We know that you would never throw out still-eatable leftover food. But a leftovers refresher never gets stale! Here are some tips in the food-saving department…
No more UFBs. It’s so easy to grab a piece of foil and wrap up your bits of meal remainders and chuck them into the fridge, yielding those Unidentifiable Foil Balls that no one wants to investigate ever again. Try to keep leftovers in glass or plastic see-through containers so that you know they’re there and what they are.
Reserve some space…and review often! Set aside a specific shelf just for leftovers and check it out daily, especially before grocery shopping. Here’s a bit of age-old wisdom that bears repeating: Be sure to do a freezer and pantry check, too, before you hit the market…you may have the ingredients you need for multiple meals, and you don’t want to purchase food items you already have. We use a three-point review system before bringing more food into the house—review the food you have (fridge, freezer, pantry)…review the grocer’s circular for the best deals…and review how many actual meals you need to make for the week. Try these reviews in whatever sequence works best for you, and you could end up spending less at the market.
Always cover up. Putting uncovered food in the refrigerator uses extra energy—the refrigerator has to keep up with the moisture the uncovered food emits. You also want to keep food smells contained and keep your leftovers as long as possible. So when you put food in the fridge, put a lid on it!
We like this list of recipes for leftovers.
More ways to stop wasting food…
• 12 Tricks to Keep Food Fresh Longer
• Three Delicious Recipes for Leftover Steak
• Make Stale Bread Fresh Again
