Creative holiday leftover ideas can help us avoid wasting food this season while being kinder to our landfills and budgets.
Take Care of Texas, a program led by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, estimates that American households will produce 25% more food waste than usual between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
According to projections from the National Retail Association, the average American consumer is expected to spend approximately $875 this holiday season, more than ever recorded. While this sum includes gifts and holiday decor, rising food costs represent a considerable chunk.
Making plans for your holiday leftovers ahead of time can minimize the amount of food — not to mention cash — that ends up squandered this season. This might mean stocking up on to-go containers for guests or making room in the freezer to ensure perishables go the distance.
Get Creative With Fillings
Whether for a sandwich, a quesadilla, or even a roasted bell pepper, leftover bits of meat, stuffing, and veggies can be jazzed up in various ways to make a unique filling.
You are only limited by your imagination and perhaps health experts’ recommendations of consuming leftovers within four days.
Fry it Up
From sophisticated Italian arancini to rustic Southern patties with a generous gravy coating, there are plenty of ways to breathe new life into your leftovers by transforming them into a fried treat.
Why not shred some leftover meat, mix in some hot sauce, creole seasoning, and whatever else tickles your fancy, and fry it inside an arepa flour dough for some tasty empanadas?
Just make sure to dispose of your cooking oil properly to avoid the risk of a clogged sink.
Grab Some Eggs
Whether you opt for a flaky quiche or a fast egg fried rice, transforming leftovers into an egg dish is an economical way to stretch some expensive holiday proteins, such as ham or beef tenderloin.
The price of eggs has dropped after reaching astronomical heights last year. Yet, pork products have seen significant bumps lately, with ham hitting a record-breaking $4.56 per pound, as previously covered in The Dallas Express.
An Italian frittata resembles a crustless quiche that cooks in a cast-iron or oven-safe non-stick skillet. Refer to this recipe for an onion, ham, and cheese frittata from Food Network as a jumping-off point, swapping or adding ingredients (such as Brussels sprouts or green beans) to your heart’s delight. You only need butter, eight eggs, milk, cheese, and salt/pepper.
Whip Up a Dip
Many of your holiday leftovers can be transformed into a crowd-pleasing dip with cream cheese, ranch dressing, and a hefty dose of hot sauce. Combine everything and pour into a baking dish. Top this dip with a generous amount of shredded cheese and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.
Serve with fresh veggies, crackers, chips, and more while watching the game with family and friends.
