Whether they are from a dinner out or a homemade meal, it is important to eat or use up leftovers soon. Knowing what is waiting to be used in your refrigerator is the best way to reduce spoilage. This is a guide about keeping track of leftovers.
Don't you hate it when you clean out the fridge and have a bunch of leftovers from weeks gone by? One way to help keep track of you leftovers is to put a leftovers list on the door of your fridge. When you put something in there, write down what it is and the date. When you remove it, cross it off the list.
By Susan
When it comes to storing leftovers in Cool Whip bowls, butter bowls, and even Tupperware (or Rubbermaid dishes), I am sure others have had the same problem in their household as I do. Family members have excuses like, "I can't see what is in the bowl" or "I didn't want to take the time to open the dish".
I decided after numerous occasions of throwing out what started out to be perfectly good leftovers, to remedy this problem. I bought a roll of masking tape and a marker at the dollar store and now I write on the tape what is in the bowl or dish and the date it was put in the refrigerator and tape it to the lid. Everyone in my house can now identify the previously unidentified leftovers and I have a lot less waste.
By Connie from Towanda, PA
One of my best food tip is to plan meals at least 2 weeks to a month at a time. Make a menu for each day and a dessert. This works well in using what you have and not wasting food.
One example of this is to make meat loaf for dinner and a plain white sheet cake for dessert. On the following day use the left over meat loaf to make spaghetti and meat sauce. Chop up the meat loaf and add your sauce, there's no need to add extra seasoning. Of course you still need to buy noodles and spaghetti sauce, but it cuts cost by not having to purchase another pack of meat for the spaghetti. Any leftover cake you made the day before can be cut into slices and topped with whip cream and a little fruit (fresh, frozen, or canned you can even use a can fruit cocktail), and you have a totally different dessert. Add to a festive plate and this really looks good. Two entirely different meals just by using leftovers and planning ahead of time.
Another example would be to make chili beans for dinner one night and the following day you can use that same chili to make burritos for lunch. All you need to do is drain some juice from the chili beans, heat them in a skillet and smash the beans with a fork. Add chili mixture to a flour tortilla that has been slightly warmed (to make it easy to roll) and pin closed with a tooth pick. Deep fry until brown, drain on a paper towel (or as I do on extra napkins I've picked up from trips to restaurants/fast food outings.) You can also add any cheese, onions, or other things to the burrito before frying.
I've found that this works well because your family doesn't see the same old leftovers you had the night before, they see a whole new meal.
By VERONICA1 from Lodi, CA
In order to make full use of the dibs and dabs of food you freeze for later use, it is vital that you label the container with what it is. This seems like the simplest advice in the world, but too often we don't do it; thinking we will remember what it is. But unfortunately if any time has lapsed at all, we don't.
Bottom line is that you can't put too much information on a label of a foodstuff you are freezing, particularly if it is a single ingredient. When you make this a habit, your budget and your sanity will appreciate your effort. By Ronsan from Southwest Missouri
Leftovers usually need to be used first so create a space on the top shelf of your fridge just for leftovers. It will help you use them before they go bad and prevent moldy surprises when you clean out your fridge. Also, try to use clear tupperware or glass jars for leftovers so you can see what is in them at a glance.
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