Made too many roast potatoes? Brought too many sprouts? Mince pies gone stale? We’ve got some top tips to help you waste less this Christmas.
Whilst the festive season is known for sharing good food and company, it’s also a time of year where we might have more food waste than usual.
We’ve gathered some of the best recipes and tips from FoodCycle staff and volunteers to help stop your Christmas leftovers heading for the bin.
Roast potatoes
Leftover potatoes make great potato cakes. Just mash up the cooked potatoes with chopped onion, any leftover veggies and herbs. You’ll need something to help bind it together and can use flour, egg or both. Shape into patties, then bake or fry.
Cheese board
Leftover chunks of cheese or rinds of cheese can be chucked into soup to add extra flavour. Or you could grate all the chunks of leftover cheese together and make a cheesey pasta bake or macaroni cheese.
Leftover wine
Leftover wine from Christmas and New Year can be put into ice cube trays and frozen for future risottos, stews or red wine gravy.
Mince pies
Any stale mince pies will make an amazing mince pie ice cream. Mix with custard, cream or both. Freeze, stirring every 2-3 hours or use an ice cream maker if you have one.
Christmas dinner pie
Chop up all your leftovers, potatoes, veg, stuffing and mix it all together and mix with gravy, put it in a tray and top with mash potato or pastry.
Sprout/or vegetable soup
This versatile Broccoli and brussel sprout soup recipe can help use up those leftover sprouts or any other veg that you might have extras of.
Sprout pakoras
Create some crispy treats from your sprouts with the Brussel Sprout Pakora recipe.
Vegetable peelings
Make your own stock by simmering peelings in water for 40 minutes, then strain, freeze and use when required. You can add flavourings such as bay leaves or thyme. Or you could bake them and turn them in to crispy treats.
The ultimate festive toastie
Layer your Christmas leftovers – veg, stuffing, cranberry sauce and cheese, between slices of bread, fry or put it a toastie maker until golden and gooey.
Christmas curry
Saute onion and garlic, toss in your leftover veggies and potatoes, add a curry sauce, or spices and coconut milk, serve with rice or flatbreads.
