With the holidays right around the corner, many refrigerators will become stockpiled with leftovers galore. At times this might seem daunting, but we are here to give you the best tips for recycling last night's holiday dinner into this week's lunch!

1. Have a game plan. Note how many people your meal will feed and set aside the appropriate amount of tupperware for your leftover servings.

2. Store leftovers in an airtight container and mark the date the food was made -this way you can ensure they're eaten or thrown out within the proper time frame.

3. The time frame for safely storing your leftovers:

    • Cooked seafood | 3-4 days
    • Rice and pasta dishes without meat | 3-5 days
    • Cooked meats like steaks like pork and chicken | 3-4 days
    • Soups and stews | 3-4 days
    • Cooked vegetables | 3-4 days
    • Egg, chicken, ham, tuna & macaroni salads | 3-5 days

Leftover vegetables: 

    • add to your child's lunch with a fun dipping sauce like ranch
    • add to your morning smoothie for some extra antioxidants and vitamin c
    • make a vegetable stirfry
    • make a vegetable pot pie
    • make a delicious breakfast burrito

Leftover meats: 

    • create a meat stirfry
    • try a meat pot pie
    • make a unique quesadilla
    • make a meat sandwich
    • try your hand at empanadas

For more on meal prepping recipes, tips and tricks check out these 25 Health meal prep ideas to simplify your life.

 

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