Thanksgiving Leftovers: How to Use Them and When to Throw Them Out

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Thanksgiving is over, which means everyone will be enjoying leftovers for the next few days, but how long will they last?

No matter how hard you try, whether you’re hosting a large family gathering, a small dinner for two, or a celebration somewhere in between, there will always be more food left over than you can use.

How long do leftovers last?

According to foodsafety.gov, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. This time frame means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat any leftovers or put them in the freezer to enjoy at a later date. When leftovers are placed in the freezer, they will be at their best within two to six months. But what if you want to get creative with your Thanksgiving leftovers?

Thanksgiving leftover recipes

Delish put together a list of recipes you can try with your Thanksgiving leftovers:

• Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole – This cozy casserole could be a new way to enjoy holiday leftovers.
• Thanksgiving Leftover Tacos – Something about using a tortilla takes turkey day leftovers to a whole new level. Especially when you add freshly cooked turkey in a gravy-laced pseudo-mole sauce, chipotle chiles, and dark chocolate.
• Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs – This herby, savory-sweet dish is essentially a Thanksgiving dish in a meatball. With a sweet-spicy glaze of cranberry sauce and turkey meatballs flecked with thyme and sage, all you need is a scoop of mashed potatoes to really make the leftovers shine.
• Cranberry Brie Turkey Melts – This sandwich is made with homemade bread slices, tangy cranberry sauce, creamy buttery brie, and a pile of garlic leftover turkey.
• Thanksgiving Potato Skins – Making these potato skins is easy, and since you’ve already done most of the Thanksgiving cooking, all you need for this recipe is a few extra pantry staples: potatoes and cheddar cheese.
• Thanksgiving Crunchwrap – This crunchwrap is the perfect way to add variety.
• Turkey Noodle Soup – easy, quick and simply comforting. Turkey Noodle Soup is everything you love about the classic with the addition of some leftover turkey.
• Leftover Thanksgiving Salad – Leftover stuffing is made into croutons and leftover cranberry sauce is used to make a vinaigrette.
• Turkey à la King – Turkey à la King tastes like chicken pot pie filling without the pie crust and is therefore very easy to prepare.
• Turkey Enchiladas – After a Thanksgiving meal full of creamy green bean and sweet potato casseroles, it’s nice to use up any leftover turkey you have in enchiladas that are full of bold flavor and spice.
• Pumpkin Pie S’mores – Add leftover pumpkin pie to make s’mores a staple for fall.
• Leftover Thanksgiving Lasagna – Layer buttery mashed potatoes, cheese, green beans, cranberry sauce, and lasagna-style gravy and it just might be better than the original.