The Dilemma – What to Do with Thanksgiving Leftovers?

I love leftovers, sometimes even more than freshly cooked food.  Sure Thanksgiving is nice, but our annual Friday-after-Thanksgiving-leftover-feast and the sandwiches all weekend long were at least as good as the holiday dinner. 

Then came that inevitable moment of reckoning.  Last night I inventoried the remaining pieces of meat, the turkey carcass (even the word sounds like you should immediately get rid of it), and multiple containers of stuffing and cranberry sauce, not to mention the bits of pie.  I bet similar moments of truth have been happening in households all over the U.S. as refrigerators are whipped back into shape for another workweek. 

Like a good drill sargent, I pitched, transformed, or froze much of what was left.  Both the refrigerator and I heaved a sigh of relief as we moved out of Thanksgiving mode.  We do have the memories though, along with a few leftover treats.

The best guide for saving, using, and freezing leftover Thanksgiving fare is your common sense.  If you have a moment’s hesitation when deciding whether to keep leftovers, listen to the little voice in the back of your head saying “throw it out.”  Although none of us likes to waste food, the solution is not to serve food that isn’t safe.  And for those moments when the little voice doesn't guide you, here are a few tips:

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Turkey Pot Pie

Monday night, my darling spouse reminded me that we still had 2 packages of Thanksgiving turkey in the freezer.  I loved archaeology as a kid and don’t mind excavating in the freezer – even if it means carbon dating an unmarked package before attempting to identify its contents.  But he is much more persnickety than I am about such matters.  I took his comment as a gentle hint that “we” should find a way to use said turkey before my own mother and the USDA would tell me to throw it out.  

The weather forecast called for a light dusting of snow as I pondered how to use the turkey slices.  With cold air outside and the oven, at the ready, I yearned for baked comfort food. Then it hit me – turkey pot pie!  I don't think I've had a pot pie since the days when Swanson TV dinners were the order of the day, but a homemade version sounded like a plan. 

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Turkey Tips Let You Enjoy Leftovers

I'm going to take a break from blogging tomorrow to be with my family. Before I do, here are a few tips for handling your turkey at dinner and when you're putting it away for leftovers:

• When you take the turkey out of the oven, if it is stuffed, immediately remove the stuffing from the inside of the bird and put it in a bowl to serve it.


• Put cooked turkey (or other cooked meat) in the refrigerator within 2 hours of taking it out of the oven. If you carve the turkey and then have a leisurely dinner, put the turkey away soon after you serve it. Don't let the meat sit out while you linger over dessert.


• Cut the turkey off the bone, or at least take any uneaten wings and legs off the main part of the bird, when you store the pieces.


• Wrap leftovers in airtight plastic wrap or foil or store them in airtight containers before refrigerating or freezing them.

For more tips, check out these Foodsafety and USDA pages.

Enjoy your holiday dinner and those with whom you will share it. If you have a job and are lucky enough to have a holiday dinner, consider making a donation today to a foodbank or another organization that serves those less fortunate.