Creative Ideas for Leftovers

In the United States, it’s reported that we waste a shocking 27% of food. Obviously, finding ways to use up leftovers and throwing fewer things out would be a big step to cutting down on waste and saving on food bills. I have two problems when it comes to leftovers. First, I like variety, especially for dinner. I don’t like eating the same thing for dinner two or three nights in a row. This is a curious thing given that I could probably eat the same breakfast every day, but the tendency to be bored with the same food is something that I have to work around. The second issue is that combining a bunch of leftovers into something like a casserole with cream of mushroom soup reminds of the institutional food served in schools and dormitories of my youth. Bleh.

I try to make leftovers taste different than the original ingredients. Not only does it add variety to meals, but it makes me think creatively about ingredients. The following are some ways that I incorporate the odds and ends in the fridge:

Smoothies — smoothies are a great way to use up the last bit of milk, juice, or yogurt. In addition, ripe (overripe) fruit goes well in smoothies. Try a green smoothie with the last of the fresh spinach or salad leaves in the bag or with a few leaves of greens such as romaine lettuce and kale stripped of the tough inner stem (simply add a handful of greens to the blender along with the fruit or juice. Try a smoothie with juice, strawberries and spinach. Or, use up leftover pumpkin pie, by combining the filling (scrape off crust) milk and a banana for a different holiday-themed smoothie.

Enchiladas — Rolling leftovers in tortillas and smothering with enchilada sauce (in a pinch, a good quality salsa can be substituted) and a bit of cheese, then baking, transforms some ordinary ingredients to a spicy, Mexican meal. Try chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu, roasted veggies, or sweet potatoes and bean echiladas.

Mongolian barbecue — If you’ve been to a Mongolian barbecue restaurant, you’ll know that a series of relatively simple ingredients are combined with sauce and sauteed over high heat to make a quick and tasty stirfry. This is a great way to use up vegetables that are aging in the crisper drawer like peppers, broccoli, carrots, celery and cabbage. Combine with leftover meat or tofu, leftover cooked rice or noodles, and add an Asian flavored sauce. I like the combination of soy sauce, chili sauce, minced garlic, and a touch of honey. To make it fun for kids or even guests, set the ingredients out buffet style, and let each person fill a large bowl to be sauteed.

see more frugal ideas this week at Good Financial Cents