Not that difficult, I suppose, especially not to the less compulsive. But for me, washing a cutting board subjected to raw meat and poultry involves sponging it with soap and a bunch of hot water, then the sponge goes in the microwave for a minute, then the sink gets disinfected, then the clean board gets cleaner with a second washing with more hot water and more soap with the disinfected sponge in the disinfected sink. Neurotic? Perhaps. But even if I cut that process in half I think it'd be easier to quickly slip on a produce bag and give it a second use before it goes where it was already destined to go: the landfill.

Of course I could just put the cutting board in dishwasher, but that involves repositioning big plates to guard it against little hands while I wait a day or two to run the dishwasher, during which time I don't have use of the cutting board.

I'm laughing at myself as I type this, because it's all 100% true which is ironic because I'm a slob in every other aspect of my life!

Stumpy....those cutting boards are cheap....have several. Put the raw meat ones in the dishwasher, just sponge off the ones for cutting carrots and celery.

I don't trust the integrity of used grocery store plastic bags to keep meat juices off a cutting board - even if not slicing. When I've put something damp in them like a defrosting chicken, they often turn out to have pin holes that leak. So it wouldn't save me from washing the cutting board even if I didn't cut on it.

I have a wood cutting board that I use for slicing meat only. Clean up is just giving it a scrub with soapy water in the sink. I usually use water from the insta-hot for the scrub so I don't have to wait for the faucet water to get hot. Then I run hot water from the insta-hot onto the brush to rinse it off. It doesn't take more than a minute or two.

The idea of cutting on a plastic bag and the possible plastic bits getting into food is icky - if your knife isn't making cuts in the bag, it probably isn't as sharp as it should be.

With a good knife, it isn't hard to hold the carrot and make all the needed slices - and if the last slice comes out thicker then I want, I just eat that piece like Linda - problem gone!

P.S. Our recycling takes the plastic bags so they don't go in the landfill.

OK, first of all, in regard to one of the respondents above, there's too many people who judgmentally accuse others as being spammers. For the record, while being cognizant of the many trolls online, I'm not a troller, nor a spammer even if I think & do things differently (due to my life being different than most).

Rather, i thought to share a primitive tip which happens to work for me, since I'm a weak-shrimp who lives alone, and does things small time & primitively.

Every added chore is hard for me, due to fibromyalgia, carpal & tarsal-syndromes, electrosensitivity, you name it.

So, when considering that I only cut a few veggies at a time, for my personal needs, the above works. Yes, it does make slits in the bag, so for the next piece, i just cut onto an adjacent area of the bag.
Also:
I don't chop at high speed like most others do, rather I use an excellent Fixwell knife (see attached link) and do it slower.

What may have turned some of you off, is the "wrinkled look" of the depicted bag, which i just happened to have handy, so i used that for the pic. instead of non wrinkled as i usually use.

I'm glad that at least some of you may have use of the tip, even if for poultry or painting ;-)
Thanks for putting in your comments, which at least made it worth the virtual red face of having posted this, since i physiologically can't blush..

Here is a link that might be useful: My Fixwell Knife

FWIW, I didn't understand the hostility heaped on those tips. Nobody is forced to adopt them.

So far as I can see, they both would work. I can't imagine cutting little bits from a plastic bag by chopping it with a knife, even if I tried. The corn holder idea seemed to me like slicing with a carving fork and slicing knife, done in miniature.

And the Spam remark was rude and uncalled for.

Welcome to Cooking Forum, jally. :-)

Jim

jally, I hope you don't mind my going off topic a little.

I use those veggie bags as disposible gloves.

I use those bags with a hand vacuum for freezer bags, instead of those expensive Foodsaver bags.

And again, thanks for posting tips.

dcarch

Jim, I didn't think I was being hostile at all, I THOUGHT it was a valid question. I chop vegetables with a slightly curved large knife. When I rock the knife blade down to cut, it naturally slides forward. It's sharp and would certainly cut a strip. The next cut would also slide forward and cut another strip so I'd have little strips of cut plastic in my vegetables that I'd have to pick out. The OP did not mention that a small paring type knife was being used so I was thinking "chef's knife".

