After we cook dinner, we all pack up our leftovers with the best of intentions, planning to eat them for lunch the next day or transform them into fresh dinners. However, how often have you squirreled the last of those sauteed greens away only to forget about them until the following week, by which time they've gotten slimy and gross? Here are some ideas on how to remember those leftovers so you eat them instead of throwing them away.
- Store your leftovers in transparent containers - Brightly colored Tupperware, or opaque are great for keeping your fridge filled with brightly colored containers, but from experience, I've learned that if I can't see it, I won't use it. I've turned to glass jars for nearly all of my leftover storage needs. They come in a variety of sizes and being made of clear glass, they make it simple to take inventory of the fridge with a quick glance.
- Keep masking tape and a pen in the kitchen - If you're kitchen is well-stocked with plastic containers that you can't see through, and you don't want to trash them and start again, masking tape and a permanent marker should become your new best friends. When you put the food away, label it clearly with the piece of tape, making sure to stick it on the side, so that it's easy to read at a glance. This technique also works really well for the folks out there that like to reuse old yogurt and cottage cheese containers, as sometimes it's hard to tell where there's really yogurt in that quart container or the batch of salsa you made over the weekend.
- Make a list - Tape a index card to the refrigerator door (you could also get a little dry-erase or chalk board, but the index card is easier) and make a little note for you and the family as to what's in there. This way, your spouse knows that somewhere there's still a bit of pasta salad and your kids know that you stashed the cut-up melon in that vintage yellow Tupperware. Just make sure to cross the things off the list once they've been eaten.
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