Creativity with Leftovers
The Connection Between Leftovers & Food Waste
In 2024, an estimated 57,400 tons of food were wasted by Tennessee households because people did not want the leftovers. Finding creative ways to use leftovers and extra ingredients helps keep food from going to waste, save money, and make the most of the food you already have.
Food Waste-Friendly Recipes
Click on the tiles below to view recipes for these commonly wasted foods.
This recipe is great for using up soft fruit past its best, but not when it’s gone so far that it has reached the mouldy stage! This fruit jam is more like a compote than a normal jam and needs to be eaten within a few days. It's quick to make and is lovely served with scones, on toast, mixed into yogurt or spooned onto ice cream.
Stale bread can be resurrected with this wonderful breakfast treat. Serve with generous spoonfuls of Greek yogurt.
This stir-fry is a quick and easy way to use up a host of leftover veggies in an interesting and flavoursome way.
Use up your leftover veggies with this recipe by finely chopping them and adding them to a meatball mix. A brilliant way to get your children to eat more veggies! Drop them into a delicious tomato-based sauce and serve with pasta. Make them bite-sized and serve them as appetizers with a tasty dip.
Use up your extra ripe bananas by making banana bread, muffins, or pancakes.
Find More Food Waste-Friendly Recipes
Use the resources below to explore more recipes to creatively use up your leftovers and extra ingredients before they spoil.
Have a Resource to Share?
If you have a resource you'd like to see on this webpage, send it to kristen.privette@tn.gov.
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