Family Briefs

I remember finishing dinner at a-friend-of-my-husband’s house, helping her clean up from dinner. She just put everything down the disposal. I was in shock! I couldn’t really say anything because I didn’t know her well enough.

Over the past several years, I’ve had several people tell me that they just can’t “do” leftovers. There have always been a variety of excuses reasons, but I consider myself something of a “leftover queen” since my leftovers multiply in the fridge

Here are some ideas to help manage your leftovers:

• Have plenty of similar plastic containers that stack together easily for minimal storage
  requirement. The el-cheapo Glad and Ziplock containers are what I use the most. Although my favorite size is what some lunch meat I used to buy all the time came in.
• When you put away leftovers from a meal, try to keep it all stacked together in your fridge. This is especially true if there is enough of everything to go around a second time.
• If you have so much left and you don’t want to enjoy the same meal again 3 more times this week, go ahead and put one meal’s worth in the fridge and freeze the rest in Ziplock bags (one per serving - be sure to label what it is and write the date on it).
• DO NOT, under any circumstances, allow your leftover stacks to get pushed to the back unless you have them on your menu plan somewhere so that they cannot be forgotten.
• If possible, designate a shelf in your fridge for leftovers. Sure, other stuff ends up on that shelf sometimes, but at least your leftovers don’t get spread all over the refrigerator to begin growing things - ewwwww!
• As you are making out your menu plan for the week, write in leftovers for meals when you’ll need something quick or know you’ll be too tired to cook.
• If I’m not positive that I’ll have enough leftovers to feed the entire family, I’ll plan the leftovers for a lunch or dinner when I know some family members won’t be here.
• I also have been known to plan something like “sandwiches or leftovers.” That makes me look in the fridge first to keep leftovers from getting past their prime! Some may have leftovers, some may have sandwiches, some may have both - it’s always a toss-up!
• As you make out your meal plan, check the freezer for leftovers that you tucked away and forgot about (I usually keep mine on one shelf so I don’t have to look too far for them).
• Even if you only have one helping of something, don’t throw it out! Have a leftover buffet one night - first come, first serve!

These are leftover tips that work for me! Head over to Shannon’s to see what other tips you can find at Works for Me Wednesday!