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5 Creative Ways to Eat Holiday Leftovers

Shepherd Pie

The holidays are undoubtedly a time for feasting with your family and friends, but what do you do with all the leftovers once your guests have gone? It’s easy to get sick of eating the same holiday dishes for every meal but, of course, you don’t want all of that cooking to go to waste.

Fortunately, you have options! Here are 5 delicious and easy ways to transform your holiday leftovers into new and tasty treats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

1. Turkey Club Roll-Ups Turkey Club Roll-Upse
If turkey is your family’s go-to for the holidays, use the leftovers to create delicious turkey club roll-ups! These are great if you have turkey left over but are a little tired of the more traditional holiday flavors.

The best part is that these roll-ups are super quick and simple to make, so you can easily whip them up for any lingering guests or keep them all to yourself!

2. Green Bean Salad Green Bean Salad
Use up your leftover green beans and cranberries to create this refreshing green bean salad. A light homemade dressing makes this a great alternative to some of the heavier holiday dishes out there.

While the recipe does call for cooking the ingredients on the stovetop, the salad itself can be served warm or cold depending on what you’re craving.

3. Simple Shepherd’s Pie Simple Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is the kind of classic comfort food recipe that’s always welcome in the wintertime.

While traditionally made with lamb or beef, you can use whatever meat you have left over and vegetables such as mashed potatoes or sautéed carrots to make this one a real low-effort meal.

4. Ham and Swiss Quiche Ham and Swiss Quiche
For a delicious breakfast or brunch dish, try this quiche! Leftover ham gives this recipe a distinct flavor while swiss (or whatever other cheeses you have on hand) imparts a bit of a bite. The recipe calls for spinach, but you can use any green vegetables you have left over for a pop of color.

5. Brie, Apple, and Onion Tart Brie, Apple, and Onion Tart
This tart makes for a great appetizer or light lunch. Use up the scraps left over from your cheese board along with any remaining cranberries or other fruit for a sweet-and-savory treat you won’t be able to resist. While brie always pairs well with fruit, feel free to use any sharp cheese for a similar effect.

With all of the different flavors of the holiday season, you have a lot of opportunity to improvise when it comes to leftovers. By getting a little creative, you can keep the festivities going all week long with delicious dishes you’ll want to make again next year.