by Debra Herring

Created on: February 03, 2008   Last Updated: April 08, 2011

"It's good food - don't throw it away - there are starving children in Africa!" I hear those words coming out of my mother's mouth every time I have leftovers from a meal. I always wondered just how she thought one might get our leftovers to Africa to feed those children!

If heating up those small dishes of this or that just doesn't quite sound appetizing, you can incorporate them into other dishes or make something else from them. Just a few changes in a recipe and you've used instead of wasted those leftovers.

Bread that is a bit dry can be used to make French toast. Dry bread can also be used to make bread pudding, or cut into cubes and tossed with butter and seasonings to bake for croutons. Crush into bread crumbs for coating meats or to include in meat loaf.

Cooked green beans, lima beans, corn, peas or carrots can be used with meat to make pot pie, soup, stew, stuffed peppers, or stuffed tomatoes. Combine several and make vegetables in cheese sauce.

Cooked leafy vegetables can be chopped and included in creamed vegetables, soup, meat loaf, meat patties, an omelet or a souffle.

Cooked or canned fruit and be combined to make a fruit cup, fruit sauces, jellied fruit, or included in quick breads or upside-down cake.

Cooked meats or poultry can be used in casserole dishes, hash, meat patties, meat pies, salads, sandwiches or stuffed vegetables.

Cooked wheat cereal or oatmeal can be used in meat loaf or meat patties.

Cooked rice, noodles, macaroni, or spaghetti can be used in casseroles or meat loaf.

Hard cooked eggs can be used as a garnish or included in salads or sandwiches.

Use up sour cream or sour milk in baking cakes or quick breads.

Cooked potatoes can be fried, cooked in cheese sauce, incorporated with other vegetables in soups, or incorporated in pot pies.

The possibilities are endless. Be creative and don't worry that you've never used a certain ingredient in that specific way.

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