What leftovers can do for you

Organise your stock
A well-organised stock is the key to reducing food waste. We often forget what is already in the fridge or kitchen cupboards, causing products to spoil unnecessarily. By managing your stock smartly, you can prevent this.

• First in, first out (FIFO): Place newer products at the back and older ones at the front, so you use what has been there the longest first.
• Create a leftover tray: A tray in your fridge specifically for leftovers that need to be eaten quickly will help remind you of what's left.
• Freeze: You can freeze many leftovers, such as leftover sauce, cooked vegetables or soup. This way, you give food a longer life and always have something in reserve.

Keeping your pantry, fridge and freezer tidy will help you keep track of things, making it easier to plan and less likely to throw things away.

Get creative with leftovers
If you regularly have leftover food and don't know what to do with it, Samen tegen Voedselwilling offers the ideal solution with their leftover recipe booklet. This booklet is full of handy tips and recipes from well-known names such as Jetske van den Elsen, Daan van der Leqc and Yvette van Boven, and is free to download from their website. The initiative shows how smart use of leftovers can save both the environment and your wallet.

In addition, our kokenmetrestjes page is another handy tool that lets you simply enter what leftovers you have, and it then finds a suitable recipe for you. Whether you have leftover vegetables, meat, fish or other ingredients, the tool comes up with creative and tasty recipes based on what's in your fridge. So you can easily reduce food waste and prepare delicious food with what you might otherwise throw away.

Leftover food? Save or share!
Sometimes you just cook too much, or have a large amount of food left over after a party or dinner. Instead of throwing it away, share it with others or keep it to enjoy later.

How to properly store leftovers:

• Use airtight containers: Leftovers stay fresh longer in airtight storage boxes. Glass or plastic with a tight seal will ensure that food doesn't dry out or absorb odours from the fridge.
• Labelling and dating: Write on each container what it contains and the date you made it. This way you know exactly what is in the fridge and avoid forgetting something or leaving it too long.
• Freeze if you are not going to use it soon: Leftovers that you don't finish within a few days can be frozen. That way they will keep for weeks or even months, and you won't have to throw them away.

How to share with leftovers:

• Share with neighbours or friends: Do you live in a close-knit neighbourhood? Share your leftovers with neighbours or friends. Maybe they just didn't have time to cook and you can make them happy with a fresh meal.
• Use a sharing platform: These days there are apps and platforms where you can share your food with people in the neighbourhood. This way, you can help reduce food waste and make someone else happy.
• Take it to a food bank: Although food banks often only accept packaged food, consider whether there are local initiatives that accept meals for people in need.

Source: Together Against Food Waste