Welcome to the Cooking Forum anyway, jally. As many posters here will attest to, I'm seldom hostile when it's unwarranted, but I'm often confused!

Annie

I just re-read what I posted in response, and it didn't make any sense, because I had a typo. I certainly didn't mean any disrespect. I was just confused how to chop on a board with a loose fitting bag around it. Now I understand.

I don't have a corn cob holder, but I love any tip that would help me chop carrots without them flying and rolling all over the place. I may have to find a corn cob holder just for that purpose.

Welcome to the forum, Jally. Thanks for sharing your tips, and I hope you continue on with this forum.

Sally

I also paint T-shirts (or at least I used to) and put a plastic bag over the board that was holding the shirt, but I used heavy-duty plastic bags and clamped everything in place. Kevin used to do pet portraits on T-shirts, and that was fairly popular back in the 1980s. I used to do silk-screening when I lived in San Francisco.

I do like the idea of putting a plastic bag over a chopping board that is going to receive poultry or fish.

Lars

I generally refrain from commenting on this particular forum due to the extreme clique which is often rude to newcomers or anyone with a different view than the majority. But I must say the clique has done it's job once again. A newcomer posts a tip, it's scoffed at, labelled as spam, then scoffed at again. Funnily enough the ones who piled on heaviest are silent when OP returns to defend him/herself.
Welcome to the cooking forum now go home they may as well say.

I usually use the plastic produce bags on the counter to put my scraps/packaging etc on as I prep meals, then grab the corners & toss it all in the trash. Saves a few steps & the counter's not as dirty.

Another one:

My other post "Barbie"

The slab of pork ribs was cut into three strips using a veggie bag on my table saw with a carbide blake.

I do this all the time to cut all kinds of big bones. The bag keeps everything clean.

dcarch

"I generally refrain from commenting on this particular forum due to the extreme clique which is often rude to newcomers or anyone with a different view than the majority." posted by jomuir

Whoever you are you are you should post more often. You are a welcome breath of fresh air. I would love to hear more from you! I hope the OP has not been chased away.

Up North Teresa

I think with the Facebook/Pinterest thing we'll get some new posters. Some will like us, some won't. It's kind of like real life.

As has been discussed before, things are not always clear on the internet or via email, so I don't think asking for clarification is rude but perhaps I'm just amazingly dense.

And, of course, we have regular posters who never talk about cooking anything, never post a recipe, seldom talk about food. They post only when there is an opportunity to stir the pot or cause contention.

Most people I know outgrow the behavior by third or fourth grade, but some really enjoy it and continue it throughout their adulthood. That's just how life is.

Annie

"As many posters here will attest to, I'm seldom hostile..."

I can attest to that, Annie. I've never known you to be unfriendly to anyone. Did I paint with too broad a brush in my comments? If so, I apologize.

Jim

And some of us have been here for many years, posting occasionally & ignored by the clique. Just like back in 4th grade. This is not a very welcoming nor tolerant forum. Just sayin'.

Interesting....I don't remember seeing your name before and a search reveals only 2 other posts from a jomuir, both on a small batch jam thread earlier this year.
Perhaps you feel ignored because you don't post on this forum.
You seem to post lots on Pets and Sewing though...perhaps you are confusing the forums?

All tips don't work for everyone. I don't save produce bags. They are very light weight and after I have washed the produce, I toss the bags, as someone said often with the peelings or stems and wilted leaves inside. I, like Annie use a chef's knife to chop and a thin plastic bag would be more trouble than the time I spend washing the cutting mat.
But if it works for Jally...that's a good thing. She has mentioned her many unusual and varied health problems on a thread about soaking meat in vinegar, and if a plastic bag eases her tasks, so much the better.

But I have yet to figure why some seem to feel the need to scold others on a public forum.
And as to the Jally being a spammer...anyone who joined these forums more than 10 years ago is very unlikely to suddenly take up spamming.

Jim, I went back and read all the responses and I don't see anyone being hostile.

This is a cooking forum. I don't think anyone should take offense when someone asks a question. My question certainly wasn't hostile. I was asking a legitimate question.

