Going Further with Food Part 2 of 3- Tips to Repurpose Your Leftovers

National Nutrition Month continues!  Yesterday we had the opportunity to talk at Natural Grocers about different ways we can decrease our food waste and save money while grocery shopping. For today's blog post we are going to stay true to the theme of “Going Further with Food,” and came up with a couple of ideas on how to give new life to your leftover food for when you’re tired of eating the same thing every day. Below are a few ways you can turn your leftover food into a brand new meal or snack. 

• Leftover Vegetables → Vegetable Soup
  • Just throw those veggies in with some broth or stock into a crock pot
• Leftover Vegetables → Veggie Scramble
  • Scramble with some eggs for a nutritious omelet
• Leftover Meats → Steak Salad
  • Use that meat as a topping on your favorite greens for some extra protein and flavor
• Leftover Meats → Chicken Quesadilla
  • Quick quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches become more filling with some added chicken
• Stale Bread → Homemade Croutons
  • Bread that’s starting to get a little crunchy can make great croutons, simply add some herbs and oil and bake for a long lasting, healthy salad topping
• Stale Bread → French Toast
  • Turning stale bread into French Toast adds the moisture back in that will make a tasty breakfast treat
• Aging Fruit → Dried Fruit
  • Drying fresh fruit before it starts to get bruised and soft will give you a long lasting source of fruity vitamins.  Add to some unsalted nuts and you have some healthy trail mix for an on-the-go snack
• Aging Fruit → Baked Fruit
  • Take advantage of the mushiness of that older fruit by baking.  Banana bread, baked apples, or similar items are a healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth

If you weren’t able to attend in person, check our video of the presentation below!  Stay tuned for our last National Nutrition Month blog next week to learn how to choose food over supplementation!https://youtu.be/X4nkzLZ2NHMWishing you a weekend filled with tasty and creative leftover repurposing,**Written by: Madison Smith (Dietetic Intern)**-Ricci-Lee Hotz, MS, RDNA Taste of Health, LLCDenver's Dancing Dietitian"Improving quality of life one bite at a time"