How To Get Creative with Leftovers to Prevent Food Waste and Save Money

While some may ignore the Tupperware containers from the lunches and dinners of yesterday, others may realize their potential and re-craft them to create an excellent meal. Not only do leftovers save you prep-time and money, but they can also taste incredible and prevent food waste. In fact, some dishes like pasta often taste better on the second day. Creativity is key when it comes to making the best of leftovers. Here are some ways to use leftovers to make delicious meals for you and your family:

Plan Ahead

It is easier to put together a tasty meal using leftovers when you know what your leftovers will be. For example, if you cook a roast chicken, have the mindset that not all of the chicken is going to be consumed. Leftover roasted chicken can be used for wraps, sandwiches, or chicken noodle soup. When planning your groceries for the week, decide what you want to eat based on what’s on sale, then plan your leftovers accordingly. Cooking twice as much as you normally would is an effective time-saving practice as it ensures you’ll have a ready-to-go meal for the following day.

Consider Leftovers Ingredients

As previously mentioned, some leftover meals taste great the next day. However, some do not. When you are faced with leftovers that have lost some flavour since they were first prepared, consider them as ingredients to add to your next meal. Transform the roasted veggies into a vegetable ratatouille or frittata. Use leftover rice in breakfast burritos. Save mashed potatoes to fry and make into potato pancakes. There are many options that you can choose from when it comes to repurposing your leftovers. Prevent food waste by getting inventive in the kitchen!

Use Your Leftovers for Lunch

Eating leftovers are a practical way to save money on lunch while at work. The small amount of time required to prep your lunch is well worth the dollars saved in fast food. The night before your workday, pack a lunch-sized amount of leftovers into a few reusable containers. Glass containers with rubber lids are the best to use as they can be microwaved safely and are easy to clean.

Why Eating Leftovers is Important

Unfortunately, as Canadians, we contribute to a significant amount of food waste:

• Nearly 2.2 million tonnes of edible food is thrown away in Canada every year.
• Canada’s 2.2 million tonnes of avoidable household food waste is equivalent to 9.8 million tonnes of CO2 (2.1 million cars on the road)!
• Almost 65% of thrown-away food in Canada is edible.
• The average Canadian household wastes more than $1,400 worth of food annually.
• Vegetables are the most wasted food products in Canada, followed by fruits, bread, dairy, and meat.

The good news is we can prevent food waste in our homes by following the guidelines above. Getting creative with leftovers will save you time, money, and the planet! To find deals on ingredients to add to your leftover recipe, check out reebee’s current offers on groceries here. Another useful way to prevent food waste is to avoid buying more than you can consume. Build your shopping list on reebee and stick to it!