I grew up on leftovers but learned they don’t have to be a repeat of the night before. Mix and match your leftovers to make a whole new meal. Check out my keys to successful leftover remixed meals!
Save your leftovers in separate containers. Separate veggies, grains, dressings, proteins, etc. into separate containers so that each item can be reimagined another night. Saving leftovers together can cause them to go bad faster as well as lock you into the same meal (but slightly soggier) day after day.
Build your meals step-by-step. What food do you have the greatest quantity? Use this as your base! Whether a grain, veggie or something else it will work. Now, what will compliment your base? If your base is quinoa, for example, you are starting with a neutral base but one that doesn't have a lot of flavor on its own so you’ll want to look for veggies to compliment it which pack a flavor punch! You can decide if you want to add a protein such as tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, etc. If you don’t want this protein layer move onto a dressing. The dressing could be leftover or you could create it from leftovers for an entirely new flavor profile.
Focus on flavor and texture to create exciting leftover remixes. Think about ways to vary the flavor and texture from what you had the night before. That may mean roasting veggies that you originally ate fresh. It could mean adding seeds or nuts that are in your pantry for an extra crunch. It may be as simple as using different spices than the previous night. Even if you have leftover beans, for example, that you already spiced think about how you could spice other areas of the dish to create a unique flavor profile.
These are a few tips I use to remix my leftovers and create exciting new meals. I hope this helps you waste less food, save money and enjoy what you’re eating!