50 Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

Food waste is a huge problem and Thanksgiving leftovers can contribute to this issue. Using your Thanksgiving leftovers in unique ways can help reduce this problem.

Americans throw away around 200 million pounds of edible turkey meat at Thanksgiving, that’s about 35 percent of edible turkey meat. That’s around $282 million worth of meat! And think of all the sides that are wasted as well.

Considering the history of Thanksgiving and how starvation and lack of food played such a big role, it’s almost ironic how many Thanksgiving leftovers we now waste.

Reducing food waste is something I’m always working on. I feel such guilt when I waste food considering the resources and money needed for that food, plus knowing so many are going hungry.

We spend a lot of money on Thanksgiving and soon Christmas will be here, this isn’t a time to be wasteful. When you use Thanksgiving leftovers wisely you can end up saving a lot of money on groceries after the holiday.

Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you eat the same meal for days. There are great ways to use your Thanksgiving leftovers in new and delicious ways.

Leftover Turkey

Turkey Pesto Panini from Damn Delicious

Savory Crepes with Turkey and Stuffing from Butter with a Side of Bread

Turkey Pizza from Baked By Rachel

Cheesy Turkey Pot Pie from Retro Housewife Goes Green

Turkey Pho from Cook the Story

Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches from Noble Pig

Turkey Enchiladas from Creme de la Crumb

Turkey and Mashed Potato Empanadas from Hello Natural

Crockpot Turkey Chili from Passion for Saving

Light Turkey & Corn Chowder from Cookin’ Canuck

Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Gnocchi from The Art of Doing Stuff

Mashed Potato Puffs from Cinnamon-Spice & Everything Nice

Cheesy Mashed Potato Pancakes from Just a Taste

Mashed Potato Soup from Katie’s Cucina

Mom’s Potato Rolls from Lauren’s Latest

Fried Mashed Potatoes from Mantitlement

Skillet Shepherd’s Pie from Five Heart Home

Loaded Mashed Potato Bake from Foxes Love Lemons

Spudnut Cinnamon Rolls from Little Dairy on the Prairie

Pierogi Lasagna Rolls from Table for Seven

Leftover Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Pancakes from Serious Eats

Sweet Potato Biscuits from Home Cooking Memories

Shepherd’s Pie with Whipped Sweet Potatoes from The Lemon Bowl

Cinnamon and Spice Sweet Potato Bread from Averie Cooks

Sweet Potato Spudnuts from Spoon Fork Bacon

Sweet Potato Waffles from Brooklyn Supper

Sweet Potato Quinoa Patties from A House in the Hills

Sweet Potato Croquettes from White on Rice Couple

Cranberry Sweet Potato Muffins from Taste of Home

Sweet Potato Rolls from Nums the Word

Leftover Stuffing/Dressing

Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties from Pocket Change Gourmet

Stuffin’ Muffins from Budget Bytes

Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms from 365ish Days of Pinterest

Stuffing Waffles from Just a Taste

Turkey and Stuffing Turnovers from A Family Feast

Stuffing and Chorizo Egg Cups from Uni Homemaker

Stuffing Frittata from My Last Bite

Turkey, Stuffing, and Cranberry Sausage Rolls from Culinary Ginger

Leftover Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Cream Cheese Danish from Retro Housewife Goes Green

Cranberry Salsa from Eat, Drink, and Save Money

Cranberry Sauce Bread from Oh My Veggies

Cranberry Bread Pudding with Honey Whiskey Maple Sauce from Will Cook for Smiles

French Toast Stuffed with Cranberry Cream Cheese from Alaska from Scratch

Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Glaze from Lovely Little Kitchen

Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp from Just a Taste

Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmon from Peas and Crayons

Cranberry Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Wings from Cupcakes and Kale Chips

BBQ Cranberry Chicken from Life Tastes Good

Cranberry Sauce Grilled Cheese from Apple a Day

With all of these great recipes, it will be easy to avoid food waste this Thanksgiving. You can find even more by searching Pinterest. There are no good reasons to waste food and money.

Being organized is also a great way to avoid waste. Use my Thanksgiving planner to help you stay organized this year. And don’t forget to sign up below for my Thanksgiving course.