The first thing to consider is if you will have a large turkey and a large family get together, we suggest you give as much away to them in disposable cartons as you are comfortable doing. This gives them leftovers for sandwiches and snacks too!
Don’t forget the sides! If you made too much food for your family to eat in a couple of days – realistically speaking – you should let your guest take some home as well. Yes that includes the leftover mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, rolls, bread, stuffing, yams – the works!
If you are hosting this year, once you are done eating, entertaining, playing cards and laughing with your family, dealing with the leftovers will be the last thing you want to do. If you only do one thing, make sure to cover the turkey in aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator to keep it moist and fresh.
The next day, once you are well rested, you can organize your leftovers. If you are going to use some of the turkey leftovers for sandwiches, then cut the meat into sandwich size slices and wrap for storage in individual serving sizes – enough for one sandwich. You can actually make those sandwiches now and just pop into a sandwich bag and leave the condiments off. That way, when someone wants a sandwich they only need to add the mustard, lettuce and tomato for a wonderful snack!
Be sure to take the dressing out of the turkey prior to storing – I suggest you line the inside of the turkey with cheesecloth before stuffing. Then when the turkey is ready, all you have to do is pull on the cheesecloth and ALL the dressing comes out. It is super easy and makes sure your turkey is safe and ready for storage. If you are going to make leftover dinners with your meat and vegetables, divide the leftovers by the meal you will be making. For example, if you are going to combine all the veggies and meat into a stew or casserole, determine how much you will need and package that amount together for storage in your refrigerator.
Don’t forget the bones will be great for a soup base! Pull all the meat off the bones and use the meat for the soup or other dishes.
Freeze, freeze, freeze! If you really don’t want the food to go to waste then package it up and freeze it. You can even make your own homemade “frozen dinners” with your leftovers. If you don’t have enough freezer-type containers, use paper plates and make sure they are wrapped securely to avoid freezer burn and waste.
Pop a label on your leftovers if you are going to use them for a specific dish so hungry folks won’t take from the wrong container.
There you have it. It is good to begin thinking about how you want to organize your leftover food before you even begin cooking the Thanksgiving meal. As with anything, you will find that it will be a lot easier to get this done, when you have a plan.
Written by: Alicia Rockmore
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