Hello beautiful people! I hope you all had a nice calming stress free week 🙂 I’m living in absolute chaos still and while I may be an organizing junkie, I don’t do chaos well. So I’m trying to take my own advice and not look up. Kitchen is done though so yay for that and hopefully getting some yummy meals on the table this week. 5 new recipes, yipee!! How about you?
I got this question recently from a reader and thought I’d answer it here:
I recently started doing a leftover buffet thing (which is a great idea btw). But I’m always so scared of things still being okay to eat. Do you follow any sort of guidelines? For instance, how long you keep it in the fridge depending on ingredients? I appreciate your help! Jen
Thanks for your question Jen. For us, having a leftover day scheduled right in the middle of the week allows me to break up my leftovers so I don’t have too much hanging around at any given time. So Mon/Tues/Wed’s leftovers are eaten on Thursday. Whatever doesn’t get eaten that day is tossed and then typically we do a simple supper on Sunday where leftovers from Friday and Saturday are eaten. If we don’t have leftovers for Sunday I will make something easy like grilled cheese and soup or breakfast for dinner. I usually have a pretty good idea now how many leftovers will be involved based on what recipe I’m cooking so I take that into consideration when deciding whether or not to go ahead and pre-plan Sunday’s menu. I always start with a clean slate every Monday. For more information visit Use Leftovers Safely: Control Food Wasting. Hope that helps!
Here’s what we’ll be eating this week:
Monday: Skillet Tacos
Tuesday: Pasta Carbonara
Wednesday: Honey & Soy Baked Chicken Thighs
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Pizza Margherita
Saturday: Black Bean and Rice Tostada
Simple Supper Sunday
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU THIS WEEK?
Menu Plan Monday guidelines and banner selections are here.
FoodontheTable says
I love pasta carbonara! Good questions about leftovers. My rule of thumb is usually a week. Does that sound about right? Thanks for hosting!
Audrey says
This kinky has motivated me SO MUCH with my menu planning! Thanks! 🙂
The Happy Housewife says
We love tostadas so much! I don’t make them nearly enough, but I need to start making them again. 🙂
Toni
Tiffany says
Good luck with the unpacking and organizing in the new house. I loved that clean slate feel when we moved into our house. I’d gotten rid of so much stuff. I need to ruthlessly declutter again.
Rita says
Funny you’re having a pizza margherita and I’m having panini margherita this week. We must be thinking alike. Have a wonderful week!
Wendy says
I am sharing my recipes this week that I made for my daughter’s tea party (birthday). Thanks for hosting.
I would love to have you (and anyone else) join me at my blog for Tip Day Thursday (tips for all things related to the kitchen).
Queen of the House says
Thanks for hosting! Try not to get too overwhelmed. I remember to tell myself “a day at a time….”, too! 🙂
Andrea says
I love the leftover buffet idea. Most of our leftovers go to work with my husband, but there are always those few things that need to go in a buffet!
Maryann @ Raise Healthy Eaters says
Glad to hear you got the kitchen done. We just bought a place so I will be in the same boat in a couple of months. I also do leftovers on Thursday. I’m always paranoid about food going bad so I try to use them up ASAP!
Susie's Homemade says
It won’t let me add my link:-( So, here it is:
http://susieshomemade.blogspot.com/2010/08/chicken-in-basil-cream.html
Shawn says
I am new at adding my menu planning. Hope it showed up on the link. Enjoy!
Julie says
Because we are a household of 3, we ALWAYS have leftovers when I cook a meal. That’s great though because either I can freeze them (if there are enough for another complete meal) send with hubby for lunch during the week.
Paula says
For some reason I can’t post my link. It’s at http://fletchingtonfarms.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/menu-plan-monday-9-august-2010/
Thanks
Shrinking mommy says
mine is #85 if you want to check it out…as i AM new
Kelli @ 3 Boys and a Dog says
I say about a week on leftovers, depending on the leftover. 🙂
Sheena says
Honey and soy baked chicken sounds yummy!
Sherry says
Great looking meal plan! Those chicken thighs sound delish!! 😀 Thanks for hosting!
Jill says
Hello everyone!
I LOVE this! Thanks for hosting. I think it’s wonderful that there are so many of us Meal Planners out there!
I am new to blogging so please come check me out – I’d love any feedback! I’m #110 on the list.
Have a wonderful day!
dddiva says
I keep seeing pasta carbonara but have never actually tried it- looks easy enough I might just have to break down and put it on the menu.
I’d never go more than 2 or 3 days with the leftovers either- if there are a ton I’ll freeze them for another day. Mostly they eat them for lunches though so not really a problem. I’d be especially careful with anything with poultry or mayo, though.
Amanda @ Frugal Living Tips says
I had planned leftovers for a wonderful lunch for everyone today (including my two workers). We got up to find that my ASD/Asperger’s teen son had eaten them whilst on his nocturnal wanderings!
Despite that we are using what we have for the main part this week and that will involve lots of grilling.
Re leftovers, generally 2-5 days depending on what they are. Rice shouldn’t be kept in the fridge for more than 2 days (I think).
Blessings,
Amanda
Jennifer in MamaLand says
For Jen on the subject of leftovers:
Since I’ve started doing MPM, we never have to stand by the fridge wondering, “when did we have the chili…?” or “how old is this soup…?” Now I can look at my blog and we know EXACTLY which day we had things.
That has helped tremendously relieve my paranoia about eating spoiled food or serving things to my family that are “too old.” Before I did MPM, I would just throw things out if I didn’t remember when we’d eaten them. We’re wasting much less food this way!
Heather says
I am really, really not doing well wit MPM’s, but I keep trying. Maybe some day it will stick!
beth says
I love the taste of home website, and magazine. There is always at least one new dish I add to my keep list. Good advice on the leftovers. It’s hard to acknowledge, but some meals just aren’t good enough to completely finish and then it’s okay to throw it away.
Christy says
This week, I’m using leftover tri-tip to make pepper steak sandwiches!
Dawn says
My daughter & I made the Penne Pasta from last week. Another hit. I love this site, it’s helped me so much. Thank you!
Martha (MM) says
Thanks as always for hosting Laura. Hope you are getting all settled into the new place 🙂
Mary Ann says
Thanks for hosting again, Laura!
As far as leftovers go, we often eat them for lunches so very little ends up being left that’s over a few days old. If we have a lot, I’ll freeze what I can and change the menu to accommodate them.
Stacy @ Moderate Means says
LOVE the skillet tacos! I’m going to try it!
We always have leftovers because I plan them – we pack them with us before work and it makes for easy office meals 🙂
Stacy
Jennifer @ Canadian Coupon Mom says
Thanks for some great idea’s. I had burritos and rice on my menu for sunday but now I’m going to try your saturday menu! Looks yummy
Megan says
THANKS for hosting yet again! Good luck pulling together all the details with your move – I’ll be thinkin’ about you!
Lexi says
Sorry I am late!!!!
Mrs. Fuzz says
We have leftovers day usually on Saturday, but we try and eat up leftovers for lunches, snacks, and meals for my husband to take to work with him. It seems like 3-5 days is what we usually find is good for leftovers. . .
Forgetfulone says
I think a friend of mine was also making skillet tacos on Monday! I posted and forgot to link up till now.
Jamie says
We call our leftovers night a “YOYO” night (you’re on your own). My kids are 13, 10 and 7 and pretty good at finding something to eat on their own and warming it up (sometimes the youngest needs a little help). The only rule is that it has to come from the fridge. No opening new packages of food unless absolutely necessary. I avoid the word “leftovers” as it had come to have such a negative connotation to it. My kids love YOYO night. So do I. 🙂