Teresa, remember this hostile response?

Posted by teresa_mn (My Page) on
Sat, Oct 13, 12 at 2:05

Well Donna - your comments were not helpful. But they must've made you feel good or you would not have posted them.,
You were very hostile to poor Donna who was offering good and apparently correct advice to CLBlakey. I hope ClBlakey, doesn't judge the rest of our CF members by your response.

~Ann

cloud_swift - Just to clarify, we're talking the produce bags not the shopping bags. The produce bags shouldn't leak, well at least not where I shop. In fact they typically have a stack of them right at the check-out register to put around containers from the salad bar, pickle or olive buckets, etc. to prevent these items from leaking all over the rest of your groceries.

Good for you that your community accepts plastic bags for recycling; I wish I could say the same. I can only recycle plastics stamped 7 or lower, and I already consider that a vast improvement from other areas that only accept bottles, or nothing at all.

An aquaintance who is in the recycling business in NC told me a few years back, "Don't believe what your town tells you, the only plastic that's recycled is bottles." I hope he was wrong, or that his information is now outdated.

Thank you for the vote of confidence, Jim, I didn't think I was out of line....

jo, I'm sorry you feel that way. I never thought I was "clique-y" but I admit there are some personality traits that rub me the wrong way, even on-line. I also admit that it's a personal failing and I won't blame it on the entire forum. I try to simply ignore the people who annoy me, but sometimes I can't help myself because I really don't understand the people who only post to criticize and seem to be completely uninterested in cooking.

FOAS, here produce bags are extremely thin clear plastic bags with advertisements printed on them. They come in rolls in the produce department and are flimsy enough that there is usually a hole in them before I get them home and then the produce falls out and I chase it around the kitchen.

No recycling of them here either, just bottles and those clam-shell things. They tried recycling the ziplock type bags but it cost them a lot of money sorting plastics so they quit.

Annie

Annie, we have the same kind of produce bags. They are so thin that just pulling them off the roll sometimes results in holes.

We have three types of garbage pick up. "Organics" which is for compost and includes everything food related including meat and bones. Organics are picked up every week. Recycling and Garbage are picked up every other week. Garbage is whatever doesn't go into the recycling or the organics. Our grocery store bags go into the garbage not recycling.

Ann

LindaC is correct that no one who joined these forums 10 years ago is likely to be a spammer - the spammers generally post on the day they join and then are not heard from again, and so if anyone suspects spam, they can check the date that someone joined.

In Mexico City people wash their plastic bags and hang them out to dry so that they can reuse them. I do save plastic bags that I get produce in, and I use them for various purposes, including helping dry bread to regain moisture. I do not use sandwich bags twice (although Bernard does), but I do reuse freezer bags. I cannot bring myself to throw produce bags away after one use after having seen people in Mexico use them multiple times!

Lars

Ours are very thin, too; we're probably talking the same thing. They are prone to ripping if you put anything sharper than a plum in them, but if they stay intact they hold water and I try to repurpose them. I've got an empty 3-pound Folgers can (not mine originally!!!) which they line perfectly and that serves as my scraps bowl (or whatever Rachael Ray calls it) when prepping food.

On the downside, I don't seem to have a cutting board that fits these bags. Perhaps an excuse to head to BB&B and see if Epicurian has anything sized between my small board and my medium ones. Anyone got a 20% off coupon for me?

Lars, I do reuse the heavier ziplock bags, if I didn't use them to store something like raw chicken. Peppi gave me a very handy bag dryer, it works like a charm.

I also wash and reuse the FoodSaver bags, Peppi tipped me off to the fact that if I cut them a bit large, I can cut off the sealed end and still be able to reseal a couple of times.

FOAS, I don't have a coupon but I'm sure you can get one on-line.

I try to cut poultry/etc. on a plastic board which can go into the dishwasher. Thank goodness I have one, I'd hate to give it up now, although I didn't have one for years. The wooden boards, though, they all get cleaned by hand, none go in the dishwasher. Dad taught me better than that!

jally, I'd have to use a different material, but it did occur to me that your tip would be great for the times when I'm cutting hot peppers, that residue seems to cling no matter what...

