This Christmas is going to be unlike any we’ve had before. The epidemic of coronavirus means that collections tend to be much smaller, with many of us relying on Zoom calls to connect with our families.
Those performances are diminished, meaning many of us are prone to being immersed plenty of what’s left. This is especially true for millions of people in the UK, who were told last Saturday that Christmas has been effectively postponed. My own mother-in-law, for example, had just bought enough food to feed 10 of us when Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that large areas of the country were now banned from mixing indoors.
So for people like my lawless, what do you do with all that food? Freezers are only so big, which means that there is a lot of production for landfill – and that is a big problem.
Food production is wreaking havoc on the planet. If it were a country it would be third only to the US and China in terms of greenhouse gas production. When food goes to landfill it generates a lot of methane.
If we could stop this kind of rubbish, it would cut down on carbon emissions equivalent to taking one in four cars off the road.
It is best not to overcook in the first place. If you’re not sure how to make one plate too many, Admiral has a useful tool to find out exactly what you need to do for the number of people eating.
But sometimes overcooking is inevitable. So with the planet in mind, here are our top tips for using what’s left over wisely.
Curry
It’s only right to start with a canoe – the UK’s unofficial national dish. The beauty of curry is that it comes in a variety of shapes and styles, and is absolutely perfect for using leftover meat and vegetables. Plus it’s perfect for freezing.
My previously mentioned mother-in-law is the real queen for reducing food waste. A lump of withering vegetables is never left lying in her fridge: everything is used up.
The Christmas staple in her house is a delicious post-Christmas turkey canoe made by her brother-in-law – and it has become a regular practice in my own house now as well.
Their recipe is not available, however this one from Pinch of Nom it’s a great alternative – plus it makes the ever-controversial brush brushes work as well.
For vegans and vegans, there are other options – including this potato recipe from Sanjana Festivals.
Bubble and squeak
The bubble and squeak of another British tradition dates back to the 18th century, and it has earned a reputation as one of the “great country vessels in the world”.
In fact it’s sort of sort of and will be commonly eaten on Boxing Day (December 26).
I refuse to believe that anyone is using a recipe for this dish, as I tend to throw in all the remaining potatoes, sprouts, carrots and parsnips. your wok for a few minutes on high heat.
But if you prefer a slightly more official (and definitely tastier) version, this Jamie Oliver recipe highly recommended by more skilled friends.
Frittata
Like bubbles and squeaks, the frittata is another dish that’s just perfect for smashing what’s left together – albeit with eggs and cheese in the mix.
It’s a truly versatile meal – and perfect for wrapping up and taking walks after Christmas. This may be your only chance to get out of the house this year.
This recipe from delicious is both simple and spicy, with added jalapenos. In addition, it can be made quite a vegetable by removing the bacon.
Or this vegetable selection from Runner’s World this is perfect for a fitness lover and couch potatoes alike.
Pasties
This is one of my favorite options – and it comes from one of my favorite cooking writers too. Jack Monroe specializes in affordable low-cost recipes – and this one is an exception.
A pasties Latha Boxing costs just € 0.14 to make and can be frozen for year-round enjoyment.
If you like this, we highly recommend you grab yourself a copy of one of her many recipe books for more low cost flavors that help eliminate food waste.
Brot
I return to another staple of mother-in-law. Thanks to her plentiful lot, soup is available 24/7 in her home – and this is definitely one of the best ways to avoid food waste.
From a variety of vegan soup options, remember that meat can be turned into great snacks too – so nothing has to go to waste.
There are more soup recipes than you could ever need on the internet, but one of my favorites The kitchen shed.
Ingredients not left
Hopefully these do go some way to stimulating your kitchen-based creativity, but this is certainly not a complete list with any part of the imagination.
One of the best things to do is not to see your leftovers as leftovers from one food before, but as ingredients for the next.
Websites and apps like Supercook they are great at generating options from the pieces and pieces that run around your refrigerators, freezers and cupboards. In addition content creators like Max La Manna has hundreds of junk-free recipes on hand.
If you get creative in the kitchen in this time after Christmas, share your photos with us on Instagram and Twitter by tagging #euronewsliving or @euronewsliving.