5 Ways To Reinvent Your Holiday Leftovers

The amount of filled tupperware that stacks up in the fridge after holidays is close to terrifying. How do you get through all of those leftovers without eating the same meal multiple days a week? DineMarket is here to help you with creative ways to get through those holiday leftovers without waste and repetitive meals!

Create a unique breakfast:

• Change your eggs by adding shredded meats and/or veggies to quiches or omelets.
• Use up bread or rolls by making a nice breakfast sandwich!
• Rethink your morning potatoes by shaping mashed potatoes into patties and frying them in butter or chopping up roasted potatoes to make homestyle breakfast potatoes.

Put together impressive appetizers and snacks:

• Use remaining meats to add to all your game day favorites. Pizza, nachos, and quesadillas are great classics to add a twist too!
• Load up holiday potatoes with your favorite dressing, topped with leftovers like veggies, meat, and cheese.
• Make a dip unlike any other! Combine as many leftovers as you want in a classic dip base of mayo, sour cream, or cream cheese.

Cook some hearty soups:

• Use leftover meat and vegetables to make your own stock!
• Take classic chicken soups and sub out the chicken for whatever meats you have leftover.
• Utilize a blender to combine remaining produce for a rich soup base.

Layer up a holiday sandwich:

• Don’t be afraid to mix sweet and savory! Dig into sweet leftovers to add contrast to your sandwich.
• Put it all together by taking small amounts of each leftover to create the ultimate holiday lunch.
• Think outside the box by using rolls or biscuits for your sandwich bread!

Boil and bake comfort noodle dishes:

• Combine meat, egg noodles, and leftover vegetables into a creamy noodle bake.
• Mash or puree leftover root vegetables to add to risotto!
• Get creative with your noodles! On spaghetti night, try using leftover vegetables like zucchini or carrots as a healthy substitute for noodles.

*Leftover Safety Disclaimer*

As you enjoy your leftover creations, stay safe by following these simple tips to prevent food poisoning or foodborne illness.

1. Keep your food out of the “danger zone.” (40 °F – 140 °F)

Leaving food out too long at room temperature can lead to bacteria growth (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter), which can cause illness. You shouldn’t leave food out of the refrigerator for over 2 hours. Keep hot food hot at or above 140 °F. Keep cold food cold at or below 40 °F.

2. Properly Storing Leftovers

One of the most common causes of foodborne illness is not reheating food properly. Bacteria can be reintroduced and grow in cooked food. So, for this reason, it is recommended to place leftovers in shallow containers for faster cooling and then refrigerate the leftovers at 40 °F or above.

3. Reheating Leftovers

Foods, in general, should be reheated thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165 °F or until it’s hot. If you are using a microwave oven, cover the food and rotate so the food heats evenly.