Annie

OK, I'll respond F.I.F.O. and at my next chance, I'll respond to the rest.

First, to jimster, thanks! As another example of my primitivity, is that I never did use a carving fork - merely a plain fork, the few times I cut small hunks of meat.

To dcarch, thanks re: the glove tip. I also use the produce bags for freezer use, albeit I vacuum the bag by scrunching to a small opening, then pursing my mouth and inhaling short puffs. Also I double bag.

On a tangent, I made a pictorial demo (see my upload, numbered chronologically) to show how I freeze patties, when I occasionally fry a bunch. The pic. should speak for itself (I wish the gardenweb upload wouldn't magnify my original pics. so hugely.

Bear with me till I read the next batch of posts, thanks.

Amazing! Thanks again for sharing.

Give this method a try if you have many items to freeze:

After you put your items in the bag ( use new bags so they don't leak) dump and hold the bag in a bucket of water, leave the openning of the bag above water.

The water pressure will squeeze most of the air out.

dcarch

OK, I'm officially lost. That made no sense to me at all. Patties of ground meat, I'm assuming, that are cooked?

So you put them into produce bags and with two folds, top and bottom, you can separate three patties?

Sigh. I don't get it at all. Peppi told me to put meat products into those produce bags before I put them into a Food Saver bag, the blasted piece of carp won't seal if there is so much as the thought of an iota of moisture there. So, this could be a very useful tip if I could figure it out. (sigh)

What are the pink and white things on top of the patties?

I'm sorry, but I'm extremely confused. Of course, you probably figured that out.

Annie

Annie

Holy cow! I am so confused too! What are those things in that bag? Annie thought they were cooked meat, I thought they were chocolate and trying to figure out why someone would be freezing chocolate.

And you are using a double wrap of produce bags to freeze stuff? I usually wrap in plastic, then foil then in a freezer bag with as much air squished out as possible... I never considered using produce bags, but I may have to try that as the inner layer in my preferred method.

Like was mentioned before, I usually just use produce bags for holding the parings and trimmings and waste form whatever I brought home in one, then toss the whole mess.

Can you please come back and further explain what are in that photo?

THanks
Alexa

I've only quickly scanned this thread so I'm probably not very helpful, but I did read the initial post and thought it was interesting. I am always looking for new ways to keep things clean and I need to give the bag cover a try. Thanks for posting!

I use produce bags as covers for refrigerated herbs and I do reuse freezer ziploc bags. When I buy chicken on sale, I slide the whole package into a freezer bag, but when the package comes out of the freezer, I stick the freezer bag back in the "freezer chicken bin" for the next package.
I will wash and indiscriminately use, bags that stored something like cookies or bread.
I'm always happy to see new ideas like this, it shows creativity and resourcefulness.

I assumed they were cooked meat, because jally said they were "patties" after frying a bunch. I can't imagine that would be chocolate...

Annie

I also am clueless!!
I would never use the produce bags to store stuff in the freezer. There are different grades and types of plastics ( as you know if you recycle) and some are less moisture proof than others.
When I freeze things like hamburger patties or chicken breast fillets, I separate with "something"...preferred is waxed paper or parchment ( so I can defrost in the micro) then I wrap the whole stack in saran, then foil and then a heavy duty freezer bag. That way I don't get freezer burn.

I too am wondering about the little pink and white blobs....look like frosted cookies.....and I would like at least one!!

dcarch, thanks again for understanding :-)

OK, here's a joke:
...what i need most is for gardenweb to provide its members with a professional photographer,
...AND to transmutate wrinkled bags into new-looking bags
...AND to transmutate chocolates & mint-candies into patties!

