About 40 percent of food goes to waste every Thanksgiving, according a 2016 Natural Resources Defense Council report. The holiday is all about eating until you’re in a food coma, but what about all that food nobody touched? Here’s how to transform your bland Thanksgiving leftovers into yummy dishes.
Photo courtesy of FoodieCrush
If you have not had a monte cristo, you’re really missing out. The perfect balance of salty, savory, and sweet this sandwich could easily be paired with leftover cranberry sauce instead of the recommended jam.
Marie Callender, who? There’s nothing better on a cold day than a flaky crust with warm creamy filling. Usually made with chicken, turkey is perfect in this cozy dish.
Sweet Potato Casserole is amazing, but seemingly hard to transform once you get tired of it. A batch of these delicious biscuits make for great breakfast you can grab when you’re heading out the door for class or a snack to pair with a cup hot cocoa.
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pizza
Photo courtesy of Baked by Rachel
You’re going to want a pizza this. Ok, horrible pun, but seriously who doesn’t love pizza? Featuring turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing this cheesy dish is the perfect way to get rid of a ton of leftovers. If you’re feeling lazy, opt for a store-bought crust.
Whether you need a remedy for your runny nose or are just looking to stay warm, soup has you covered. This buttery, creamy dish will transform those bland mashed potatoes you have left over.
Thanksgiving Leftover Quinoa Burgers
With turkey and ham getting all the spotlight, sometimes the holidays seem to leave out vegetarians, so this one’s for you. Mix that stuffing with some quinoa and voilà, you have a delicious burger.
Green Bean Casserole Crescent Cups
Green bean casserole, love it or hate it, is another one of those pesky dishes that can be hard to transform. These crescent cups are like mini pies giving a fun twist to the often-controversial side dish.
Thanksgiving Leftover Stuffed Egg Rolls
Photo courtesy Cake in Knife
These egg rolls are a unique way to take all that food crowding your fridge into one amazingly crunchy dish. Made with a cranberry dipping sauce, these could easily be served with a stir-fry or as a snack.
Eating the same thing over and over again is boring, but what’s worse is food waste. This year say goodbye to the trash can and have some fun in the kitchen with those Thanksgiving leftovers.