It’s easy to splurge on something that comes only once a year. When friends and family gather to enjoy a favorite holiday, you want it to be special, not sparse. And those special meals of traditional recipes and family favorites often lead to leftovers – some say the leftovers are the best part.
Be sure all those leftovers end up in a belly and not in the garbage or your compost. It can be heart-breaking to toss out overripe stuffing, along with that hard-earned turkey everyone finally got sick of. When the food coma wears off and you get around to cleaning up after the meal, a little planning can help you make the most of those delicious remnants:
- Clean up quickly: The sooner leftovers get into the fridge, the longer they’ll last.
- Freeze half: Savor some of that green bean casserole in a couple of weeks rather than trying to scarf it all down in a few days.
- Anticipate food fatigue: It tastes good now, but after a couple of days, you and your family may not be able to face another dollop of cranberries. In addition to freezing, consider making soup or using recipes that transform your holiday favorites into different meals.
- Send meals home with your guests: Make it easy to share the leftover wealth by saving reusable containers like yogurt tubs or asking your guests to bring their own.
- Feed a neighbor: Is there someone in your neighborhood who didn’t cook at home this year and might enjoy a plate of leftovers?
Caterers can cut down on food waste, too – and help reduce hunger at the same time
In the season of food, area restaurants and caterers are also amping up. As volume increases for those special holiday parties, don’t let surplus food end up in the garbage. Instead, make sure it helps to feed someone who needs it. Ask your caterer to join hundreds of other Portland-area caterers, restaurants and food service companies in fighting hunger and reducing waste through Metro's Fork It Over! food donation program.