The Art of Using Every Last Scrap
Even with perfect planning and storage, you’ll inevitably have leftovers and scraps. This is where the truly frugal and waste-conscious cook shines. Instead of seeing these as waste, see them as ingredients for your next meal. This section is full of kitchen hacks and recipes for using up leftovers.
Strategy 11: The Freezer “Scrap Bag”
Keep a large, resealable bag in your freezer labeled “Vegetable Scraps.” Throughout the week, add the odds and ends you would normally throw away: onion peels and ends, carrot peels, celery tops and bottoms, mushroom stems, parsley stems. Avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or cabbage, as they can make the stock bitter. Once the bag is full, empty it into a pot, cover with water, add a bay leaf and some peppercorns, and simmer for an hour. Strain it, and you have a delicious, free vegetable broth for soups, stews, or cooking grains. You can do the same with a “Carcass Bag” for leftover chicken, turkey, or beef bones to make a rich bone broth.
Strategy 12: Reinvent Leftovers, Don’t Just Reheat
The thought of eating the same exact meal three nights in a row is unappealing for many people. The key is to see leftovers not as a finished meal, but as pre-prepped ingredients. That leftover roasted chicken can be shredded and become the star of chicken tacos, a creamy chicken noodle soup, a barbecue chicken pizza, or a filling for enchiladas. Leftover steak can be thinly sliced for a cheesesteak sandwich or a steak salad. Leftover roasted vegetables can be blended into a creamy soup, tossed with pasta, or folded into an omelet. Thinking “remix” instead of “reheat” makes leftovers exciting again.
Strategy 13: The “Kitchen Sink” Frittata or Fried Rice
Two dishes are your secret weapons for using up a random assortment of leftovers: the frittata and fried rice. Nearly any combination of cooked vegetables, leftover meat, and cheese can be mixed with a few beaten eggs and baked into a delicious frittata for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Similarly, a small amount of leftover protein and any lingering veggies can be chopped up and stir-fried with day-old rice and a splash of soy sauce for a quick and satisfying meal. These are not just recipes; they are templates for turning potential waste into a meal in under 20 minutes.
