Leftover Ideas

When practicing Intuitive Eating (IE), two primary concepts are honoring our hunger and listening to our fullness. When practicing this more, you might find yourself having more leftovers as you are more attuned to when you want to stop eating a meal. This can sometimes feel challenging, especially if coming away from the “clean plate club”, with navigating what to do with leftovers. However, instead of tossing them out or letting them languish in the fridge, we can get creative and repurpose them in ways that not only reduce waste but also align with the principles of IE.

So what are some ways to repurpose leftovers to help support your IE journey and simultaneously reduce food waste?

1. Leftover proteins such as chicken, pork or tofu as well as any vegetables, grains or beans can be added to a broth for a delicious soup. Try making a weekly “clean out the fridge soup!"

2. Salads can also be a great way to use up miscellaneous items. It can be a grain-based salad, a green salad or more of a roasted vegetable salad depending on what you need to utilize.

3. Another meal idea when using leftover rice can be to make fried rice. This can incorporate any leftover proteins like seafood or poultry and veggies. Add an egg and some soy sauce and you’ve got a tasty meal!

4. A pasta bake can also include many differing ingredients; combine with your favorite pasta shape and sauce, add some cheese and you’ll have a warm, comforting repurposed dish.

5. An egg bake such as a quiche, frittata or egg bites can be a great breakfast option and incorporate different vegetables and proteins.

6. Smoothies can also be a good breakfast or snack option when working with leftover fruit, yogurt, milk or milk alternatives. Mix together and blend!

7. Last but not least, any type of sandwich/wrap can include a various assortment of whatever you need to use up! Add your favorite condiments and try to come up with yummy new ideas.

Repurposing leftovers not only reduces food waste but also encourages us to be more mindful eaters. By incorporating IE principles into the process, we can cultivate a better connection to our ability to pay attention to hunger, fullness and satiety signals. So, the next time you find yourself with leftovers, embrace the opportunity to create something new, delicious, and nourishing.