Head Chef shares top recipes for your Christmas leftovers as new data reveals which regions are the most wasteful on Christmas Day

Once a year we enjoy the traditional, and delicious, Christmas dinner. We treat ourselves to dozens of pigs in blankets, roasties and desserts, because why not? It’s Christmas!

However, a new survey has revealed just how wasteful the UK can be when it comes to overbuying for Christmas Day, with turkey coming out as the most-wasted food by over half [54%] of the population.

The survey conducted by meal-delivery company, HelloFresh, found the most wasteful regions in the UK, with Northern Ireland being the most wasteful when it comes to Christmas dinner. Closely following are London and the West Midlands.

The top wasted foods were revealed to be turkey (or their chosen meat), roast potatoes and stuffing. However, the population LOVE Yorkshire Puddings, with this being the least leftover food for 11 of the 12 regions.

Now, Mimi Morley, Senior Recipe Development Manager at HelloFresh has shared her favourite recipes for making the most of your festive leftovers.

“I love Christmas Day leftovers! You get to enjoy the tasty Christmas dinner you spent hours making all over again on Boxing Day. When I was younger it used to be a ‘walk around the table’, but now I turn any leftovers we have into delicious sandwiches, pies and soups for the family,” says Mimi.

Mimi Morley’s Top Festive Leftover Dishes

1. Roasted Vegetable and Turkey Frittata:

Combine leftover turkey, roast potatoes, carrots, and parsnips with beaten eggs to make a frittata. Add some leftover gravy for extra flavour.

Mimi added, “This is an easy-to-serve dish that is enjoyed by the whole family. If you have some short crust pastry you can even turn it into a quiche!”

2. Cranberry and Brussels Sprouts Salad:

“As soon as the season comes, I love to make brussel sprout salads for lunch, and I replicate this for my family on Christmas Day,” says Mimi.

Chop Brussels sprouts and mix them with leftover cranberry sauce for a vibrant and tangy salad, and a perfect vegetarian option. Add some roasted turkey slices if you’d like some protein.

3. Festive Sandwich

Combine leftover turkey or your chosen Christmas Day meat, with stuffing, leafy vegetables, pigs in blankets and cranberry sauce for a festive Boxing Day sandwich.

“If you want to treat your family, heat up your leftover gravy to use as a dipping sauce alongside your sandwiches! This is my favourite thing to do,” says Mimi.

4. Turkey and Roast Vegetable Soup:

Create a hearty soup by combining chopped turkey with leftover roast vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, and potatoes. Add some broth and seasonings for a comforting soup.

5. Leftover Christmas Hash:

“I’ve noticed breakfast hashes have become really popular over the last few years thanks to TikTok, so why not try this on Boxing Day morning?”

Combine diced roast potatoes, turkey, carrots, parsnips, and any other leftovers in a pan for a delicious hash. Top with a fried or poached egg for a breakfast twist.

The survey found that sandwiches are the nation’s favourite Christmas leftover dish (44%), followed by bubble and squeak and simply reheating it as is.

For more delicious recipe inspiration this Christmas, explore HelloFresh’s 1000s of recipes online.