You plan for the meals. You plan for the guests. Maybe you even plan for the feeling of equal parts relief and exhaustion once the holidays are actually over. But what about all the leftovers?
The good news is that most holiday meals already include a balance of protein, fiber, fat, and carbohydrates. A holiday‑style Diabetes Plate might include roast turkey, Brussels sprouts, green beans, and mashed sweet potatoes. Filling half your plate with non‑starchy vegetables helps you enjoy special dishes like mac and cheese without going overboard. The rest of your plate should include one‑quarter lean protein and one‑quarter quality carbohydrates.
You can always send leftovers home with guests, but you can also turn them into new meals. Here are three easy ways to give your leftovers new life.
Make a sandwich or wrap:
- Pile your favorites—green beans, turkey, or ham—into a high-fiber or low carb tortilla or use a large lettuce leaf with a few sprigs of parsley as the wrap. Then wrap and roll.
- Spread whole wheat bread with honey mustard or use a lettuce wrap. Add reduced-fat Swiss cheese and leftover turkey or ham. Then top it off with fresh tomatoes and leftover Brussels sprouts for a little crunch.
- Make a traditional grilled cheese a touch more gourmet. Spread Brie on whole wheat bread and add some non-starchy veggies like baby spinach or collard greens.
- Try a mash-up of a BLT and a club sandwich by layering crispy turkey bacon, juicy tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, and leftover turkey with mashed avocado.
Make breakfast way less basic:
- Fill an egg omelet with turkey or ham, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts—then add some chopped fresh herbs.
- Leftover roasted vegetables? Pack them into a fiber-filled egg frittata by baking them in a sheet pan and topping with diced tomatoes.
- Make a smashed veggie hash. Chop up veggies and add them along with sweet potatoes and any other side dishes you like to the mix. Brown the ingredients in a skillet, then make small wells in the hash. Crack an egg into each well, cover the pan, and cook over medium heat until the eggs are to your liking.
- Just put an egg on it. Fink notes that pretty much any carb—like leftover rice or potato latke—does well heated up in a pan and paired with veggies and a cooked egg.
Get set for soup season:
- If you made a turkey, keep the carcass—the bones make an excellent foundation for a flavorful broth. Then, freeze the broth itself in an ice cube tray so you can grab a cube as you need it.
- Start with your favorite bean soup recipe, then add leftover turkey and thinly sliced kale for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Swap chicken for leftover turkey or ham in a simple cold‑weather soup. Simmer carrots and celery in broth, add quinoa, then stir in shredded turkey or ham, green beans, and dill. Add spinach or coleslaw mix for extra veggies.
- Use leftover vegetables in a basic vegetable soup or blend leftover carrots into a Spiced Ginger Carrot Soup.
Ready to get creative in the kitchen? Explore more recipes on Diabetes Food Hub and save your favorites for later.
