What To Do With Your Christmas Leftovers

With Christmas in just a few short days, you’ve probably already started planning what’s for dinner and explored new recipes and ideas – but, have you thought about what you’ll do with your leftovers? Sure, you may not be having an extravagant dinner party this year, but chances are you’ll still have scraps to spare. Who doesn’t overcook for the holidays? Whether it be a honey baked ham or a delicious roasted turkey, you won’t be stuck making cold cut sandwiches for the next week. Below, we’ve included a list of ways you can transform your Christmas dinner leftovers into a variety of tasty dishes.

Leftover Ham → A Deluxe Breakfast

You may have spoiled yourself with a Christmas dinner, but who says you can’t do the same the next morning with a breakfast spread?! If we weren’t thinking in terms of leftovers here, you’d most likely whip up an omelet or quiche that incorporates ham anyways, so why not make that your Boxing Day go-to.

Here are just a few of our favorite recipes you can make with your surplus of ham:

Leftover Bones → Stock for a Hearty Stew

Instead of throwing out the bones you picked cleaned this year, try making a hearty stock out of them. After all, bone broth has seen a resurgence in the past few years, especially in the world of sports, as many elite athletes (including legacy Kobe Bryant) have claimed it’s their secret to recovery. According to chef and wellness expert Corrine Trang, “Bone broths have been a staple in Asian food cultures for thousands of years…They are considered medicinal, rich with minerals, boosting the immune system, enriching blood, and supporting the kidneys.”

Are you convinced yet? We’ve included a recipe on how to make a simple bone broth here. Try throwing in leftover vegetables for an extra boost of flavor as well!

Leftover Vegetables → A Scrumptious Pie

Pie doesn’t always have to be sweet when it comes to the holiday season. All those leftover carrots, corn, celery, and peas can be used to whip up a savory pie you’ll fall in love with (and if there’s is any ham to spare, go ahead and throw that in as well). Depending on your preference, you could go with a pot pie or a shepherd’s pie – the only difference being your “crust”. We’ve got you covered either way with recipes for both below!

Leftover Cranberries → A Tasty Salad Topping

If you’re a cranberry person, then you know they’re something you just can’t get enough of during the holidays. They pair well with almost everything so you have endless options for using up leftovers – a delicious salad topping being one! You can use any kind of leftover cranberry to top your leafy greens. Cranberry sauce, dried cranberries, or even cranberry dessert filling can be used to add a little flair. We’ve listed a few of our favorite salads that incorporate cranberry below!

Leftover Candy Canes → Peppermint Simple Syrup

We all know it doesn’t feel like Christmas without candy canes, but there are always too many to devour before the holidays end. Wondering what to do with them? Try making a candy cane simple syrup! This is a great method for using up leftover candies and adding a peppermint twist to your coffee, baked goods, beverages, beauty products, and so on. Plus, you can store homemade simple syrup for up to one month in a sterile container – keeping you merry well into the new year!

We’ve included a tutorial on how to make candy cane simple syrup along with a few recipes where you can use it:

Did you try out any of the recipes we mentioned? Let us know which ones and what you thought by tagging us on social media! You can find us on Instagram and Facebook @myhotlunchbox!

Written by: Shelby Candler

Photo by Jed Owen on Unsplash