Best Practices For Keeping & Using Leftovers

The holidays are quickly approaching and many of us are beginning to plan party menus, decorate and tackle that ever-growing shopping list. One easy solution to help make holidays a breeze is putting to good use all of those leftovers!

This season, leftovers don't have to be the victim of freezer burn or even worse – food waste. Don't be afraid to double up on batches of mashed potatoes or pumpkin pies. Plan to serve up aesthetically pleasing and mouthwatering leftover dishes that will have friends and family back knocking at the door come Black Friday.

Check out the below thought starters for how best to use your leftovers. Let's get cooking!

First up we have all of your favorite fall flavors combined in this Creamy Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oatmeal. Super simple to make and with just 4 ingredients, you can easily whip up several of these with leftover oats and pumpkin pie filling. Once mixed, throw all of the ingredients into a Ball jar and let sit overnight.

Next up, don't turn your Thanksgiving dinner guests away without a take-home. Instead of sending them out with a paper plate full of turkey and stuffing, try this "Thanksgiving in a Jar" recipe. It's packed with everyone's favorites – mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and turkey. The sprinkled chives on top make this look adorable and like you spent hours putting these together. Shh, we won't tell!

There's nothing like a warm cup of soup during this time of year. We love this dry soup mix idea and it works as a perfect gift for guests or hosts over the holidays. Make a few of these by layering all the ingredients into Ball jars. Then, all recipients need to do is add in a few fresh ingredients and heat it up!

Don't think we were going to skip out on dessert. Never! We're sharing this recipe for Layered Pumpkin Pie in a Jar for everyone who didn't make it to seconds (or thirds) during Thanksgiving dinner. You can make these with several ingredients you likely already stocked up on for the holidays and modify if desired with mini chocolate chips! 

What are some of your favorite holiday leftovers? Share with us on social @BallCanning!

For more inspirational ideas, visit www.Pinterest.com/BallCanning and www.FreshlyPreservedIdeas.com