Beat the High Cost of Food: Eat the Leftovers!

How many times have you cleaned out the refrigerator and found leftover food that you'd completely forgotten about? If not the refrigerator, then what about the cabinet? Pantry? Freezer?

It seems too obvious to say it, but when we buy food and don't use it all we're wasting money. Sure, everyone has leftovers because it's impossible to tell exactly how much of what will satisfy you, much less others for whom you cook.

You don't have to let the excess food go to waste though. A little creativity, a little determination and an adventurous attitude will get the most out of the food you buy, and that will help your food budget better than anything else you could do, possibly excepting downright thievery.

A few basic rules help:

Don't mix carbohydrates - rice, potatoes, pasta, etc. Use only one high carbohydrate food as a base for a recipe or a side dish at the same meal.

Legumes like peas, beans or lentils grow naturally in different areas than broccoli, cauliflower and kale, so usually it's best not to mix them. (It's more of a cultural thing more than a nutritional one though, as recipes and food ideas developed over the years.)

In this age of light eating, when turky burgers, chicken hotdogs and fake crabmeat are common alternatives to beef and other heavy meats, you can mix just about any meat with just about any vegetable and come up with an acceptable (at least to most) meal.

Save or add gravy and sauces to help flavor and disguise a new meal from leftover food.

On to the particulars:

Mince leftover roast, chops and steaks, chicken, turkey, sausage or crumble cooked ground beef, either by themselves or mixed together, and use them in casseroles, stews or sandwich spread.

Make sandwich spread with your food processor or blender by chopping leftover meats finely and adding mayonnaise, salad dressing or mustard along with pickles, onions, boiled eggs, cheese... your choice of flavors. Just a half cup of leftover meat will make several sandwiches this way.