How long do Christmas leftovers last?

Use clean dishes and utensils to prevent cross-contamination. Leftovers stored in the fridge should be eaten within three days . When freezing Christmas meats or stuffing, wrap them in heavy freezer wrap and put them in a container suitable for your freezer.

How do you get creative with leftovers?

Think “ingredients,” not “leftovers.” Turn extra pasta or cooked vegetables into a frittata . Blend cooked vegetables with a can of whole tomatoes and create a veggie-packed sauce for pasta. Create burritos with leftover cooked rice, meat and vegetables, and top them with sour cream and salsa.

How do you use leftover ingredients?

Whether it's freezing browning bananas for smoothies, cakes and pancakes, or whizzing stale bread up into a crunchy topping for pasta dishes , consider your leftovers transformed, food waste averted and money saved in the process.

What Christmas food has the longest shelf life?

What's amazing about these old fruitcakes is that people have tasted them and lived, meaning they are still edible after all these years. The trifecta of sugar, low moisture ingredients and some high-proof spirits make fruitcakes some of the longest-lasting foods in the world.

What do you call leftover food?

You can refer to food that has not been eaten after a meal as leftovers. Refrigerate any leftovers. Synonyms: remnant, leaving, remains, scrap More Synonyms of leftover.

What to do with leftover sandwiches?

You can always freeze it or toast it with some oil/butter for the perfect sandwich crust . (I tell you a trade secret: most “fresh” sandwiches are made with yesterday's bread. This is why they are so crunchy and toast so well). You can also make croutons for some quick and light snacks.

What do most restaurants do with leftover food?

Many restaurants cook with fresh ingredients, but what they don't use is often saved for another day or sold to other restaurants for a cut price . Some establishments will give them to their employees to take home to ensure the food isn't wasted.

What do bakers do with leftovers?

Donate to food banks or charities : Many bakeries donate their leftover baked goods to local food banks or charities that serve the hungry and homeless. Discount or sell at reduced prices: Some bakeries sell their leftover baked goods at a reduced price or offer discounts to customers at the end of the day.

What is the leftover rule?

If foods have been left out for more than two hours, discard items to prevent foodborne illness . Exception to the two-hour rule, if the food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F (32°C) (like a hot car or summer picnic), refrigerate it within 1 hour.

Can you eat 7 day old leftovers?

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator . After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

How long can you eat holiday leftovers?

The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days . This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later. If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will be of best quality within 2-6 months.

Are Christmas leftovers still good?

Your guide to post-holiday food safety. Health officials recommend eating or freezing turkey and other leftovers within three to four days .

How long can you eat leftover Christmas ham?

Information. Spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams may be stored in the refrigerator three to five days or frozen one to two months . Keep your refrigerator at 40 °F or less and your freezer at or near 0 °F. See also Ham and Food Safety.

19 Christmas Leftover Recipes: Here’s What To Do This Time (2024)

With Christmas leftover recipes, you’ll never waste food again. Plus, you can save as much as you can too. Transform Christmas dinner leftovers into whole new dishes with this list!

RELATED:17 Christmas Crock Pot Recipes For A Memorable Time With Your Family

Christmas Leftover Recipes To Avoid Food Waste

Extend the Festivities With Christmas Leftover Recipes

Christmas dinner is an occasion to enjoy good food with people dear and near. This is why I make sure our dinner table is filled with special and delicious food. The problem comes in the morning with all the leftovers.

I’m never one to waste food while so many are going hungry in the world. So I prepared this list of Christmas leftover recipes to help you fix dishes for you and your family to enjoy. Better yet, fix some for a soup kitchen for the homeless to keep spreading the spirit of Christmas.

1. Macaroni Ham and Cheese

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A classic meal good for any time of the day! Your leftover ham will have all the Christmas flavor that regular mac n’ cheesedoesn’t!

It’s so good, no wonder it tops our list of Christmas leftover recipes.

2. French Dip Sandwich

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Imagine re-heating your leftover roast beef and submerging it in a thick and rich dip! You won’t regret wrestling with that extra large roast. Not when the stragglers make up this genius recipe!

3. Leftovers Greens Fritters With Crumbled Cheese

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Healthy greens are often overlooked during Christmas celebrations. Everyone flocks to the ham or the turkey. But now that won’t be a problem!

Turn your leftover veggies into healthy and cheesy fritters!

