There are countless ways to use leftovers that you might not have considered before. These include recipes, storage, repurposing, and meal planning. These suggestions will make your leftovers last longer and produce many more meals. In addition, they will also help you save money.
Recipes
When cooking in bulk, your leftovers can be more than a waste. They can be used as a springboard to make new meals, freeze in individual servings, or even remixed. Some of the best leftovers are pizza, tacos, and infinitely customizable sandwiches.
Storage
By planning your meals ahead of time, you can use leftovers for other meals or freeze them later. For example, doubled vegetables make great soups, and leftover roast chicken can be turned into sandwiches. Cooked rice can be frozen until you’re ready to use it. For storage, use glass storage containers or freezer bags. They’re reusable and can be easily labeled.
Repurposing
If you don’t throw out your leftovers, they can be repurposed into countless meals. The secret is knowing how to handle them properly and holding them at the proper temperature. Reheating food to 165 degrees F is essential for proper health and safety. This temperature can be higher or lower depending on your local health code.
Meal Planning
There are several ways to use leftovers in meal planning. One of the best ways is to list what you have in the fridge and plan your meals around that list. Another way to utilize leftovers is to designate an area in your refrigerator for foods that will go bad soon. You can move these items to the front of the shelf or place them in a shoe box. This is a great way to corral leftovers and make them useful for other days.
Freezing
After Thanksgiving, you might have leftovers of various types. You can eat them within a few days or freeze them later. However, it would help if you stored them properly to prevent them from spoiling. Different foods need different storage methods.
Reheating
There are some tricks for reheating leftovers to make them more useful. First, remember that food can turn bad if you reheat it too much. Reheating food in a microwave will only dry it out. So, if possible, reheat the food in a pan on the stove instead. This will ensure that the food is evenly heated. Make sure that you use the right size pan for the task. If the pan is too big, you risk scorching the food or causing it to burn. Also, make sure to add some liquid to keep the food moist. Otherwise, dried-out food tastes really bad.
Concoctions
There are a variety of ways to make your leftovers more useful. For instance, leftover rice can be transformed into fried rice by adding an egg. You can also turn your leftover vegetables into chutney. So whether you’re in the mood for a traditional or international meal, these 16 concoctions will have you rethinking leftovers.
Adding Cheese
Cheese is a versatile ingredient that can help turn leftovers into new meals. It can improve the flavor of salads, vegetables, or even pasta. One chef’s tip is to add cheese toward the end of the reheating process to give them a more substantial flavor.
Casseroles
Leftovers can be used to make your meals more nutritious and delicious. A good example is a shrimp and grits casserole. This creamy dish is the perfect comfort food. The cheesy sauce will coat the rice, add a bit of spice, and make a great dish. It’s a great dish to serve at a holiday potluck or as a buffet brunch. You can serve it with black beans and some pico de gallo. If you don’t like shrimp, you can use broccoli, cauliflower, or another vegetable.
Sandwiches
Making sandwiches is one of the best ways to make your Thanksgiving leftovers useful. These mini meals are a great quick snack and easy to prepare and handle. They’re also great for kids because they easily customize to their taste. Plus, you can introduce them to new veggies and whole-grain bread. These sandwiches can also help you reuse leftovers from other meals.
