Leftovers

I have a dog.
We do not understand the concept.

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I’m very much the “cook once and eat it for the next few days” persuasion! Today I’ve had the third of four jacket potatoes cooked on Wednesday, when the oven was on for baking. They just need a couple of minutes in the microwave to heat through again.

Cooked rice should be quickly cooled and refrigerated if being kept for the next day, and thoroughly reheated. Egg fried rice is best made with rice cooked the previous day. I’ve done this for decades and it’s never made anyone ill. Be sensible about refrigeration and reheating, use whatever freezer space is available, there’s no need to waste food.

Leftovers are often useful additions to soup recipes. This morning I enjoyed a leftovers frittata which used up mushrooms, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, parsley, all chopped and stir fried. Then plenty of seasoning, grated cheese and the last eggs in the box. Delicious and satisfying.

I’ve been reheating rice and no problems whatsoever…

I am really grateful that I have leftovers and home made meals in the freezer as my kitchen is being decorated. I have been away for the first few days but am now home and can still only use part of it, not for any real meal preparation.

*MOnica^ my inlaws tended to be quite wasteful with food, in spite of being very short of money. It may have been because my MiL wasn't a very good cook and my FiL tended to buy bargain packs of meat that were far too big for them and left lots of waste. They had a tiny fridge with an ice box so no chance of freezing anything.

Deedaa

We don't have a lot left over and it normally gets eaten for lunch next day if we do. Sometimes left over veg can be added to a soup or ham can be used in a risotto or a pasta sauce.

Does anyone remember the incredible couple on Eat Well For Less who used to throw away 75% of their roast chicken because they didn't think they could eat it next day?

I remember them, most of the chicken went in the bin 😯
A large chicken last week lasted us for three days, then I made stock and soup.

We had bubble and squeak last night, leftover mashed potatoes, cabbage, cavalo nero, broccoli with sausages.

Either of us, but usually me, will eat leftovers for brunch the next day, it’s always a small amount, tea plate or less size, I’ll often eat whatever it is cold, curry, pie, pasta etc.

Cressy My family almost enjoy the Christmas pie that follows Christmas day than they do the actual Christmas dinner

Deedaa back in the 1960s, my aunt made a new friend and was asked round to lunch and she did the same, once the chicken was cleared from the table, it went straight in the bin. My aunt nearly had a fit! Chatting later she discovered that this lady always made two rounds of ham sandwiches for her husband every night for him to eat while watcching tv. he frequently didn't eat them and they too went in the bin.

This family were not particularly wealthy. They lived in a council flat and I think the husband worked on the docks.

There is nothing new about food waste.

I’ve been reheating rice all my adult life. Never been ill yet. I do make sure it’s very hot though.

I found a recipe using all the Christmas dinner leftovers. Every went in including the trimmings and roast potatoes, covered in gravy and topped with puff pastry. Delicious and it will be one I will use again next year. In the meantime my husband eats all our leftovers - he’s very useful. 😀

If we have a roast chicken we have chicken salad the next day, our dog has some of the meat too and I make stock from the carcass then make chicken soup. If we have roast lamb I usually manage to make two Shepherds pies with the left over meat. If we have gammon or pork joints there is usually enough meat left over for salads on two days. We tend not to have any other left overs as we try to cook the right amount of vegetables, rice or pasta.

We don't have a lot left over and it normally gets eaten for lunch next day if we do. Sometimes left over veg can be added to a soup or ham can be used in a risotto or a pasta sauce.

Does anyone remember the incredible couple on Eat Well For Less who used to throw away 75% of their roast chicken because they didn't think they could eat it next day?

I batch cook and freeze for later . I cook extra veg and rice and freeze it or make soups .
Tonight we had venison sausage casserole, cooked a few weeks ago and froze half .
Often I’ll do a risotto or pasta dish with leftovers from the fridge .
I hate waste

Lucky you! I ate two thirds of my chicken breast tonight, the rest is in the fridge for a sandwich tomorrow. But I know really that tomorrow it will definitely not look appetising to me.

I clearly have a more obedient digestive system than many. I have standard portion sizes and we eat at broadly regular times, and my body just expects what it gets and consumes it.

You can't always know how much food you will eat, Monica. I could be starving and clear my plate or be full after eating half of it.

MOnica sadly not. I either go without rather than make something or throw it away if I've made too much

Ethanfty

I like to make stir-fry with leftover veggies and rice. Quick, easy, and tasty!

I would never have enough leftover rice, but cook it earlier for the purpose - rice for ‘fried’ needs to be cold anyway.

Egg fried rice makes a great quick meal for hungry Gdcs - as long as I’ve remembered to cook the rice earlier! With some peas and sweetcorn added, it takes 5 minutes.

nanny2507

I hate leftover food and rarely eat it. I do eat it sometimes but will avoid it if I can.

So I assume you plan and portion your meals so that uneaten food is a rarity.

I like to make stir-fry with leftover veggies and rice. Quick, easy, and tasty!

M0nica

Came back from a week visit to France with all the stale uneaten ends of the baguettes we had bought and made a delicious bread pudding.

While staying at a BiL’s huge place in France, at least a dozen of us, with a massive standing order every morning at the bakery, we were once given a mega-sized brioche from the day before, so the assistant said.

It was actually fairly stale, so I turned it into a bread and butter pudding, which went down very well. IIRC I had to add some fresh baguette to make enough for everybody, though.

Came back from a week visit to France with all the stale uneaten ends of the baguettes we had bought and made a delicious bread pudding.

Like others, I rarely have unintended leftovers, but I deliberately make too much and reheat the next day, or freeze for a bonus home cooked meal. Or batch cook and portion up separately before freezing. I never cook one portion of meat especially mince. I add tomatoes for Bolognese sauce, extra veg and top with mash for cottage pie, or turn into lasagne with a bit more effort. Recently I made double kedgeree, delicious reheated with extra cheese.