Embracing less waste and more taste, Love Food Hate Waste NZ has launched its new campaign "Leftover Legends". Celebrating creative and practical ways to make the most of our leftover meals, saving time, money and food.
Check out Love Food Hate Waste’s quick top tips to help you become a Leftover Legend.
• Remember the 2-2-2 rule
To ensure your leftovers are safe, follow the 2-2-2 rule: cool them, cover them and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. Eat within two days, either cold or reheated until piping hot. This simple practice can prevent foodborne illnesses and keep your meals delicious.
If in doubt, freeze. If you don’t think you are going to eat your leftovers within two days, freeze them for up to two months. Pretty much anything can be frozen. Not only will freezing those leftovers ensure you don’t waste them, it will also build a supply of meals for when you need something fast for dinner. If you don’t have enough containers for freezing, try using sandwich-sized ziplock bags for things such as soups and stews. They stack well in the freezer and are quick to defrost.
• Label everything
Avoid the dreaded UFOs (unidentified frozen objects) in your freezer by labelling your leftovers with the dish name and date. This small step helps you keep track of what you have and when to eat it.
• Prioritise "eat me first" items
Designate a spot in your fridge for items that need to be eaten soon. Use an "eat me first" sticker or have a designated shelf in the fridge for free-for-all items. This will also stop hungry teenagers snacking on the food you plan to use for dinner.
• Mix and match meals
Turn leftover nights into a culinary adventure. Your meal may end up being a random assortment of food, but you’ll get a night off cooking! Make sure you have staples such as wraps, eggs or bread to bulk out the meal if necessary.
• Get creative with small portions
Leftover bits and pieces can be the start of something new. Make a stir fry by adding vegetables or beans, use bread as a pizza base and top with small amounts of leftovers and top with cheese, turn meaty stews and curries into wontons, dumplings, or ravioli. Try out our easy wontons recipe.
• Be smart about servings
When serving family-style, let everyone choose their portions. Rather than scraping leftovers from people’s plate into the bin, you can store what’s left in the serving dish for another day.
• Upskill your cooking
Learn a few versatile recipes, like frittatas, soups, or pies, to transform your leftovers into a fresh new dish. This helps keep your meals interesting and saves you from eating the same meal twice.
• Avoid soggy salad
If you’re not sure you’ll finish a salad, serve the dressing on the side. This way, the salad stays crisp the following day, avoiding the disappointment of wilted greens.
• Leftovers anytime
Who says leftovers are just for lunch? Enjoy them for breakfast or as a snack. The important thing is that they get eaten, not wasted.
Embracing these tips can help reduce food waste, save money and make mealtimes more exciting.
Easy wontons
Ingredients
250g-300g leftovers — try curry, barbecue meat and sauce, tofu and gravy. Roasted veges.
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, finely chopped
1 x 24 pack wonton, dumpling, or gyoza wrappers
¼ cup water
Method
1. Either finely chop or blend your leftovers. The finer you chop them, the easier it is to create your wontons.
2. Take a wonton wrapper and place on the bench. Pop a spoonful of mixture in the centre.
3. Using your finger dab around the edges and as close to the filling as you can with a little water.
4. Bring together into a semicircle and seal and squeeze the edges.
5. Continue until you’ve used up the filling and wontons.
6. Drop into a bubbling broth for soup; top with freshly chopped herbs. Steam, pan or air fry. Or drop into a freezer bag and store.
Cooking Tips
• Frozen wontons will keep for up to 2 months.
• A delicious wonton filling needs a little sauce. If you don’t have any, try using a spoonful of mayonnaise, cottage cheese (or ricotta) or pesto.
For more
• Follow along on Facebook and Instagram @lovefoodhatewastenz for more legendary recipes and to learn leftover hacks and get inspired. Or visit our website, www.lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz.
