Falling In Love With Leftovers

I’ve always wished to be one of those people who say “I just find cooking sooo relaxing”, but sadly I’ve not hit that point yet. For me, cooking is an exercise in maximum bang for minimum buck. Maximum nutrients, maximum taste with maximum digestibility for minimum effort.  

So to me, leftovers are a lifesaver. Prepare one meal per day, make double the portion, and have plenty of nutritious food for lunch the next day too. People seem to find lunches the hardest. Mornings are too often rushed, leaving no time to throw together a healthy sandwich or salad. Then your options for buying food in the middle of the day are often challenging - especially if you work in an area where your typical kiwi, white bread bakery is the only option available.

People, it’s time to rethink leftovers as an effortless, nutritious gift. Maybe this is an oversell, but let leftovers be your life hack. Simply start preparing dinner as though you had double the guests attending, don’t forget to double your portions of protein too. Cook the meal, and when you’re plating up, immediately serve at least one other portion into a reusable container (I prefer using glass so even if it goes in piping hot you don’t have to worry about chemicals leaching from the plastic). That way you won’t be tempted to keep eating beyond your appetite and your extra portion will be protected from greedy family members! 

The next day you’ll have an amazing lunch that simply requires reheating. To mix it up add some salad greens, a grated carrot, and any other veg you have floating around to make a quick salad. Add a little container with one of our salad dressings, and some extra nuts and seeds to make things a little more exciting. Or throw in some corn chips or gluten free bread with delicious dips, if you feel like a more substantial snack. 

Cooking meals with the intention of creating leftovers is by far the easiest way to ensure you are getting maximum nutrients, taste, and digestibility for minimum effort.