What do I do with all of these leftovers?

What do I do with all these holiday meal leftovers?

By Lizzie Meier, SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator

The holiday season can be a marathon of cooking and entertaining, so here are a few quick, easy recipes to use up any leftovers for the days after your holiday meal! The name of the game after a big holiday celebration? Recipes that are flexible and don’t take much of your time, while still allowing you to use up all of the good food you and your loved ones spent time preparing.

Breakfast

Want to roll out of bed the morning after your holiday celebration and have breakfast all ready for you? Overnight oats are a wonderful option! This recipe incorporates leftover cranberry sauce and works equally well whether it is canned or homemade. You could even make your oats as you are cooking the rest of your holiday meal and pop them in the fridge so you do not have to make them after your guests leave for the evening.

Lunch

The turkey sandwich is a classic leftovers staple! Try this recipe with thinly sliced apples, whole-grain bread, lettuce, mustard, mayo, and low-fat cheese for a healthy bite in the middle of the day. Try substituting hummus for the mayo - I’ll bet you have some lying around from the appetizers round!

Dinner

Maine SNAP-Ed’s Mix and Match Skillet Meal is a perfect option for dinnertime the day after your holiday meal. This recipe is extremely flexible, including the following:

  • Protein 

  • Vegetables

  • Spices

  • Topping 

  • Sauce

  • Grain

Get creative with what you have on hand! If you eat meat, you could make a meal with turkey, green beans, carrots, cream of mushroom soup plus water or low-fat milk, rice, and garlic powder, topped off with grated cheese. Vegetarian? Use tofu or beans as your protein! For all of those folks tired out from cooking, this meal comes together quickly with whatever you have left in the fridge that you feel like throwing in the skillet.

SNAP-Ed educators at Healthy Acadia offer year-round cooking and nutrition classes in partnership with schools and organizations throughout Hancock and Washington counties. To learn more or schedule a class, contact Mandy or Shannon in Washington County; and Isi or Lizzie in Hancock County.

POSTTracey CarlsonSNAP-Ed, HFFA, SB