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What to Do with Thanksgiving Leftovers

Fresh Direct · November 4, 2020 ·

Is there anything better than a fridge full of leftovers? Turkey day is fun and all, but a next-day sandwich — now that’s the stuff. Let’s get into all the delicious ways you can maximize your Thanksgiving returns. 

Sandwiches

Simply pile anything that tickles your fancy between two slices of bread! There are no hard rules, though this formula has always been a success for us:

  • Turkey meat, shredded or thinly sliced
  • A few green-leaf lettuce leaves
  • Mayonnaise
  • Tomato
  • Stuffing
  • Cranberry sauce

How To Use Your Leftover…

Turkey

Pick all of the meat from the legs and slice all remaining breast meat before storing. That way, it’s ready to use. Cover the leftovers in gravy so they stay moist.
To serve turkey cold: dice and make it into sandwich filling with herbs, citrus, and mayo or extra-virgin olive oil. Reserve the bones to make stock, then freeze your stock to use throughout the winter season.

Cheese

Use cheese for breakfast omelets or biscuits, sandwiches, and savory baking. When it’s been slightly compromised from sitting out, it’s better to cook with it rather than serving it again as is.

Crudites

It’s best to blanch or roast legumes and brassicas like beans, broccoli, cauliflower before enjoying them a second time. Hardier items like fennel, celery, peppers, radishes can be served raw in salads, or cooked into stir-fries, omelets, or quiche. Any leftover asparagus will make a delectable creamy soup, especially when using the tips.

Dips & Spreads

Most dips will work well on toasted bread, flatbread, or crackers as crostini. You can also turn them into a filling for omelets, wraps, or tacos. Artichoke dip reheats especially well—don’t be afraid to bust it out again for your Sunday football spread. Repurpose ranch or blue cheese dips for your homemade salads or pack them into the kids’ lunches with carrots, celery, or other fresh veggies,

Nuts

You don’t want to hold on to roasted and salted nuts for too long—they’ll go bad sooner than you think. Use them in salads or as a garnish for soups and roasted vegetables. Or you can turn them in pesto along with any leftover herbs you’ve got.

Leafy Vegetables

Leafy greens can be chopped up and folded into lots of dishes, like quick, grain bowls, and savory quick breads. You can also use them to add a nutritious boost where you might not expect it, like in creamy dips or smoothies.

Corn

Corn is an excellent addition to risotto (try it with chorizo and pumpkin seeds). Mix it with lime, cotija cheese, chili, and mayo for a great warm salad topping. Or use it in savory bakes like cornbread, frittatas, muffins, and souffles.

Mashed Potatoes or Root Veggies

Besides being a perfect topping for shepherd’s pie, leftover mashes are make great fritters when mixed with eggs, flour, and chopped veggies or proteins. Mix mashed sweet potatoes with grain mustard and some maple syrup for a flavorful spread to go on your turkey sandwich.

Shop everything Thanksiving on FreshDirect

Filed Under: Recipes, Shortcuts & Hacks, Thanksgiving Tagged With: leftovers, Thanksgiving

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You can get all @thomasashbourne cocktails out East in under two hours all summer long. We’ll cheers to that! 🥂
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We had the BEST time kicking off our summer events yesterday with our partners @vanessahudgens & @thomasashbourne at @southamptonsocialclub! You can get all @thomasashbourne cocktails out East in under two hours all summer long. We’ll cheers to that! 🥂
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In honor of FreshDirect's 20th Anniversary celebration, some of our longest-tenured employees are being recognized for their contributions over the years. Our first 20th Anniversary Employee Spotlight is Will Collier, Lead Personal Shopper in our Freezer department. Q: What's your favorite part about working at FD? A: My dedication to come in. I want to be there for my coworkers to help the team meet our goals. Q: What's something you've learned by working at FD? A: When I first started in the Freezer department, I knew I had a lot to learn. I wanted to learn all the different systems so I could master every job in the Freezer. Now I feel comfortable in any role in the Freezer department and can do anything that’s asked of me and my team. Q: What does working at FD allow you to do in your personal life (go to college, support your family, buy a house, send your kids to school, travel to see your family, etc.) A: It’s important to me that my son has all that he needs to be successful in life. By working at FreshDirect, I’ve sent my son to a private school to get a better education. Q: What's a goal or a dream that you have? A: Buy a house in Queens and see my kids graduate college.
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Order via #FDExpress for 2-hour delivery on last minute cookout essentials.
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Here’s to a yummy 4th of July! 🇺🇸 Order via #FDExpress for 2-hour delivery on last minute cookout essentials.
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Head to the link in our bio to get some @casadelsoltequila for your holiday weekend! Cheers 🥂
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We've compiled our favorite chips and dips, drinks, desserts, and condiments -- even some choice paper plates and cups -- all for easy entertaining.
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Extra! Extra! Don't forget the essentials this 4th of July! We've compiled our favorite chips and dips, drinks, desserts, and condiments -- even some choice paper plates and cups -- all for easy entertaining.
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For our 20th anniversary, we're making the next 20 days very special: if you shop during this time you will get a different freebie every day and be entered for a chance to win a YEAR’s worth of free groceries. 

Today's giveaway? Bread Alone Peasant Bread, an organic country-style bread reminiscent of the breads of pastoral France and Northern Italy.

Tune in to our stories every day to see what sorts of surprises we're handing out! 

Products available while supplies last, see https://www.freshdirect.com/section.jsp?id=sec_20days_1 for details.
@freshdirect
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For our 20th anniversary, we're making the next 20 days very special: if you shop during this time you will get a different freebie every day and be entered for a chance to win a YEAR’s worth of free groceries. Today's giveaway? Bread Alone Peasant Bread, an organic country-style bread reminiscent of the breads of pastoral France and Northern Italy. Tune in to our stories every day to see what sorts of surprises we're handing out! Products available while supplies last, see https://www.freshdirect.com/section.jsp?id=sec_20days_1 for details.
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Two decades later and our produce is still as fresh as ever. As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, swipe through to see just how we've managed to provide our customers with the freshest deliveries for 20 years straight.
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