You only have a few days to make the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers! Once you get tired of the same old Thanksgiving dishes. Try these recipes for your Thanksgiving leftovers.
That’s right, there are tons of creative ways to use up those Thanksgiving dishes when you get tired of eating turkey and stuffing.
Reduce your food waste this Thanksgiving
Did you know that household food waste increases by 25% during the holidays?
When we throw away food, we also through away the resources that were used to grow that food. Land, energy and water are all used to produce food. It’s a waste not only of money, but of resources to toss out your food.
You can reduce your waste this holiday season by turning your leftovers into something new!
What can you make with Thanksgiving leftovers?
Check out some of the fun ways to use your holiday leftovers.
If none of these inspire you, head over to Pinterest and find one that does. It’s better to use up your food than to waste it!
Thanksgiving leftover recipes:
- Bacon Wrapped Stuffing Bites from Table Spoon
- The Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich from Ring Finger Tan Line
- Crockpot Turkey Chili from Freebie Finding Mom
- Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas from Creative Savings
- Croque Madame from Half Baked Harvest
More creative ways to use up Thanksgiving leftovers
Not feeling like following a recipe since you may have a random amount of Thanksgiving leftovers? Try one of these methods instead:
- Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Salad- sub turkey in your favorite chicken salad recipe
- Turkey Pot Pie- sub turkey in your favorite chicken pot pie recipe
- Potato Pancakes- mix sweet and regular potatoes together for a fun spin on potato pancakes
- Waffled Stuffing- add 2 eggs to 4 cups of stuffing, put in your waffle maker and get waffled stuffing to serve on the side
- Fried Leftovers- form balls of your favorite leftovers (mac and cheese, potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole), dip in batter, and deep fry them
- Host a “leftovers Friendsgiving”– invite your friends and neighbors over for a leftovers potluck. Everyone brings leftovers and something to drink.
What to do with leftover turkey
Did you know that “what to do with leftover turkey” is a commonly asked question on Google? Yup! Apparently I’m not alone when it comes to wanting to make the most of my leftover turkey.
If you can’t find a recipe that you love right now do this instead:
- Take all the meat off your turkey and freeze it in medium size freezer bags.
- Date the bag and use within 2-4 months.
- Pull out a freezer bag of turkey at a later time and make turkey soup, turkey tetrazzini, or anything else that commonly uses chicken. Turkey is a perfect sub for chicken this time of year.
How long is leftover turkey safe?
Your leftover turkey is good in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freeze it for 2-4 months.
How long can I store my other Thanksgiving leftovers?
The common rule for all leftovers is 3-4 days. After that, it’s your best bet to toss out everything. Here is a more comprehensive guide:
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey, cooked | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Meat (ham, beef), cooked | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Gravy | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| Cranberry sauce | 10-14 days | 1-2 months |
| Stuffing, cooked | 3-4 days | 1 month |
| Mashed potatoes, yams | 3-5 days | 10-12 months |
| Soup | 2-3 days | 4-6 months |
| Vegetables, cooked | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Pumpkin pie, baked | 3-4 days | 1-2 months |
Compost before trashing
Before you toss out everything, check to see if you can compost it.
Get more details on composting here.
What will you be doing with your Thanksgiving leftovers?
Do you have any good tips to add? Any great ideas for Thanksgiving casseroles or Thanksgiving leftovers for breakfast? If so, drop them in the comments.
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What great ideas! Thanks for sharing! #SmallVictories