Repurpose Your Thanksgiving Leftovers
Did you know that the United States wastes about 80 billion pounds of food per year, which is 30 – 40% of the entire food supply of the United States?! That’s about 219 pounds of waste per person, which would be like every person in the United States throwing more than 650 average sized apples right into the garbage.
Let’s reduce food waste this holiday season by repurposing leftovers!
MEAL ONE:
Thanksgiving Leftovers Tortilla Wrap
Enjoy all the best parts of a Thanksgiving meal wrapped inside a tortilla! No need to buy a bunch of extra ingredients for this one, which means less waste and less money spent around the holidays. I would pair with a fresh green salad or other vegetable to make it a well-rounded meal.
MEAL TWO:
Creamy Turkey Potato Dumplings
My family always has leftover mashed potatoes, so this recipe caught my eye as a great option to use them in a new way. The rest of the ingredients you may have left over from Thanksgiving as well, like fresh herbs, carrots and celery, broth, and turkey. Not only does this soup taste delicious, but it’s also not overly time consuming, makes enough to feed a group if you have any guests still at the house, and can be made in one pot to cut back on dishes. Enjoy!
MEAL THREE:
Leftover Turkey Cobb Salad
If you’re looking for a lighter, fresh meal after Thanksgiving but still want to use up your leftover turkey, a salad is a great way to go. I love a mixed salad like this with lots of textures and flavors. It’s filling and nutrient-dense, but still light! Even better is that minimal cooking is required if you’re using leftover turkey.
MEAL FOUR:
Holiday
Turkey Hash
The perfect “day after” meal for the holiday season. Using just a few new ingredients, you can transform your leftovers into a new recipe! While it leans more towards being a breakfast, you could make this any time of the day. Serve with a side salad or other leftover vegetables to keep it nutritionally balanced!
MEAL FIVE:
Cranberry Sauce Overnight Oats
Let’s use up the cranberry sauce with this recipe! A few simple ingredients make for a delicious overnight oats recipe that’s sure to keep everyone fueled for whatever you have in store following Thanksgiving. Give this recipe a boost of protein by adding Greek yogurt, protein powder, cottage cheese, nut butter, or add a side of eggs. You could also add cranberry sauce to Greek yogurt in a parfait, use it on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or add it to muffins!