Groceries are expensive, and finding ways to stretch your food—and your budget—makes sense. One strategy that works for me is building a weekly menu based on sales. From there, I write a grocery list, including all the ingredients I’ll need to avoid extra trips and impulse buys. And at least one night a week, dinner is all about food leftovers.
This habit really took root back when my kids were younger. I was a Girl Scout leader and the mom helping my daughter earn her badges. Honestly, sometimes I learned just as much as she did. One memory that stands out was the day she earned her campership badge—along with a bonus snowflake badge—as big, wet snowflakes drifted into our campsite. I stood at the campfire, guiding the girls as they cooked dinner.
That evening, I was introduced to something they called Hobo Stew. Each girl brought a can of soup, and we poured them all into one big pot. I’ll admit, I was skeptical. But when we added cheese dumplings—Bisquick wrapped around little cubes of cheese—the result was surprisingly delicious. That experience stuck with me.
Using Up Food Leftovers Creatively
These days, I use that same approach at home to reduce food waste and get creative with what’s in the fridge and open boxes in the pantry. Leftovers become the base for hearty soups, cozy casseroles, or tasty wraps. In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite ways to turn yesterday’s dinner into something new and satisfying.
Soup It Up
One of the easiest ways to breathe new life into food leftovers is by turning them into soup. I always keep broth or stock on hand just for this purpose. Like the old Girl Scout Hobo Stew, you might be surprised at how well a handful of odds and ends come together in a soup pot. It’s flexible, flavorful, and budget-friendly.
Soup Base Ideas:
- Broth: Chicken, veggie, or beef—boxed, bouillon, or homemade.
- Tomato Base: Crushed tomatoes + water or broth.
- Creamy Base: Use up leftover milk, cream, or canned coconut milk. (Adding just ¼ cup of cream to your broth gives it a rich, creamy taste.)
Great Leftover Add-ins:
- Cooked rice, pasta, or beans.
- Roasted or grilled meats (even more than one kind of meat in the same pot).
- Leftover veggies (raw or cooked).
- Fresh greens like spinach or kale (add at the end to wilt). This is a great way to get rid of that half a bag of spinach before it goes bad.
Tried-and-True Soup Combos
- Taco Soup: Leftover taco meat + corn + black beans + broth + a can of Rotel. I like to stir in a brick of cream cheese at the end for a creamy twist. This also works great with leftover beans and rice.
- Chicken & Rice Soup: Roasted chicken + rice + carrots + celery. If your veggies are raw, sauté before adding them to the pot. Perfect for using up that limp celery and that last handful of baby carrots before they go bad.
- Creamy Veggie Soup: Mashed potatoes + shredded or chopped veggies + broth = simple and satisfying. The mashed potatoes work as a thickener, or if you have a cup of instant mashed potatoes left in the box, that can work too.
Transform Leftovers into a Casserole
Casseroles are a classic. I love that you make them in one dish, which means easy cleanup, and they tend to be super kid-friendly. They’re perfect for transforming random food leftovers into something comforting and cohesive.
Casserole Building Blocks:
- Protein: Leftover meats, beans, or even scrambled eggs.
- Starch: Pasta, rice, potatoes (skip this for low-carb versions).
- Veggies: Fresh, frozen, or already cooked.
- Sauce: Think cream soups, tomato-based sauces, cheese sauces, or a mix of sour cream and salsa.
- Topping: Cheese, breadcrumbs, crushed crackers. If you use a cheese topping, medium cheddar melts smoothly, whole milk mozzarella gives a divine stretch, and cheeses like Gruyère, Monterey Jack, and Havarti are all excellent melters.
Go-To Combos:
- Classic Chicken (or Turkey) Casserole: Chicken + broccoli + pasta + cheese sauce. (Or you can make a white sauce if you have milk or cream that needs to be used).
- Taco Bake: Taco-seasoned beef + beans + tortilla chips + cheese. If you have corn tortillas to use up, they can be layered like lasagna noodles.
- Ham & Rice Casserole: Leftover ham + rice + peas + chopped cauliflower + cream of mushroom soup.
- Cabbage Roll Casserole: Leftover cabbage chopped + ground beef, topped with diced onion + leftover tomato sauce or a can of petite diced tomatoes + top with a small can of tomato sauce and baked covered. Serve over reheated rice.
Bonus Tip:
Assemble casseroles in advance and either bake later or freeze in individual portions for easy lunches or dinners on busy nights.
Wrap It Up
Wraps are the ultimate in fast, fun, and flexible meals. They’re perfect for lunches, picky eaters, or when everyone wants something a little different. Just lay out the ingredients and let everyone build their own! We call this fend for yourself at our house.
Wrapper Options:
- Tortillas (regular or low-carb)
- Lettuce leaves
- Naan or pita
- Rice paper
- Even sandwich bread rolled flat
- For keto: use large cheese slices or deli meat as the wrap
Filling Ideas:
- BBQ chicken, buffalo turkey—any meat + sauce = flavor-packed wrap
- Leftover roasted veggies + hummus or a savory spread
- Rice or beans + cheese + salsa = instant burrito
- Stir-fry leftovers + rice noodles + hoisin = Asian-style wrap
Don’t Forget the Sauce:
- Ranch, sriracha mayo, hummus, avocado mash, salsa (Salsa Verde is one of my favorites), taco sauce, honey mustard—anything goes!
Kid Tip: Make it fun! Cut wraps into pinwheels or use cookie cutters for fun shapes.
Leftover Meal Success
The key to leftover meal success is experimentation. Mix, match, and don’t be afraid to try new combos—there’s really no wrong way to do it.
A few final tips:
- Remember to plan a leftover night on your menu (and be ready to schedule a second leftover night if needed)
- Store leftovers in clear containers so they don’t get forgotten. Mason jars work well.
- If you have many small leftover amounts, schedule a fend for yourself leftovers night.” We call it “fend for yourself” night, and everyone builds their own meal.
- And remember: creativity in the kitchen can save money and often make meals more fun!