4. Cake Leftover Trifle

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We won’t let even leftover Christmas dessert go to waste! Time to put those cake trimmings to good use. Have fun layering them using cream and fruit to create a decadent trifle!

5. Happy Turkey Meatloaf

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Turkey consumption doesn’t end at Thanksgiving. It’s now a main attraction on the Christmas table too! But because we serve the heaviest and meatiest of them all, we tend to deal with leftovers after.

So why not turn them into meatloaf?

6. Creamed Rice With English Peas and Country Ham

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It’s no longer uncommon nowadays to serve rice at Christmas. No one can deny who tasty and easy it is to eat, you won’t even notice how hearty it is! Turn your leftover rice into savory creamed fried rice!

7. Denver Scramble

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Got some remaining cheese and bell pepper you used for flavoring your dishes? Use them for a one-of-a-kind omelet!

Christmas leftover recipes are all about being inventive. And this one certainly achieves that!

8. Spiced Brunch Rice With Leftover Roasted Veg

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Rice, herbs, and veggies sound like a complete meal to me! A healthy option for your leftovers that leave some of the meaty and heavy stuff out! Perfect for pacing yourself early in the morning!

9. Turkey And Stuffing Sausage Rolls

19 Christmas Leftover Recipes: Here’s What To Do This Time (9)

Turkey and sausage—two kinds of meat may sound a bit excessive. But not when you make these turkey and stuffing sausage rolls!

Bake them into chewy goodness between layers of soft dough. Now that is post-Christmas heaven!

RELATED:23 Christmas Side Dishes Every Christmas Table Needs

10. Leftover Roast Chicken Crustless Mini Quiches

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Chicken on mini quiche is a great idea! Protein and dairy in a small single serving? Leftover Christmas recipes have never been this exciting!

11. Roast Beef and Caramelized Onion Sliders

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Roast beef is my go-to Christmas main dish. It’s so good on its own, bare, and cooked to perfection. But even as leftovers, it tastes like a newly-cooked dish!

Sliders a great alternative to your regular beef patty burger!

12. Croque Monsieur

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Christmas leftover recipes that sound fancy? Don’t fret, you can make one in a snap! Just put some leftover ham and cheese into a sandwich, grill it, et voila! C’est un croque monsieur!

13. Leftover Brussels Sprout Hash

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Brussels sprouts are slowly winning everyone’s hearts. But they’re is still not the easiest dish to make palatable. Good thing we have Christmas leftover recipes that cater to this exact kind of dilemma!

Turn them into hash to let them receive the attention reserved for turkey and ham!

14. Creamy Spinach Crêpes

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This recipe requires leftover turkey, but you can use any leftover meat to make them! Achieve soft and creamy, but full and hearty crepes. All you need to do is marry the meats for a Christmas miracle!

15. Quick Pesto

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You don’t notice it, but you use up so many herbs and spices while cooking. We take them for granted because they come in unsuspecting quantities. But take notice of how much herbs are left unused during Christmas preparations!

Usually enough to make a quick pesto!

16. Bubble & Squeak

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I like to call this English dish the veggie pancakes! They have the texture of fried rice cakes stuffed with your leftover veggies. Try this to jumpstart your way back to a healthy diet after all that eating!

17. Christmas Leftovers Jacket Potatoes

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Potatoes are always present as a side dish on the Christmas table. We’re so used to it that we don’t notice we make too much! Finally, you know how to deal with leftover potatoes!

The yummy way, of course.

18. Leftover Pie Dough

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All the cutting and shaping for Christmas treats left so much unused dough! It’s enough to turn them into a whole new dessert! The practicality of Christmas leftover recipes does not get any better than this!

19. Apple, Lime and Chia Smoothie

19 Christmas Leftover Recipes: Here’s What To Do This Time (19)

Who says only meals can be transformed and re-cooked? Bring out all the fruits, herbs, and seeds you used creating Christmas punches and dessert. Turn them into a healthy and innovative drink!

Went the fried chicken route this Christmas? Watch this video by Babish Culinary Universe for their Christmas leftover recipes, fried chicken edition:

Now you know the best way to deal with your Christmas leftovers other than the dump. With these Christmas leftover recipes, you can transform them into brand new dishes.

Be inspired never to waste food again with these Christmas leftover recipes!

Which of these Christmas leftover recipes did you like?Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on December 25, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.