To ensure that nothing goes to waste from big holiday meals (or everyday meals for that matter), consider whether you’ll be likely to eat the leftovers in 3-4 days. If not, be sure to freeze the extras within 2 hours after cooking (if kept at room temperature). Turkey will last in the freezer 3-4 months. One of the reasons leftovers go to waste is that many people just reheat the original meal for a 2nd time. That can get boring – plus the flavors and quality aren’t always the same, which can be a turn-off for most people.

So as you think about your Thanksgiving menu, consider what items could be used in another way. Leftover mashed potatoes can be turned into potato pancakes with a few added items, or you could find a recipe for dough and use them as filling for homemade pierogies. For day 2, when it might be more traditional to have a sandwich, how about going bite-sized and use up a variety of the leftovers.

Leftover Turkey Sliders