Repurposing Leftovers

Read the transcript below.

Often times we have extra food when we make something to eat. One of the best ways to stretch our food and budget is to be smart with those leftovers. Most scraps and leftovers can survive in the fridge for at least a few days, making them easy to repurpose.

Extra mashed potatoes can easily be used to make potato cakes or soup. Leftover tomato, onion, and peppers can be added into a stir fry the following day. But the first step is remembering the leftovers are in there! Hang a list up on your fridge and update it as needed so you can clearly see what food has the potential to star in your next meal. Store your leftovers in clear, labeled containers so you can easily see them when you open the fridge. See our video on food storage for even more storage advice.

Experimenting with tastes and flavors can yield delicious results. Having spices and herbs on hand makes experimentation fun! Leftover chicken can be served with rice and fresh, frozen, or pre-cooked vegetables for a fried rice dish, with tortillas for chicken enchiladas, as chicken salad by adding mayonnaise and celery, or combined with noodles, veggies, and broth for chicken noodle soup. Try tossing in some extra mushrooms or broccoli for meals like omelets and pasta dishes. Cube seasoned bread and toast it to create croutons for salads.

Freezing can extend the life of your leftovers for many months. Save time by preparing large batches and freezing individual portions to eat later. You can create broth using frozen bones and vegetable scraps. A great way to make baby food is to mash up fruits and vegetables and freeze them in an ice cube tray for smaller portions.

Use these tips to maximize your food budget and spice things up in the kitchen. It can be really fun to transform your leftover food into something new!

Many resources like this one are available at the University of Maryland Extension Service
https://extension.umd.edu/resources/