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“Would you like a box for leftovers?”
We’re in that position quite often. A long day at the office and you need some food, except you don’t really feel like cooking. Most days, I drudge through my go to “I’m too lazy to make dinner” repertoire of making burritos, breakfast for dinner or a frozen pizza. I love to cook, but there are certainly days where I don’t have it in me.
Generally speaking, when I make food, I don’t really ever have a set plan in terms of how much gets made. I just make whatever I have on hand and the rest goes into Tupperware to be consumed later. This process also lends itself to having lunch for days. Whenever I have tailgates or dinner parties, there are always ample leftovers that I either have people over to eat more or send them home with food. Either way, I find it comforting knowing that I have it sitting in the refrigerator.
Leftovers are the lifeblood of work lunches and many dinners. I try to make Sunday my meal planning day and cook for a few days. Planning for the week helps a lot and assists in the “try not to get fat” department. Getting take out has a cascading effect in life: you get fatter, while in turn you have to buy new clothing and have less money to spend on student loans. Although it does get a bit lonely when others go out to eat while I have my turkey wrap, the costs of not spending money outweigh the ostracized feelings.
I honestly have no idea how people afford to go out to eat as much as they do. I maybe go out once every week or two to a cheap but delicious and fulfilling Mexican place. Every day, my group email sends out a restaurant where they are ordering from. EVERY DAY. How do people afford to do this? It astounds me that people have the spare cash flow to spend $10-15 a day on lunch. Quite honestly, I’d feel guilty pissing away $200 a month, which equates to a robust grocery store visit, on what amounts to delicious yet terrible-for-you takeout.
As someone who is quite dedicated to leftovers, there are a few tips I’ve picked up over the years. How many times have you drunk-ordered a pizza and either passed out or went to bed before finishing it? Generally, I eat it cold because I love cold pizza, but if you have a cast iron pan (you should), heat it up, throw on your ‘za, sprinkle on a few drops of water and put a lid on it. It’ll steam the pizza, rehydrating the cheese. Everyone knows day-old fries are gross, but go ahead and turn on that oven and bake them for 10 mins on 350. Leftover Chinese? Some soy sauce or water will make that dried up rice heat up and make it almost as good as the day before, if you could ever call Chinese takeout good.
Sometimes, saving half the burger you ordered for later is a wise move; you don’t have to feel like a piece of shit for cleaning the plate and you get a meal later. Whether its Thanksgiving foods, leftover steak (I’ve eaten cold steak with my bare hands so many times I can’t even count) or pizza on the floor leftover from the night before, there is really no wrong way to do it. .
Image via Shutterstock
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Madoff
I specialize in damage control, being the drunkest at any and all functions and social assassination. Always appreciate a strong gif game. Follow me on Twitter. Sometimes I put up cool stuff about golfing at the local dirt tracks.
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My older brother has hated leftovers his entire life and wouldn’t eat them at family dinner. He’s also my mom’s least favorite. Not a coincidence.
$10 says he’s adopted
He doesn’t look like any of us sooooooo
Sorry you had to find out like this, it wasn’t my intention when I wrote this
Brought in leftovers (or lefties, as they’re known in my house) for lunch on Monday. Didn’t finish it all, back in the fridge for 48 hours, and not 15 minutes ago I had four bites of leftover lefties for pre-lunch, thus allowing me to cruise through ’til 12:45 when I can take a late lunch and sneak back in about 2:00. Many birds, single stone.
Not having leftovers because you eat it all that night. PGP
I go out for lunch most days of the week. I totally agree it’s a waste of money, but I like the excuse to get out of the office for 20-30 minutes to go pick something up, plus waiting for microwave to free up in the office kitchen makes me want to blow my brains out. I definitely should start packing lunches more though, just need to get the will power gathered.
I use to bring my lunch and just go eat in my car to get out of the office… God that’s depressing typing it out.
30 minutes of alone time with the podcast playing of your choice? Maybe eat quickly and snag a 7 minute car nap? Embrace your car lunch.
As a fellow leftovers fan, I can safely say the cast iron pizza trick is fire.
Completely agree. I noticed a huge change in my health when I stopped ordering takeout as much and bringing my lunch. Plus it makes that occasional takeout so much more delicious as a treat.
You’re a wizard Madoff! Gonna have to give that pizza trick a try
Don’t burn your dorsal fin!
Leftovers happen to be the fatal flaws of my personal favorite meal to cook: Stir Fry-day
I throw my leftover pizza in the oven for 10 mins at 350 like fries and comes out great every time.
Chipotle bowl and a tortilla on the side. $6 for two meals. Beat that.