We rarely eat leftovers for another dinner, unless it’s something like stew, pulled pork, etc. that I make in volume to eat for 2 meals plus some to freeze. Any other leftovers generally become lunches. I hate throwing out food, so plan pretty carefully when meal planning and shopping for the week. E.g., I plan the meals that will have leftovers for specific nights so that they can become lunches the next day or two. Usually only a few small bits of leftover food end up in the trash at the end of the week.

I'm not a fan of leftovers, either. They end up in the fridge uneaten, so now, whenever we have leftovers, we pack them up and drive over to the hood and deliver the meal to this homeless guy we see in the same spot all the time.

How is this even a discussion? If you cooked too much food, you should really try to your best to eat it instead of throwing it out. People who don't do leftovers are like people who run the AC all day when they're not in the house or who keep their sprinklers on in the rain. Totally selfish waste of the world's resources.

We are squarely middle class.

My kids won’t touch leftovers because they don’t like food reheated.


I, otoh, love leftovers

Anonymous wrote:What is that supposed to mean? Like, eating leftovers is below their social standing? I didn’t know leftovers had social class connotations.

My parents rarely eat leftovers because they don't have any. My mom is retired so she grocery shops almost daily and buys just enough for their dinner.

It drives me kind of crazy, actually. We eat a lot of leftovers in my house. I work full-time and have 2 young kids, I am not cooking more than 4 nights a week. Other nights are leftover or omelet night.

On the other hand my inlaws will happily make a meal out of one bite of food from this dinner and another from that lunch, plus the gazillion free samples they got at Costco, etc. That drives me crazy too. Ah well.

I love leftovers of the good foods I cook. Some of it gets better over time like stew, jambalaya, etc.

I also make 2-4 meals out of a good restaurant meal.

Of course crap food will be crap leftovers. Don't waste your time on that.

I don’t eat leftovers. I’m just pretty picky. I don’t eat food out of the microwave either. I don’t know what else to say besides I’m just picky. I can and will eat leftovers if pressed but I choose not to. I am not rich.

My husband will not eat leftovers.

My neighbor has a mall Chinese restaurant and brings his kids leftovers every day from there. Same 4 dishes, deep fat fried.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a leftover eater but I have a family member that is not supposed to eat many leftovers due to her allergies. Something about chemicals the food releases over time. If she eats chicken that was cooked more than 24 hours prior, her allergies or asthma act up.

Interesting. I had never heard this. One kid with serious allergies and she loves leftovers.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they don’t like other people’s leftovers? Or leftovers from that meal? I don’t like leftover turkey, fish, baked potatoes, cooked veggies, corn bread, rice or pasta - with the exception of lasagna. It’s not a class thing. I just plan accordingly and make what we need for those things. I totally eat leftover soups, stews, curries, casseroles, and many meats. If I have leftovers unplanned I try to use them in a useful way like making cornbread croutons or fried rice.

I know I came off very anti-leftover but I just remembered Easter has the BEST leftovers. Ham quiche, bean soup with the ham bone, brioche French toast, asparagus omelette.

Maybe they don't go along with the idea that people expect there to be left overs.

Maybe they don’t like other people’s leftovers? Or leftovers from that meal? I don’t like leftover turkey, fish, baked potatoes, cooked veggies, corn bread, rice or pasta - with the exception of lasagna. It’s not a class thing. I just plan accordingly and make what we need for those things. I totally eat leftover soups, stews, curries, casseroles, and many meats. If I have leftovers unplanned I try to use them in a useful way like making cornbread croutons or fried rice.

My grandma's husband doesn't do leftovers. He grew up as the grocer's son.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a leftover eater but I have a family member that is not supposed to eat many leftovers due to her allergies. Something about chemicals the food releases over time. If she eats chicken that was cooked more than 24 hours prior, her allergies or asthma act up.

I have this, and I tend to freeze any leftovers due to histamine issues. I tend to like leftovers for a day; eating for days on end like I end when I was a child, no, I can't stand that. It helps to freeze them.