What to do with your Christmas leftover foods?

I was struck by this piece of  news.

On  these days  many Italians have bought too much food  for  Christmas menus and now almost a third of what was purchased will be  thrown  into the garbage.  I think there is the same problem worldwide.

Tons of food to throw away? It does not exist. You can not  do it.

First of all there are a lot of people  not so fortunate as we are, we have to respect them. We can not throw food when people are dying of hunger.

Then the  environment: it would be a great damage for the environment to throw all that food.

And last: what about our portfolio?

For all these reasons I’m going to share with you my experience gained over many Christmas parties to recycle the leftover food.

First of all I learnt how to plan a perfect Christmas party from my mother and grandmother. Both were wise and able to  plan the menu thinking of what they could make with leftover foods. For example they were used to prepare assorted boiled meats and, obviously, a delicious meat stock and then roast meat (turkey or beef) as second courses. They knew very well how to recycle them. Generally I always insert these two dishes in my Christmas menu too.  Assorted boiled meats is a classical dish on the Italian Christmas table. If a little meat remains it can be flavored in tomato sauce in the following days. It’s cool! The stock is very good with our famous tortellini or to prepare a delicious mushroom risotto.

The roast meat can be kept in the fridge for some days, reheated in a microwave or a traditional oven just before serving and at last, if tired of eating it, minced and mixed with other ingredients to make savory meatballs or the  ravioli filling or a delicious recipe of Piedmont known as “capunet” (cabbage rolls).

But times are changed and nowadays it is necessary to think about  something new.

Meanwhile, it is almost impossible to know what is the right amount for the Christmas shopping. There are a lot of reasons.  Christmas is a family celebration and the exact number of guests is often  unclear  up to the last minute. Anything can happen because several generations sit around the table.

And we know how easily children and elderly can become ill. And it’s not enough!  there may be someone who joins at the last moment. In short,  you can have a dynamic situation that can evolve in one direction or another.

Hence the need to stock the food.

And then there’s always another thought: have I bought enough?

And then … who among us does not want to impress her relatives? And so planning our Christmas menu means to add other courses.

And then … who among us don’t think: if I prepare a lot of dishes I can’t but cook the next days …

So we buy a lot of food and  we have  a lot of food left at the end. It happens in every family, worldwide.

But  to throw the food left into the garbage … I dare say  this is not the best solution.

Here are my tips!

1) Meanwhile, finished the Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas lunch, depending on the year, I put all the food left  in the refrigerator all included:   the appetizers, pasta, stock, roast and boiled meats …  All must be completely covered with plastic wrap.

2) If I have celebrated on Christmas Eve I try to recycle the same food the day after after garnishing again my dishes.

3)  I do another thing as soon as possible: a good review of all that is left in the fridge and pantry. Generally I do not throw away what has come to maturity.

Please note the deadline may be considered with some flexibility, especially if the products we buy are made by very serious firms.

4) Then I plan  immediately lunches and dinners for  the next few days so very hard to try to use the whole food left.  Remember: any leftover food may be good  to make delicious sandwiches for lunch if we are obliged to have lunch out of home.

5) If  I realize we are  not able to eat all  the food left in the next two or three days  I freeze the food in the right portions. Generally I use  those containers that usually go directly from freezer to microwave or oven and make clear the date of freezing. It’s very useful for lean times when I get home at the last moment and have no time to cook.

6) Generally, I also freeze sliced ham or other salami. I know someone of you may be doubtful  but I assure you that sometimes it is providential to remove  few slices of salami or bacon from the freezer to flavor sauces or risotto. Certainly you can not eat them  as if they were fresh, but once cooked …

7) If I have too much fresh fruit left I cook it if I had to make jam in order to use it during the breakfast in the next days.

8 ) In Italy we are used to put a lot of dried fruit on the Christmas table. If I have walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts left I prepare a lot of delicious cakes in the next months.

9) If I have some pasta left I reheat it: it tastes fantastic! Particularly if I have spaghetti or tagliatelle I make tasty frittata (omelettes) that everybody likes.

In conclusion, planning my Christmas menu I always try to include food that may be processed or stored for long time.

On the contrary I suggest you to consider carefully the amount of fresh fish.  It is the most  perishable food and  you can’t reheat it every time you want.

And then there is a last chance to rediscover the real meaning of Christmas that is solidarity with those people who are not so lucky as we are.

There are many associations, even in smaller villages, working to set aside food for the underprivileged and poor people, or to prepare hot meals for them. And they do it with just expired food or close to the deadline. It is a more reasonable choice than throwing away leftover food, according to me. What about my idea?

Greetings from Italy

Loretta