There’s nothing worse than letting good food go to waste. Having to throw away a full container of leftovers makes all of us cringe. You want to make every penny count when it comes to maximizing both your grocery budget and your time. Here are some easy practices that will take you from leftover loser to mealtime master.
Prepare 1 1/2 to 2 Times Your Portion Size. Let’s face it. Your family loves your cooking! You want to be sure you there are actually some leftovers for the next day. So increase your recipes proportions by 1 1/2 to 2 times to guarantee everyone can have seconds and still have enough for lunch the next day. I love to double soup recipes and then freeze half in a gallon sized resealable bag.
Invest in Decent Reusable Containers. Be sure that you purchase containers to store your leftovers that aren’t prone to leaking or popping open. Always test items in the aisle to see how easily they open and close. If you’re like us, you’ll also want to be sure that they are dishwasher and freezer safe, too. Even if you spend a few more pennies up front, you’ll save in the long run. There’s nothing worse than a soggy lunch bag due to an ill fitting lid. I also love divided containers that allow you to store more than one dish at once.
Repurpose Your Main Course. When you plan your meals, be sure to think about how you could repurpose a main dish and use it in at least one more if not two dishes. For instance, a ham cooked on Sunday could be ham and eggs on Monday and a ham and pineapple pizza on Tuesday. Or pulled pork on Wednesday can be used for tacos on Thursday night. Think about stretching your meats (which can typically be purchased more economically in larger sizes) over several nights. It will save you both time and money. Some side dishes lend themselves to this practice too. Rice on one night could be stir-fried the next or used with beans as a Mexican dish. Expert tip: add seasoning to make a dish a bit more unique or punch up the flavor.
Label Items Well & Place Them in Front. It’s easy for leftovers to get buried behind jugs of milk or larger groceries. Be sure you label items well. Be sure to place them somewhere they won’t be overlooked or forgotten. In fact, strategically place your leftovers so you’ll have to notice them when getting out other items. Every Saturday, make a conscious effort to clean out your fridge so that you don’t accidentally end up starting a science experiment.
Plan a Leftover Night. Build a weekly leftover night into your meal plan where everyone in your family raids the fridge. It can be a fun experience where everyone gets to dine on something different. You’ll have a “night off” in the kitchen and food won’t go to waste.
You can save your time, money, and sanity with these very easy tips to stretch leftovers.
How do you rock your leftovers?
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My friend calls leftover night CORN – Clean Out the Refrigerator Night! I’ve adopted this term as well. Love your ideas here!
I love it! I think I’ll start using it too. 🙂