Making the most of leftovers is a great way to combat rising grocery costs as well as decrease your food waste. Let’s take a look at how to use leftovers to your advantage!
With rising grocery prices, it can be hard to stay on budget while feeding your family.
Our family has a lot of mouths to feed, so I’ve definitely been feeling the burn of rising prices.
Learning to make the most of your leftovers is a great way to decrease the overall cost of food.
However, if your family is like mine, leftovers aren’t always their favorite.
Take a look at these tips and tricks for leftovers so you’re not letting any food go to waste.
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Making The Most of Leftovers
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Plan ahead, and think of multiple ways to use one meal
Whenever I cook, I’m always thinking about the next meal.
Being a full-time working mom of five with a busy farm, time is precious. If I’m spending time cooking, I might as well make the most of it.
If you’re already cooking, it’s just as easy to make a double batch of food as it is one.
For example, if you’re browning ground beef, try doubling it up for a meal the next night.
Cook an extra-large pot roast in the crock pot and have it for another meal.
Make two pans of enchiladas and freeze the second one for a busy weeknight.
Rethink meals
My family doesn’t care for the same meal two days in a row or even multiple times in a week. Leftovers will sit in our fridge untouched until they spoil.
I’ve had to learn how to rethink them and use them in a totally new dish.
If you have leftover steak, make steak fajitas or quesadillas. Steak and potatoes are great in an omelet for breakfast or dinner.
Do you have leftover sourdough bread? Make a bread pudding or croutons.
Dressing is a great way to use up leftover cornbread. In fact, cornbread that is a couple of days old is the best to use.
I also love using sourdough bread in breakfast casserole. It holds up much better than other breads.
Brisket is a great meat that can be used for multiple dishes. Brisket enchiladas or a brisket sandwich are easy and so good!
Make a casserole or pie
Mix up a quick casserole or pie. A casserole is a favorite here in the Deep South. You can mix one up and freeze it for later. Check out the Pioneer Woman’s round-up of casserole recipes for some inspiration.
I love using leftover Thanksgiving turkey in a turkey noodle bake.
You can also turn leftover dressing into a turkey and dressing panini. Simply add turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce to sourdough bread with a cheese of your choice!
These are great recipes to use when you’re tired of Thanksgiving.
Hash is another great way to use up a small amount of leftover beef. You can really get creative with hash. It’s potatoes, vegetables, seasonings, and beef all sautéed in a big skillet.
I top mine with farm-fresh eggs. It’s great as breakfast or a quick dinner, and it’s also very filling.
A pot pie is another great way to use leftovers. Combine your leftover vegetables and protein with a buttery crust for a warm and hearty revamp your family will love!
Bake a quiche or frittata
Quiche is a great way to use up sautéed veggies or meat. You can use just about anything in a quiche, and it’s delicious!
Sometimes at the end of the work week, I’ll gather up any leftover veggies we have for a dinner quiche. It’s easy to make and comforting on a Friday evening after a long week.
Pro-Tip: Make up several pie crusts at a time and freeze them for later. This makes last-minute weeknight dinners so easy.
Make soup
Soup is a great way to use up leftovers. Even if you have a little protein leftover, you can make a delicious, bone-warming soup.
The secret to a good soup is stock. Save any vegetable scraps you have when you cook and freeze them.
Once you get around a gallon-sized bag full, throw the scraps in a pot with leftover bone-in chicken or bone-in beef. Cover with water and slow-simmer the stock for 12-24 hours.
Strain out the scraps and freeze or can the stock for later. This is the most nutritious and tastiest stock.
Add leftover vegetables and proteins with some wild rice or pasta for a delicious soup. Our favorites are tomato-potato soup, spicy sausage tortellini soup, and sausage, turnip greens, and potato soup.
Have a Buffet
Pull everything out at the end of the week and have a buffet. This is a great way to use up leftovers when you don’t have enough to make a full meal.
My children love this because they can choose their favorites. It feels like each person is getting an individual dinner.
Also, if you have incomplete meals like spaghetti sauce without enough pasta, simple make some extra.
Freeze them for later
One of my favorite things to do is to make plenty of leftovers on purpose. I will make a double batch of dishes like enchiladas or lasagna and freeze them for later. This is great during baseball season when we don’t have time to cook.
I love having a few freezer meals on hand. Check out some of my favorite freezer meals here.
Also, investing in a vacuum sealer is a great way to protect food in the freezer.
Learn food preservation
Learning how to preserve food is a great way to make the most of your leftovers. Freeze drying, canning, and pickling are all great methods for preserving food.
If you have an abundance of something, see if you can preserve it for later.
I’ve canned chili and stews for busy nights.
Freeze-drying mashed potatoes or sauces is a great way to preserve extras.
Pickling is a great way to preserve leftover fresh vegetables.
There are so many great books that will help you learn to preserve food easily and safely. Food preservation doesn’t have to be difficult.
Helpful Tips
Have a couple of meals in mind for the week that can use similar ingredients. Things like ground beef and chicken can easily be prepared in bulk and used for a couple of meals throughout the week.
Keep a few easily modifiable recipes in your back pocket. Having flexibility in a recipe is a great way to use what you’ve got. I rarely ever follow a recipe exactly. I look at what I have and make do with what I’ve got.
FAQs On Making The Most Of Leftovers
How long can leftovers last in the fridge or freezer?
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for 3-6 months. Food with dairy ingredients will go bad more quickly.
How can I plan meals so leftovers are built in, not an afterthought?
Think about what you have on hand, and some meals you can make from the ingredients you already have.
Cook extra protein to use in several meals throughout the week.
Keep a stocked pantry so that you know what staple ingredients you have to work with your leftovers.
Final Thoughts On Making The Most Of Leftovers
Using leftovers is a great way to save money and reduce your food waste. Try to get in the habit of planning ahead when you’re cooking.
You’ll also save time while making it easier to eat at home. Give some of these tips a try!
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