Now for confusingly "wordy" instructions:

(1) open the shopRite baggie

(2) tuck in a cooled fried salmon pattie into baggie
(2) (ensure it's tucked inside corner)
(2) ..uh, i don't think it works with meat patties
(2) ..but you can always try it (that's a joke too)

(3) 2 more patties ought to fit on top of that pattie

(4) do same with 3 more patties into unoccupied corner

(5) fold over flap as depicted in pic.
(5) the pic explains more than any of my words can

(6) then fold the baggie the other way (green line)
(6) (not sure if Salmoan or Israeli green line)
(6) such that the three plasticEncased patties
(6) meet up with their "sister-patties" on other side

(7) insert the 6-Pak into another ShopRite baggie

(8) do not YET seal the baggie which encloses the 6-Pak
(8) but rather enclose a few more 6-Paks until compact

P.S. If any of you have a large bunch of fried patties, maybe you can create a pictorial demo, or video demo better than mine (if you happen to be among those who understand my instructions.

P.P.S. As mentioned at an earlier date, I can't post often, due to constraints & it taking a toll on me, though sometimes I have Q's (such as wondering if there's a basic recipe for non-chocolate craisins, using perhaps marshmallow fluff instead of chocolate/margarine/craisins.) But I don't have psychic stamina to post the latter question as a new post, and then "host the post, at risk of turning to toast" (forgive the pun)

I'm not confused at all. Jally is describing a process and used a couple of props to illustrate the method. The props appear to be candy instead of cooked patties.

I think a kid in grade school would have had no trouble seeing the obvious. (shrug) Jally has stated that he/she has physical limitations. Jally has created different methods to make life simpler. We may not use those methods in our kitchens. But this is a forum for sharing cooking tips and techniques - and Jally's tips might work for people with certain requirements, physical limitations and lack of other resources.

Teresa who is not at all confused after reading this thread

Just call me Alicia Silverstone.

Jally, I hope you do not feel picked on. Annie never picks on someone for the sake of being nasty. She just doesn't. So if she is confused, I'm sure others might also be. Personally, I just assumed that you were using props to demonstrate. There is nothing wrong with your photos.

I try and give everyone the benefit of the doubt before jumping to the conclusion that there was a deliberate attempt to be nasty.

It is unfortunate, that Teresa doesn't do the same thing. Teresa, takes great satisfaction in wagging her finger and making accusations. She more often than not is wrong, as she was on the Pizza Hut thread and again here. I suspect that many find her attitude unpleasant.

The members on the Cooking forum have always been welcoming to new members.
Please do not let any of this unpleasantness stop you from continuing to post.

~Ann

Of course you aren't, Teresa.

OK, NOW I get it, I think. I was trying to figure out how those three patties each had plastic between them but the stacks of patties have plastic between each stack, not each patty? The "props" are actually candy but are meant to be salmon patties, which is why it didn't look like a stack of anything.

So you stack three patties with nothing between each pattie. In an opposite corner you stack three more patties. Fold the bag between "rows" so that one stack of three sits on top of another stack of three with the plastic between the stacks so that one stack could be removed without disturbing the stack on the bottom?

Why wouldn't it work with meat patties?

I never said my strength was in any type of spatial engineering, I could never take those diagrams of boxes and put them together and I always construct shelves and bookcases backwards, even with instructions, and then put them back together right. But at least I'm pleasant, mostly, even when confused.

Jally, I'm sorry if asking for clarification upset you.

Annie

I'm really curious as to how you then use those frozen cooked meat or salmon patties? Do you unwrap the whole package of 12 or so patties, then unwrap the package of 6 patties to get out one and then re-wrap the whole thing?

I also cook mostly for myself, and the way I store individual meats for me is to wrap each meat patty or small steak of chicken cutlet, separated by a piece of parchment or waxed paper, so, I can pry off one portion without having to unwrap the whole stack. And unless I have accidentally cooked too much, I never freeze the meat cooked.

It's not hard to store stuff, but to make it usable for a quick meal is my problem. I have frozen a quart of stew and I am going to have to thaw the whole thing and eat it every day for 3 days...or find someone company who wants to eat leftover stew that has been defrosted....not what I usually feed company.

I received a call that my name was mentioned here. First, never have I seen/read that either of our Teresas "wag their fingers"at anyone, so I am very confused at that statement.

Annie and others: When working with a foodsaver, my tip was to wrap the item, meat or otherwise, in the produce bags, freeze for 24 hours or until you are ready to vac pack them. Now put that frozen "puck" into the FS and seal. This helps keep the FS bag cleaner while vacuuming and later defrosting the item.

