita.
shrugging
すると、
Suruto,
then
かれ
kare wa/ha
he
わたし
watashi o/wo
me
mite
looking at
きみ
“Kimi no
your
おくさん、
okusan,
wife
ケーキけーき
ke-ki wa/ha
cakes
きでしょう?」
suki deshou?”
likes doesn’t she
to
[that]
いました。
iimashita.
said
わたし
Watashi ga
I
うなずく
unazuku
nodded
と、
to,
as
彼女かのじょ
kanojo wa/ha
(his) wife <she>
「だめよ。
“Dame yo.
no
のこりを
Urenokori o/wo
leftovers
あげる
ageru
to give away
なんて」
nante”
(it)’s not (a) good idea
と、
to,
saying
くび
kubi o/wo
(her) head
よこりました。
yoko ni furimashita.
shook
わたし
Watashi wa/ha
I
のこったものを
“Nokotta mono o/wo
leftovers
やす
yasuku
cheaply
らないんですか」
uranai n desu ka”
can’t you sell
to
[that]
kiku
said
と、
to,
then
彼女かのじょ
kanojo wa/ha
she
こう
kou
this
いました。
iimashita
had to say
はじめての
“Hajimete no
(a) first time
きゃくさんが
okyaku san ga
customer
それを
sore o/wo
it
べれば、
tabere ba,
if eats
うちのケーキけーき
uchi no ke-ki wa/ha
our cakes
おいしく
oishiku
delicious
ない
nai
are not
という
to iu
that
うわさ
uwasa ga
(the) rumor
ひろがり、
hirogari,
will spread and
その結果けっか
sono kekka
as a result
きゃくさんが
okyaku san ga
(our) customers
ってしまいます。
hette shimaimasu.
will decrease
てる
Suteru
to throw (them) away
しかないんです」
shika nai n desu”
(we) have no choice but
と。
to.
[that]
「もったいないね」
“Mottainai ne”
what a waste
to
[that]
わたし
Watashi ga
I
つぶやく
tsubuyaku
muttered
と、
to,
as
友人ゆうじん
yuujin wa/ha
(my) friend
「それじゃ、
“Soreja,
well then
今朝けさ
kesa
this morning
つくった
tsukutta
were made
もの
mono
these
だけど
dakedo
but
べてみて」
tabete mite”
why don’t (you) try (them)
to
[that]
い、
ii,
said and
のこった
urenokotta
unsold
ケーキけーき
ke-ki o/wo
(some) cakes
はこ
hako ni
(a) box
れました。
iremashita.
(he) put into
いえ
Ie ni
home
かえ
kaeru
(I) returned
と、
to,
when
わたし
Watashi wa/ha
I
自分じぶん
jibun de
myself
った
katta
(I)’d bought (them)
ふりをして
furi o/wo shite
pretending
ケーキけーき
ke-ki no
(the) cake
はこ
hako o/wo
box
つま
tsuma
(my) wife
ni
to
手渡てわたしました。
tewatashimashita.
handed
よろこんだ
Yorokonda
delighted
つま
tsuma wa/ha
(my) wife
ケーキけーき
ke-ki o/wo
(the) cake
くちにする
kuchi ni suru
bit into
と、
to,
and
大声おおごえをあげました。
oogoe wo age mashita.
exclaimed
「わあ、
“Waa,
wow
これ
kore
this
いままでべた
imamade tabeta
I’ve ever had
ケーキけーき
ke-ki de
cake
一番いちばん
ichiban
the most
おいしい!」
oishii!”
(is) delicious
と。
to.
that
わたし
Watashi wa/ha
I
あまもの
amaimono ga
sweets
苦手にがて
nigate
(I) am not fond of
de
since
ケーキけーき
ke-ki o/wo
cake
べません
tabemasen
don’t eat
が、
ga,
but
つま
tsuma ga
(my) wife
よろこんで
yorokonde
happily
べ、
tabe,
ate and
おいしいと
oishii to
delicious
いう
iu
(that) declared
ものを
mono o/wo
those
てるのは
suteru nowa/ha
to throw away
もったいない
mottainai
(it) was (a) waste
と、
to,
that
あらためて
aratamete
again
おもいました。
omoimashita.
(I) thought
事実じじつ
Jijitsu o/wo
the truth
らない
shiranai
(who) doesn’t know
つま
tsuma wa/ha
(my) wife
無邪気むじゃき
mujaki ni
innocently
いました。
iimashita.
said
「この
“Kono
this
ケーキけーき
ke-ki,
cake
また
mata
again
ってきてね」。
kattekite ne.”
buy me please

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