9 creative, inspiring and tested ways to reuse more leftovers

Hi reader, Did you get my message about Grocery Budget Bootcamp this past weekend? 🤦 If you did, I'm so sorry! I hit "send" too soon and kind of ruined the surprise... oops! Anyway, consider that a "heads up" for next week when we're doing something special for GBB October 12-14! 😉 I'm a HUGE advocate for avoiding food waste, and our mantra at home is to avoid the trash can at all costs. It's not too hard when you have just one item to deal with, like green beans or thawed chicken. But it can be really hard when you're dealing with leftovers. How do you turn something you've already cooked into something completely different that still tastes good? And if you have family members who are "anti-leftovers," then whatever you make can't even remotely resemble the dish you made the first time around either! I've been brainstorming about this issue, and I'd like to share a few ideas with you guys on how to reinvent leftovers, reduce food waste AND reduce the time spent in the kitchen too. Here are some ideas: Tomatoes 1. Pizza Sauce My recipe for homemade pizza sauce calls for a can of whole peeled tomatoes (I often sub diced tomatoes), salt, pepper and basil (I usually sub 1 Tbsp dried for fresh). 2. Marinara A very basic marinara sauce includes sautéed onions, garlic, tomato sauce (sub leftover pizza sauce) and oregano. If you need a recipe, start with this one. I personally like to add a bay leaf for depth. 3. Tomato Basil Soup My recipe for tomato basil soup includes all of the ingredients for marinara (so sub leftover marinara), and cream (although I usually substitute milk). Oatmeal 1. Leftover Oatmeal Cakes This recipe was an experiment that turned out right! It's a little unusual but read the recipe all the way through. I think you'll find a new favorite breakfast. 2. Leftover Oatmeal Chocolate Cake You really can't go wrong with chocolate cake. This recipe is no different. I make extra oatmeal on purpose so I can make this one! 3. Maple Oatmeal Bread Adding oatmeal to bread increases the nutrients and makes it super tasty. It's been a while since I made this one, but I know it's still delicious! Psst!! I LOVE using my Instant Pot for making oatmeal. One of the cheapest breakfasts on earth AND now one of the easiest. BONUS!!! More potato ideas: 1. Homemade Buttermilk Potato Bread This bread recipe is perfect for using up a couple extra baked potatoes. Skip boiling the potatoes since they are already cooked and start by adding in the buttermilk. 2. Classic Shepherd's Pie Shepherd's pie is topped with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes. Instead of making them from fresh potatoes, mash up already baked potatoes. I like this recipe with double the veggies and half the ground beef. 3. Mexican Corn and Potato Chowder. Using baked potatoes in this recipe will change the consistency a bit, but it still works out! Don't mash the potatoes, but cube them and add to the soup. They will thicken it up and blend in instead of being full cubes. Psst! Use one of these methods to bake potatoes and intentionally throw in a couple extra so you can make a second meal! Have you come up with any creative ways to use leftovers lately? I'd love to hear them!! Hit "reply" and tell me your amazing ideas! ALL my best ♥, PS: Intentionally making leftovers to use in your meal plan is called Cook Once, Eat Twice. I use this concept in many of the menus in 30 Minute Dinners! Four fresh meal plans dropped this week for October in my done-for-you meal plan membership. If you haven't joined yet, you can do that right here! Popular on the Blog this Week Sweet Potato Apple Bake This recipe for sweet potato bake with apple breakfast casserole is perfect for busy mornings! It only takes a few minutes of prep, a few minutes to bake, and it's a nice alternative to eggs! It's Whole30 compliant and you can use whatever apples you have (I used granny smith.) 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