Too good to go? The second life of leftovers

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COMMENTARY

Too good to go? The second life of leftovers

Published November 30, 2024 12:00PM (EST)

Thanksgiving leftovers, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, greens and yams in containers (Getty Images/Maren Caruso)

Leftovers have always been a bit of a culinary underdog. In pop culture, they’re the sad, wilted contents of plastic containers relegated to sitcom refrigerators — proof of a dinner gone unloved. Yet for me, leftovers have never been a source of shame. Growing up in a family of six, including two perpetually ravenous brothers, leftovers were a rarity, and when they appeared, they were a kind of edible jackpot. The prize might be a sliver of Mom’s baked spaghetti or the last spoonful of Dad’s white chicken chili, spooned unceremoniously onto a tortilla chip or two. In a house where food disappeared almost as quickly as it was made, the idea of leftovers as a burden simply didn’t exist.

But the pandemic changed my relationship with leftovers, as it did so many other things. Suddenly, there was no line between breakfast, lunch and dinner — time blurred into endless stretches punctuated by snacks. Cooking at home was both a necessity and a tedium. The monotony of reheating last night’s dinner collided with the allure of delivery apps , which dangled the promise of something new and indulgent. During those early lockdown days, ordering takeout wasn’t just about food; it was also a symbolic act of solidarity with small businesses. Who could resist Thai curry when the alternative was a third day’s helping of tepid spaghetti?

That said, the delivery era was relatively short-lived in my kitchen. Inflation hit , the novelty wore off and my credit card bills needed a break. I found myself cooking more, out of both financial prudence and a desire to regain control of my meals. In my now two-person household, his return to home cooking brought an unexpected companion: leftovers.

At first, I’ll admit they did feel a bit like a chore, a sign of my failure to portion correctly or eat everything while it was fresh. But somewhere along the way, my perspective shifted. Leftovers became less a consolation prize and more a creative challenge. Inspired by books like ” PlantYou: Scrappy Cooking: 140+ Plant-Based Zero-Waste Recipes … Read More