Skip to main content
What's for Dinner?Help Center

Command Palette

Search for a command to run...

🍱

Leftovers and Reusing Meals

Plan for leftovers and reduce food waste.


Leftovers and Reusing Meals

Smart leftover planning reduces waste and saves money.

Planning for Leftovers

Make Extra

When you cook a large batch:

  1. Plan the initial meal (e.g., "Roast Chicken" on Sunday)
  2. Add "Leftovers" to a later day
  3. The shopping list accounts for the larger quantity

Leftover Detection

The app can detect when you have potential leftovers:

  • Large batch recipes (6+ servings for 2-person household)
  • Recipes you typically have extras from

Marking Leftovers

When logging a cook:

  1. Open the recipe you cooked
  2. Click Log Cook
  3. Check "Made extra for leftovers"
  4. Specify how many portions remain

Leftover Recipes

Transform leftovers into new meals:

  • Roast chicken → Chicken salad sandwiches
  • Rice → Fried rice
  • Vegetables → Soup or stir-fry
💡

Create "Leftover Night" as a recurring meal—assign no recipe and use whatever's in the fridge!

Shopping List Impact

When you plan leftovers:

  • The original recipe quantity increases automatically
  • Leftover meals don't add extra ingredients to the list
  • Your shopping list stays accurate

Reducing Waste

  • Portion planning: Match servings to your household size
  • Flexible days: Leave 1-2 days open for leftovers
  • Freezer meals: Plan to freeze half of large batches

Was this article helpful?