15 Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers
by Amanda Keefer
No Thanksgiving is complete without an abundance of leftovers. Fear not! You won’t be stuck eating the same Thanksgiving dinner over and over again with these ideas to repurpose leftovers into yummy new meals.
Whether you attended a large feast or hosted a small gathering, Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on and be grateful all of the good things in our lives.
Every year, no matter how many family members I send home with Tupperware, I end up with a fridge full of leftovers. I don’t mind this one bit and look forward to reliving my holiday dinner over and over again!
To help you reduce food waste, we’ve rounded up 15 delicious ways to up your holiday leftovers. If you don’t have time to eat your leftovers before they go bad or simply want to save them for later.
Tips for Freezing Leftovers:
- Prevent freezer burn by packing your leftovers in the smallest possible airtight container
- If using freezer bags, be sure to squeeze out of all the air
- Skip freezing anything that had a crispy topping like green bean casseroles
- Freeze sauces like gravy or cranberry sauce in muffin tins or ice cube trays and transfer to a freezer bag
Tips for Repurposing Leftovers:
- Easy add-ins. Leftover vegetables and meat make quick and easy additions to lunchbox favorites like quesadillas, grilled sandwiches or stir-fry.
- Puree leftover vegetables and freeze. Simply put the purée in an ice cube tray and freeze. The next time you’re making a soup, sauce or casserole, add a cube or two for an extra burst of nutrition.
- Don’t forget the bones! Use turkey and ham bones to make delicious stocks! No time to make stock right away? You can store them in a resealable bag in the freezer until you’re ready.
- Make it meatless. Use leftover sweet or mashed potatoes, like these Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, to make potato pancakes. They’re quick and easy, and taste great paired with a salad for a meatless meal option.
- Have a repeat meal. Use divided reusable, heatable storage containers to freeze leftovers. When you’re ready for a quick meal, you can have your own frozen dinner from food you made yourself!