Skinny produce bags are not good for a longer storage time.

And for those worried about slicing the bags when used on a cutting board, heck, I just read about somebody getting waxy butter wrapper in their baked goods. So whats the problem with skinny plastic threads? For me, yuck and double yuck to both!

Sorry, Peppi, I didn't mean to get you involved in what has become a contentious thread because of my propensity to take things literally. Jally said fried patties and I was expecting fried patties. (grin) Those pictures are still probably better than mine...

I think you're right about the Foodsaver, I think I got a lemon. Besides the fact that it won't take those wider bags, even the frozen "meat pucks" don't stay sealed with any consistency. At least if I leave them wrapped as Jally suggests, when the Foodsaver bags loses vacuum it'll be wrapped in SOMETHING. Yes, I know. I really have to buy a different one...

And I don't want butter wrappers OR plastic shreds in my food, thanks!

As for "finger-wagging" I think being told "I think a kid in grade school would have had no trouble seeing the obvious" probably qualifies but I try to consider the source and just nod in agreement.

Annie

I often use the produce bags for a bowl liner for scraps and waste. And/or for when I'm cleaning poultry, I toss the scraps in/on a bag to help keep other areas a little cleaner.

For the carrot rolling and sliding, take a vegetable peeler and peel a strip down the length of the carrot. That will give a flat spot to set against the cutting board and it won't roll on you.

For the board cover, it's interesting. If it works for you, great, keep using it and I hope others find it useful. I like the plastic flexible boards. I set one of them on top of my pull out cutting board or I set a heavy plastic cutting board on top of the wood one. For small things, like chopping one small onion or something I often use a paper plate as a cutting board. I've also used plastic wrap, wax paper or foil to cover the cutting board or counter when I'm working with something messy. It works for me. For me, putting the board into a bag would give me trouble. I would spill and drip stuff on the floor and for me that's a bigger problem than washing the flex board, but again, it's what works for you.

I like hearing new ideas and tips. Sometimes you might not use it but it can still rattle the cobwebs to do something else or apply it elsewhere so keep 'em coming and don't worry what someone might or might not say.

I'm a bit curious on the recycling o produce bags. I thought it was a law rather than local policy (but I could be wrong) that essentially said if it touches food, it can't be recycled. Cardboard can be recycled, but pizza boxes cannot. Most plastic can, but not food bags, etc. In fact, they go so far here that (they claim) if there's a pizza box found in a bundle of cardboard, it's contaminated the whole bundle for recycling. Maybe it's just a local thing.

Ken, until a few months ago, I also used plastic grocery/produce bags for vegetable peels and scraps. Can't do that now. I have to use bags that can go into the compost/organics pickup. I'm surprised at all of the things I can put into the compost bin. All food, including meat and bones, pizza boxes, milk/cream cartons, cooking oils, bacon grease, papertowels, etc...

Ann

Ken, here they say to rinse things like cans and jars that contained food, and they'll take the pizza box but not the cardboard round that the pizza sits on.

Ann T, many things can be composted, even I get surprised sometimes. Here milk comes in those plastic jugs and those get rinsed and recycled. Local schools have "drives" to collect them for the recycling money. I'm happy to wash and save them for them.

Any food scraps that the chickens won't eat goes into compost, along with paper towels (although I use few, I have a big stack of those white terry cloth bar mops I use for pretty much everything), cooking oil, coffee grounds and some coffee filters. My garden loves me in return!

Annie

Thanks, cynic, I just read the town's instructions for recycling and it turns out I'm putting a bunch of stuff in there that shouldn't be, in particular "soiled" items like pizza boxes. Of course the carters don't care what they pick up, so I wonder what happens at the sorting facility.

Wow, Ann, a compost/organics pickup - I like the sound of that, though I can picture the bin getting pretty rank in between pick-ups. How's that dealt with?

FOAS, I have a little compost container on the counter that is lined with a compostable (sp) bag. It gets sealed and is placed a a large compost bin that is also lined with a special bag. And the large bin is kept outside. We just started compost/organic pickup in September so we haven't had to go through a hot summer yet. Garbage and recyling is on a two week pick up schedule and organics is picked up once a week.

