One of the greatest perks of any holiday is the leftover food you’re left with — but nothing is quite like Thanksgiving leftovers. While it can be exciting to open your fridge to stacks of containers filled with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and the many, many desserts, it can also be overwhelming, especially for those who have been on a protein-packed diet or are looking to ramp up their daily protein intake.
The good news is that most Thanksgiving dinners are already filled with protein — you have turkey, or some other form of meat like ham, and sides like stuffing, beans, and pumpkin hummus. While these are all delicious, anyone can only have so much of the same meal, right? And why subject yourself to the same meal over and over when you can switch things up and reach your protein goals? (And, of course, turn delicious meals into even better meals).
That’s why we’ve come up with a list of six protein-packed Thanksgiving dinner leftover lunch ideas so you can switch things up and stay on track towards your protein goals. Because remember, bestie: you don’t have to give up your festive favorites to make your protein goals a reality!
6 protein-packed lunch ideas for your Thanksgiving leftovers
If you’re anything like me, then you’re usually too excited to wait until dinner before craving Thanksgiving dinner leftovers. But the good news is that any of these recipes can work as dinner the next day as well — that’s what makes them so great!
- Turkey salad
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One of the easiest and most versatile things you can make is a salad — chicken salad, egg salad, pasta salad, you name it. So what better idea than to turn your leftover Thanksgiving turkey into a turkey salad? The best thing about this is that you can add anything you want to it. I always like to throw in some celery, pepperoncini peppers, bell peppers, red onion, Dijon mustard, and some dill pickle juice if I have any. To add more protein, I always add Greek yogurt instead of mayo, and add some spicy mayo for flavor instead.
You can eat this as is, or you can turn it into a sandwich with cranberry sauce, gravy, and cheese like brie, mozzarella, or Havarti (my mouth is literally watering).
- Buffalo turkey flautas
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If you like a good crunch, these are for you. You can take your leftover turkey, shred it, and add buffalo sauce, Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, and your choice of spices. Then, roll ’em up in tortillas, fry them in the oven or the airfryer, and you have a delicious, high-protein flatus. For dipping sauce, you can opt for anything you want — guacamole, pico de gallo, or even a simple ranch.
If you want a dip that’s high in protein, you can make a ranch dip with cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and ranch seasoning. I always liked to add some lemon juice to this, too!
- Carnitas-inspired turkey tacos
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You know I had to put tacos on this list, c’mon. For this, you can take shredded turkey with your choice of seasonings, and mix them together with orange juice. Then, saute some onions, bell peppers, and garlic in a pan, and add the turkey to cook with it. When it’s done cooking, take your tortillas, add your turkey carnitas, and your choice of toppings. If you want some sources of additional protein, you can add a Greek yogurt or cottage cheese sauce to drizzle on top, beans (this can be black beans, brown beans, or even refried beans), or your choice of cheese. I’ve also seen people add scrambled eggs for a brunch-inspired meal.
But, if you want to keep the Thanksgiving vibes going, add some cranberry and gravy (you really can’t go wrong).
- Turkey noodle soup
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Honestly, this is better than chicken noodle soup. It’s the exact same principle, but the turkey elevates the soup so much more than chicken. You can make your own broth with your leftover turkey and bones, or you can use a pre-made stock. For this, add any ingredients you want — onions, carrots, celery, garlic, anything! Add your choice of noodles, your spices, and you’re good to go.
This is high-protein in itself, but using bone broth will significantly increase it (and will be an amazing source of collagen, too). You can also add beans to this as well for an extra source of protein. To pair on the side, take a leftover potato or bread roll from Thanksgiving dinner, and enjoy!
- Sweet potato soup
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If you’re a sweet potato lover like me, you’ll love me for this one. You can take your leftover roasted sweet potatoes and add them to a blender with bone broth (again, higher in protein if you make it with leftover turkey bones), cottage cheese, garlic, onions, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, and your choice of seasonings. Blend it together, and you’re good to enjoy!
If you want a vegan option, you can use tofu instead of cottage cheese, and it will still be a great source of protein. This is perfect to go on the side of your leftover turkey and stuffing, just saying!
- Ham and feta salad
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For those of you who substituted turkey for ham this Thanksgiving, this ham and feta salad is perfect. Much like the turkey salad, you can add any veggies you want — onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, avocado, you name it (but if you have leftover roasted corn, you’d better add it). Then add beans, feta (or really your choice of any cheese), and Greek yogurt. Mix it up, and you have a delicious, high-protein salad.
You can also add nuts and cranberries to make it more festive and increase your protein intake!
There is so much you can do with Thanksgiving leftovers, and that’s what makes them so great. But remember, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying your protein-packed leftovers as is. Anything to make the holidays last longer, right? Happy Thanksgiving!