Leftovers aren't always the most appealing, which is why so much food gets thrown out of every household. In fact, we'd wager that if you peeked into your fridge right now, you'd find Tupperware filled with something you'd forgotten to eat - and chances are it's gone sour and will go straight into the garbage.
Don't let this happen! Here are 10 ways to make the most of your leftovers so you stop wasting food and money.
1. Plan ahead. Get good Tupperware that's truly airtight and your food should last four days in the fridge. Always sniff leftovers if you're unsure if it is still good, but the rule of thumb is "when it doubt, throw it out." Don't risk a truly terrible evening of food poisoning.
2. Label it. If you want to get into good leftover habits, label your containers with dry-erase markers. Write the date and what's inside.
3. Store leftovers at the front of the fridge, at eye level. Make leftovers center stage so they actually get seen and eaten.
4. When it comes to reheating, sauté pasta or rice with a little olive oil or butter instead of microwaving. It'll taste just as good as the first time. Pizza can also be given the pan treatment - just put a lid on it! The crust will crisp and the cheese will melt once again.
5. If you're reheating something that's gone dry, cover it with a wet paper towel and pop it in the microwave. The steam created will rehydrate your sad food.
6. Re-season, re-season, re-season! Add extra olive oil, some hot sauce, a bit of butter, extra garlic, vinegar, lemon, herbs or soy sauce to an old dish that needs a little extra help. Taste it once you've warmed it up and adjust. It'll still be infinitely faster than cooking a whole fresh meal.
7. Put it in a pie, wrap it in a tortilla or combine it with some pasta. Most veggie or meat-based leftovers would work well with any of the above carb combinations and it'll add bulk to the dish making it back into a whole meal.
8. Frittata it! Almost anything tastes good in omelet or frittata form. Leftover veggies, meat and sauces can be whipped into a frittata in minutes.
9. Set aside a meal-sized portion before you eat. If you want to stretch one meal into two, set aside half to throw in the fridge before you dig in. Lunch for tomorrow is solved!
10. When using the microwave, spread the love around. This means that you should take leftovers out of their cold container and spread them onto a plate in a flat layer. It'll reheat evenly and prevent sogginess.
