10 Creative Ways to Use Leftovers
Leftovers don’t have to solely be reheated up for lunch the next day. Whether you cooked up more fish than you needed for dinner last night, or have a few extra carrots hanging out in the fridge, here are our top 10 ideas for making your leftovers work for you.
1. Make Soup
When you have a mix of some light veg, a bit of meat, and chicken stock, throw it all in a pot and you can create a deliciously warming soup. Perfect for lunch when paired with a nice hunk of crusty bread.
2. Embrace Fried Rice
Stir-fry whatever veggies you have in the fridge, plus some leftovers and an egg, and you’ve got a quick and delicious fried rice dish.
3. Combination Salads
Start with a base of greens and then add in some splashes of colour in the form of leftovers – think roasted veggies, orchopped up meats, and/or boiled eggs. Plus, add in some nuts and/or seeds for crunch, and then you can make a delicious combination salad.
4. Make an Omelette
Feeling breakfasty? Toss some veggies, herbs, and leftovers into an omelette. This works especially well with rice and meats, like the infamous kimchi fried rice and bacon omelette.
5. Elevate Mac ‘n Cheese
We all love a good, creamy mac ‘n cheese – and what better way to liven it up then to add in some of your leftover proteins and veggies.
6. Transform a Sandwich
Tired of basic sandwich fare? Who says you need to use the same old stuff? Switch it up by using leftovers instead, like smoked salmon and boiled egg.
7. Repurpose Roast Dinners
Roast dinners don’t have to just be enjoyed once! If you have loads of leftover veggies, all you need to do is pop them in the oven and make frittatas. If there is some extra roast meat, turn it into a delicious pie.
8. Get Fancy with Casseroles
Toss roast veg, some shredded leftover meat, throw in some white wine and cream, and voila, you have a really impressive casserole.
9. Throw Leftovers in a Quesadilla
Quesadillas really are the perfect way to reuse leftovers – grab some tortillas and start stuffing them with what you have at hand.
10. Pie-ify Anything
Bored of quiches? Turn whatever leftovers you have into an easy, flaky crust pie. This works well with fish mixed with potatoes, and even leftover bolognese!
Those are our top ten ways to use up leftovers – but we’re sure there are more out there, so feel free to get creative!
