Blog

Recipes & Articles

Sign up for our Healthy Bites Wellness Program

TriState Wellness will email or mail a postcard with a monthly recipe to you in 2025!

Sign up

Making the Most of Holiday Leftovers: Creative, Healthy Ways to Repurpose Your Meals

Share

The holiday season is full of joy, celebration, and—let’s be honest—lots of food. From family dinners to work potlucks to New Year gatherings, many of us find ourselves with full refrigerators and more leftovers than we know what to do with. Instead of letting them go to waste or eating the same plate over and over, this is the perfect time to get creative, reduce food waste, and stretch your food budget with healthy, repurposed meals.

Why Repurpose Leftovers?

Reusing leftovers isn’t just convenient, it’s smart eating. Transforming ingredients into new dishes:

  • Saves time during an already busy season
  • Reduces food waste, which often increases during holiday months
  • Helps with portion control, since you can build balanced meals instead of repeating heavy holiday plates
  • Keeps your budget in check, especially after holiday spending

With a little planning, holiday leftovers can become fresh, delicious meals for the entire week.

Fresh Ideas to Reinvent Your Favorites

  1. Transform Turkey or Chicken into Soups & Bowls
    Roasted turkey, chicken, or ham can be the base for nutrient-packed soups, grain bowls, or salads.
    Try:
  • Turkey & Vegetable Soup with leftover veggies
  • Holiday Harvest Bowl with quinoa, greens, and roasted turkey
  • Pulled turkey tacos topped with cabbage slaw
  1. Revive Veggies into New Sides
    Roasted vegetables can easily be refreshed into new dishes.
    Try:
  • Add leftover Brussels sprouts or carrots to a frittata
  • Mix roasted vegetables into a whole-grain pasta
  • Blend root vegetables into a creamy soup
  1. Reinvent Side Dishes
    Potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce can be turned from heavy sides into lighter, balanced meals.
    Try:
  • Stuffing-stuffed peppers
  • Mashed potato pancakes cooked in a light spray of olive oil
  • Yogurt parfaits layered with leftover cranberry sauce
  1. Make a Holiday Leftover Wrap or Sandwich
    If you want something familiar, try building a healthier version of the classic leftover sandwich.
    Try:
  • Whole grain wrap with turkey, spinach, hummus, and cranberry
  • Veggie-loaded sandwich with roasted vegetables and a light dressing
  1. Freeze What You Can
    Many holiday foods freeze beautifully. Cooked turkey, soups, and even roasted vegetables can be frozen in portions and used in future meals—saving time once the holiday rush ends.

Tips for Safe Leftover Storage

To keep your repurposed meals healthy, always:

  • Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking
  • Use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days
  • Freeze items you won’t use quickly
  • Reheat leftovers to 165°F to ensure food safety

The Bottom Line

The holidays are a time for connection, celebration, and enjoying good food—without the waste or stress. By repurposing your leftovers, you can turn a crowded fridge into a week of easy, nutritious meals that keep you feeling balanced during the busiest time of year. With a little creativity, yesterday’s dinner becomes tomorrow’s healthy, time-saving masterpiece.