# What to do with leftovers?



## babymoose2005 (Sep 10, 2011)

I cook for two and we have leftovers almost all the time. I usually cook stuff like hamburger helper type stuff. What can you do with leftovers if you don't want them the next day? Can you freeze hamburger helper type stuff? Any help is appreciated!


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## NotActuallyaHero (Sep 10, 2011)

The best thing to do is actually cook things where the leftovers can actually be used as an ingredient for the next thing.

This way you're not eating "leftovers," really.

For example, if I make fajitas for dinner, I will eat some sort of a stir fry the following day. Maybe toss on some cheese, etc.

It's lazy but you never have to deal with freezerburn or generally old food.


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## babymoose2005 (Sep 10, 2011)

Thank u for the advice!


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## buckytom (Sep 10, 2011)

give us a leftover, and we'll give you ideas, moosito.


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## Zhizara (Sep 10, 2011)

Take it to work for lunch the next day.

Freeze in dinner size portions.

Make less:

For Hamburger Helper type meals, use:

1/2# meat
1/2-3/4 C uncooked pasta
1 can of cream of something soup

Cook meat while cooking pasta according to package directions.    Add a handful of frozen vegetables to cook with the pasta.  Mix drained cooked pasta with meat and soup.

Use various meats, soups, onions, garlic, spices.

Ham with elbow macaroni and cheese soup 

A pound of Hamburger with chopped onion, taco seasoning mix, and a can of stewed tomatoes for tacos.  Leftovers can be used to make chili, adding chili powder, beans (if you like) and a can of tomato sauce.

Here's another thread you may want to check out:

Does ANYONE really know how to cook for 2? - Page 3 - Discuss Cooking - Cooking Forums


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## lyndalou (Sep 10, 2011)

I don't have any problem with leftovers. DH loves them!


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## JMediger (Sep 10, 2011)

I have a similar situation but have found if I space it out, we'll eat it for lunch.  For example, Monday's dinner is Wednesday's lunch.  A day between typically makes it appealing again.  

Repurposing is also a good idea like NAH suggested.


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## roadfix (Sep 10, 2011)

I usually prefer leftovers.  They always seem to taste better....)


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## babymoose2005 (Sep 10, 2011)

Thank u sooo much for the suggestions. Some of my leftovers are fried chicken, mac n cheese, and usually I dont want them again. Any suggestions wht to do with tht type stuff?thanks in advance.


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## Claire (Sep 10, 2011)

The thing with leftovers is that you do the hamburger helper type casserole dishes AS your leftovers.  In other words, you start with hamburgers, an use the extra burger patties to make the helper.  And just because they call it hamburger helper doesn't mean you can't use other meats .... for example leftover chicken.  Skin and bone, and instead of browning the burger, do everything else first and use the meat from the chicken (or leftover steak, roast, etc).  I don't see why leftover hamburger helper couldn't be frozen though.  Put it in single serving baggies or other freezer containers, then nuke for an individual lunch or dinner.

I sympathize to a degree; I learned to cook for 6, and still, after almost 40 years of doing my cooking mostly for one or two, especially when I cook something that I cook by instinct rather than recipe, it is always too much.  But my husband loves leftovers, and freezing works well for most things. 

I know some people won't eat leftovers at all!  I'm not sure if they grew up richer than me, or with unimaginative mothers.  But, really, most things do freeze well, especially casserole type dishes.  A lot of meats also can be chopped and mixed into spreads for sandwiches (obviously not hamburger helper, but the chicken meat, ham, etc).


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## JMediger (Sep 11, 2011)

Any type of chicken you can debone and chop up for chicken salad, chicken noodle soup, chicken and gravy, etc ... 

Noodle types of things could be recreated the next night (or the next).  For example, mix browned hamburger into mac and cheese, add some sour cream and extra cheese for a casserole.  

Good luck!


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