Catering expert shares five ways to use up Christmas leftovers

While Christmas can be a time for celebrating, this can also come with overspending on food that often ends up being thrown out after the big day.

Rachael Kiss from Alliance Online, one of the UK’s largest catering suppliers, has shared preventable tips you can take to limit food wastage this Christmas. She commented:

“With 66% of Brits claiming to overbuy on food during Christmas, it’s safe to say that food waste has become an alarming problem during the festive season. Being economical with food is especially important given the effect of the cost of living crisis, where watching what you spend has become a high priority. Other than the classic bubble and squeak, there are thankfully multiple ways you can use up your leftovers so they have a purpose beyond just our dinner plates.”

1. Composting 

“Composting Christmas leftovers is a great way to combat the guilt we feel when we let our food go to waste and provides a nutrient-rich soil in your garden. Christmas dinners usually result in an abundance of leftover vegetables that are perfect for composting; even the dreaded brussels sprout!

Gather all of your unwanted fruit and vegetables, whether this be peels or half eaten foods, and submerge them into your soil. It’s important that the unwanted foods are shredded and cut into small pieces so that it speeds up the composting process and make sure to regularly turn the compost to aerate it. However, avoid adding the leftover Christmas turkey into the compost as any meat, fish, bones or dairy products usually attract rats and cause unpleasant odours.”

2. Freezing

“The oldest trick in the book for minimising leftovers is freezing, and for good reason. Freezing is a preservation method that helps slow down the growth of bacteria on food that, if left at room temperature, can cause it to become spoiled. It would be recommended to use good quality portion-sized containers so they can be re-used later down the line. Thankfully, you can freeze most foods from your Christmas dinner except vegetables with a high water content, like broccoli or cabbage, and pies and baked goods, as they can become watery.”

3. Regrow herbs

“Having a surplus of herbs after your Christmas dinner is inevitable, but regrowing them and extending their life for future meals in the new year is a good way to use them up. Thyme, rosemary, sage and mint are all key ingredients for a Christmas dinner and are perfect for regrowing – just make sure that they are healthy and have non-flowering stems. Place your chosen herbs in a glass of water and place it on your windowsill, but make sure to change the water regularly to encourage growth. Doing this will ensure your herbs have longevity and you don’t have to worry about rebuying them.”

4. Fruit infused water

“Berries and oranges are synonymous with Christmas and the leftovers are perfect to make fruit infused water. Over the course of the festive season, gather your berries, mint, orange and citrus peels and keep them refrigerated or frozen. When you’re ready to make some fruit infused water, use your leftover fruits and serve with ice cubes.”

5. If in doubt, make soup!

“Leftover vegetables are ideal for making soup – it really is the perfect Boxing Day pick-me-up! In particular, roasted potatoes, parsnips, carrots or onions carry a depth of flavour and the caramelisation adds a richness that enhances the entire flavour of the soup. Apart from your vegetables, the only added ingredient to make the soup is your chosen stock, water and any additional seasonings. You can even use your leftover turkey carcass to make a homemade broth. Freeze your soup in a strong container if you’re wanting to save it for a later date – just make sure to freeze it for no longer than three months so that the quality of the soup doesn’t deteriorate. “

Alliance Online have released these tips to advise and encourage Brits on ways they can use up their Christmas dinner leftovers. Check out their range of cooking equipment here: https://www.allianceonline.co.uk/catering-appliances/cooking.html