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Thanksgiving Leftovers Guide

Turn Thanksgiving leftovers into head-turning cuisine with these tips.

Categories: Party Planning Family | Baking Basics | Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Leftover Tips For After Your Holiday

Let these tips from Domino® Sugar help you transform holiday leftovers into memorable meals long past Thanksgiving. Soon, you’ll be storing, reusing and making the leftovers from the recipes you’ve chosen on our Thanksgiving Menu Planner into delicious new creations—with our help.

Easy Ways to Make Holiday Leftovers Work For You 

Domino® Sugar has been helping families prepare memorable Thanksgiving meals for over 120 years, but there’s a downside to helping home bakers like you create so much wonderful food— What do you do with all of the delicious leftovers? Don’t worry, we’re here with tips and techniques to help you take leftovers to the next level. Follow along and soon you’ll know how to handle Thanksgiving leftovers like a pro:

1. Sort Before You Save

The first step in tackling Thanksgiving leftovers is to see what you have and sort it along with similar items. Pull leftover turkey off the bone and store it in airtight bags. Mix cooked veggies together to create a medley. Toast leftover bread so it’s easier to turn into breadcrumbs you can use as a crust for your chicken parmesan later. And pack up liquids like gravy, dressings and dips in storage containers of an appropriate size.

2. Know How Long Things Keep

You want your leftovers to last…but not past when they’re still safe to eat. Here’s a guide for how long some common items should be good for:

  • Turkey: 2-3 days in fridge, 2 months in freezer
  • Rolls: 1 week in fridge, 2-3 months in freezer
  • Stuffing: 4 days in fridge, 2-3 months in freezer
  • Mashed Potatoes: 3-4 days in fridge, 2-3 months in freezer
  • Gravy: 3-4 days in fridge, 2-3 months in freezer
  • Cranberry Sauce: 10-14 days in fridge, 2-3 weeks in freezer
  • Pie: 2-3 days in fridge, 6 months in freezer
     

Once your leftovers exceed these limits, or if they start to look or smell “off,” it’s best to toss them. Better safe than sick, we always say.

3. Turn Them Into Something New

Leftover turkey and gravy can be served over a piece of bread as an open-faced sandwich. Rolls can be sliced open and made into sliders along with leftover ham or turkey and cranberry sauce. And when in doubt, you can always chop up some lettuce, add slices of ham and some egg, and enjoy a simple chef’s salad.

4. Substitute Them Into Another Recipe

Some of the ingredients from your Thanksgiving meal will work perfectly in another great Domino® Sugar recipe. So, try leftover turkey instead of rotisserie chicken in our Chicken Pot Pie. Top our Mini Pear, Bacon & Blue Cheese Quiches with sliced ham instead. Or use leftover chunky cranberry sauce instead of dried cranberries in our Cranberry Orange Scones. You may need to adjust the recipes slightly, but with a little experimentation you’re sure to have a new treat to enjoy.

So grace your table with Butternut Squash, Soppressata & Blue Cheese Flatbread or slice into some Brown Sugar Glazed Baked Brie this Thanksgiving, then store and enjoy those leftovers well into December with our help!

Recipes to Give Thanks For