Tell me about your creative re-use of leftovers

[Anonymous]

I'm so sick of wasting food, especially leftovers in the fridge. I'm also facing potentially not having a job in a few months, so am becoming more aware of just how much we waste and looking for places where we can cut back on our spending. DH pretty much never eats leftovers (other than something like pizza or other takeout), and so I need to some creative ways to try to remake leftovers into new meals. We always just ate leftovers as is when I was growing up, so this is new territory for me. My attempts this weekend:

Tonight I made a lentil and green garbanzo bean side dish (frozen from TJs) that neither DH nor toddler DS would eat. It wasn't flavor so much as appearance and texture that was the problem I think (toddler is very weird about textures). So tonight I sautéed some onions and spinach, and threw that into the food processor with the leftover lentils/garbanzos, some leftover rice from earlier in the week, garlic, pank bread crumbs and an egg, and made lentil cakes. They're really good, and will be lunch tomorrow and however long they last for DS (I think he'll actually eat these).

We had dinner out on Thurs, and I packed up DS's leftover French fries that I normally wouldn't have bothered to take home. I cut those into small pieces, and plan to use them in a frittata (with spinach, tomatoes, turkey and onions) tomorrow night for dinner.

I'd love to hear about the ways you use your leftovers, and hope maybe it will spark some ideas for me!

[Anonymous]

I mashed up leftover meatloaf (that my MIL made) and turned it into meatloaf.

Leftover chicken in the crockpot to chicken pot pie.

Leftover roasted vegetables to a blended soup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mashed up leftover meatloaf (that my MIL made) and turned it into meatloaf.

Leftover chicken in the crockpot to chicken pot pie.

Leftover roasted vegetables to a blended soup.

Oops, that should say "meat sauce."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mashed up leftover meatloaf (that my MIL made) and turned it into meatloaf.

Leftover chicken in the crockpot to chicken pot pie.

Leftover roasted vegetables to a blended soup.

Oops, that should say "meat sauce."

Lol! I thought it was a comment on your MILs cooking!

Leftover veggies (steamed broccoli, cooked carrots, etc.) can be incorporated into pasta sauce or quiches.

[Anonymous]

Soup.

[Anonymous]

I make a lot of soup I also make paninis with left overs. Frittatas are great. And I freeze things that we won't be able to use right away. Another favorite use of leftovers is to include them in risotto. We had leftover chicken and veggies that I mixed into a really creamy risotto. It was a hit. Good luck op this can be done. As you plan your shopping trips, perhaps think of the possibilities of leftovers and how you'll use them so that you'll have everything you need.

[Anonymous]

In throw a bunch of leftovers in burrito size flour tortilla and roll it up.

[Anonymous]

I throw extras of a big batch in the freezer right after it's done cooking in the hopes that it will be exciting at a future date, because we would get sick of it too many nights in a row. Right now I have homemade chicken noodle soup, ratatouille, and choc chip cookie dough in the freezer waiting a fresh re appearance.

[Anonymous]

My mom used to make this really yummy creamy chicken with leftover chicken. I recall it being something really simple like a Campbell's soup can. Does anyone have a good recipe?

[Anonymous]

A lot of times if I have leftover veggies (like broccoli or spinach), I'll throw them in a quiche or omelette. It's another iteration for them, and it seems intentional (not just trying to "use them up").

[Anonymous]

Leftover crockpot or rotisserie chicken: chicken fried rice with whatever veggies I have; chicken tacos; soup; lemony chicken salad

I also make a frittata with leftover veggies and sometimes meats.

I like to make risotto with leftover sausage, chicken or pork.

Sandwiches with veggies and melted cheese--throw into broiler to warm, melt cheese and toast bread.

[Anonymous]

Leftovers are better when you plan for them.

E.g., roast 2chickens. Eat roast chicken day 1. Day 2: open face hot chicken sandwiches. Day three. Cold sliced chic sandwich for lunches. Day four: chx salad. Freeze bones. When you have enough make soup.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for some very good ideas here! I am going to try to plan in advance for ways to make multiple meals out of some of the things I buy, but I really like some of the suggestions for using the random stuff leftover in my fridge. Not sure why I never thought of something like the melts that PP suggested - almost anything is good on bread with cheese, right?

Btw, toddler did eat the lentil cakes today, and I did make the fritatta for dinner. I used a yellow bell pepper in the fritatta that was starting to get soft, and I sliced up the other one and stuck it in the freezer. When I cleaned out the fridge today to make room for new groceries, I threw out just two small bowls of leftovers and ZERO produce. I think that's the best I've ever done!

But my grapes are going to need to go soon, and toddler isn't into them this past week for some reason. Any good suggestions for those besides throwing them in the freezer? Maybe a pie or other dessert I could make and keep in the freezer for another time?

[Anonymous]

Freeze the grapes!

[Anonymous]

Actually, I just realized - raisins! Those are more likely to be eaten in my house than frozen grapes. Found a "recipe" for drying them in your oven. Worth a try!