FOAS, unlike here in the USA, in Canada they have special offical standard bins for the trucks to mechanically pick up and dispose into the truck's compactor.

dcarch

dcarch, here in the US some larger cities also have the cans for mechanical pick-up.

Here, our "garbage" is picked up twice/week, on Mondays & Thursdays. The recycle is picked up once/week, on Thursdays. We have NO pick up whatsoever for compost or any yard waste. We are expected to do our own composting. Our gardens really appreciate it. I like the twice/week garbage pick up - even in the hot, humid summers things don't hang around long enough to get horribly smelly.

We also can't recycle the thin plastic produce bags. So, we have to take them to the transfer station. Since that's a PITA, we don't use them. We take enough reuseable bags along for produce.

/tricia

Ann - Once a week, that's not bad. In a bag, outside, should be fine. You might find there are some things you'll avoid putting in there. Guess you'll find out.

Tricia - Like you I've got 2x a week garbage, the second of which I can throw out large stuff like furniture. Once a week recycling which alternates glass/plastic/metal and paper/cardboard. Once a week yard waste, excluding grass clippings. Pretty easy to throw stuff out around here. ;-)

Mechanical pickup is not just in larger cities; my inlaws have it in suburban NJ have it, but there garbage pickup is privatized.

We've had a green bin program for a few years now. They are green bins for organics.......everything from meats, paper towels etc, and kitty litter waste.

Our garbage and recycling get picked up weekly and yard waste gets picked up every 2 weeks.

In the heat of summer, some people freeze their compostables until the nite before. Others just wrap them well in newspaper, and into the green bin. It's been a large success in our city.

I think the rules and regulatgions depend on who your city contracts with for waste removal....and of course what they charge.
I pay $11 a month and I get once a week trash pick up and recycling. Recycling is newspaper and magazines, cardboard...corrugated must be flattened and placed under the bin and lighter cardboard like cereal boxes must be flattened and placed at the end of the recycle container...tin cans and 1 and 2 plastic will also be taken....but no styrofoam!!! and no plastic bags!
They also will pick up yard waste, like clippings and weeds and twigs not over the diameter of a pencil.
And if you deviate from any of the "rules" they will leave your trash and attach a "nasty gram"..LOL!
For larger sticks and branches, you call to have picked up and you are charged a fee....minimum of $15.
I have gotten a few nasty grams for trying to sneak in a few twigs that were closer in size to a ball point pen than a pencil!!

I guess everywhere is different. Here there is no city garbage pick up, although Ashley has it in a town 15 miles away. She pays for garbage pick up just like she pays for city water, she does not have a choice of services. They also have recycling, she has special bins for that and yard waste goes by the curb on a special day, it's included in her monthly garbage/recycling bill. Things like branches and leaves get ground up and then residents can get the resulting mulch at no cost to them.

Here I have to hire my own garbage pick-up, I have my choice of 3 or 4 companies that do that. Recycling is free, but I have to take it to the recycling trailers and sort it myself. Not a problem, there are trailers clearly labelled and the bins include plastic grocery bags, milk bottles (no lids), newspaper, office paper and magazines, glass (again, remove lids) clear plastic, colored plastic, cardboard, styrofoam, metal. All items must be clean, no food residue. If the item can be washed, it can be recycled, if it can't be washed (like cardboard boxes) and contains food residue, it can't be recycled. Some plastic bags were accepted for a while, now none of them are other than the plastic grocery bags. No place for yard waste, we can still burn leaves and branches curbside, which I hate, nice days in the fall you about get smoked out of your house by all the neighbors burning leaves.

Compost is something I do myself. As I said, most kitchen scraps become chicken food, the few things that I can't take there get added to my "compost pile" at the farm and is then spread on the garden the following year. The compost pile consists mostly of the contents of the calf pens and chicken coop which I let compost for a year before using.

Annie

I have trash picked up once a week, recyclables picked up once a week and all leaves, branches, etc (but not grass)go in big brown bags (like giant paper grocery bags) for weekly pick up. I use a mulching mower for the grass.