A holiday meal is a special occasion, usually full of foods we do not eat every day. With a little planning, leftovers, or planned-overs, from the holiday meal can last several meals.
A planned-over is a leftover from a meal that you plan to use in a future meal. The holidays are a great time to think about planned-overs because holiday meals often result in many leftovers. By planning ahead to use your leftovers, you can save time and money without letting any food go to waste.
Soups, casseroles, enchiladas, and more are possible with holiday leftovers. Before cooking your holiday meal, think about if you will have leftovers and how your might use them. If you want leftovers, plan for them by making a little extra during your holiday meal preparations. This might include cooking a slightly larger turkey, making a few more mashed potatoes, or having an extra can of green beans on hand.
Keeping food safe is key to enjoying planned-overs. Remember these tips as you cook, enjoy, and put away your holiday meals.
Frozen leftovers are generally good for 2-4 months.
As the days grow shorter, our need for fresh, nutritious produce continues through the winter. Many late-season vegetables are still available at local grocery stores and through some Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) outlets. You may also have grown and stored your own vegetables for winter consumption.
It is not a matter of time as much as a matter of planning ahead so you can enjoy an unhurried dinner. If you have meats thawed and ingredients on hand, most things can be tossed together in about the same time as it takes to order and wait for the food at a restaurant. Slow cooking something in the oven or crock pot is a hand option for making tasty food with little food preparation time.
