Thanksgiving is a day full of family, food, and sharing gratitude. Even after this delicious holiday ends, you still reap the yummy benefits with a fridge that’s full of leftovers! Using some creativity, you can use those leftovers in new ways to keep enjoying Thanksgiving days after it’s over. We’ve outlined a few ways to incorporate different sides and main dishes from your Thanksgiving meal.
Leftover Turkey
After your friends and family say their goodbyes, you probably have a lot of leftover turkey meat. Don’t fret! That delicious turkey that you spent hours preparing and cooking can be easily reused in a tasty meal for the next few days.
You can choose to make a turkey broth from the leftover turkey bones and some fresh produce items. After preparing the broth, use it to make delicious soup to enjoy on the chilly nights after Thanksgiving. You can also use your leftover turkey meat and a few items you’ll have in your kitchen to prepare an easy leftover Thanksgiving casserole.
Side Dishes
While turkey may get all of the glory during your Thanksgiving meal, side dishes tie your entire dinner together. You’ll have many different side dishes to choose from in your leftovers stash.
Mashed Potatoes
When it comes to mashed potatoes, our favorite leftover recipe is Mashed Potato Pizza. It combines our two favorite things: pizza and fluffy mashed potatoes. Your kids are sure to gobble up this tasty dish! You might even enjoy it more than mashed potatoes by themselves!
Green Beans
Another Thanksgiving side dish staple is green beans. You can choose to make a delicious green bean casserole from the remaining leftovers, but you can choose a more creative option. , You can use your leftover green beans by trying this recipe for Deep-Fried Green Beans! It’ll be a delicious complement to your other Thanksgiving leftovers.
Stuffing
You might think that stuffing loses its purpose after Thanksgiving day, however, that is not the case. You can add eggs, bacon, cheese, and bell peppers with a few cups of stuffing to make this delicious Stuffing Frittata!
Dessert
Although one of the best ways to enjoy leftover dessert is usually just cutting another slice of pumpkin pie, we have some creative ways to make use of that extra pie. For example, Apple Pie Milkshakes are a yummy way to upgrade your Thanksgiving pies. Simply add milk to any slice of pie and blend it into a frozen treat.
How Long Do Leftovers Last?
You may be wondering how much time you have to enjoy your post-Thanksgiving favorites. Here’s a helpful guide from Still Tasty to remember how long your leftovers are good for in the fridge:
- Cooked Turkey: 3-4 days
- Gravy: 1-2 days
- Cooked Stuffing: 3-4 days
- Mashed Potatoes: 3-5 days
- Green Beans: 3-5 days
- Baked Pumpkin Pie: 3-4 days
- Apple Pie: 2-3 days
Find Everything You Need for a Delicious Holiday Season at Ward’s
Whether you are preparing for a holiday dinner or need to pick up some extra ingredients for these leftover recipes, Ward’s has everything you need for a delicious holiday season!
