Spring-inspired leftover recipes – Make the most of what you have! 🌱
Kira Zabe
April 9, 2025
With spring comes the desire for lightness: fresh greens, crisp flavors, and less heavy food. But what to do with all the leftovers in the pantry or fridge that don't quite fit into spring cuisine? It's simple: get creative!
The Smantry App not only helps you keep track of your supplies – it also inspires you to make the most of what you already have. And spring is the perfect time for clever use of leftovers!
1. Pasta Primavera – Spring noodles from the pantry
Ingredient ideas (variable depending on leftovers):
- 200–250 g Pasta (e.g., Penne, Fusilli)
- ½ Broccoli
- 1 Carrot
- 1 handful of frozen peas
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh or dried herbs
- Lemon juice
- Salt & Pepper
- Optional: Cream cheese or grated Parmesan
Preparation:
Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and blanch briefly in salted water. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Heat olive oil in a large pan, sauté garlic briefly, then add the vegetables. Mix with the pasta, season with lemon juice and herbs. If desired, stir in a spoonful of cream cheese or Parmesan – and it's ready!
2. Spring-like Frittata – Deluxe Egg Rescue
Ingredients:
- 4–6 eggs
- 50 g grated cheese
- Vegetable leftovers: bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, etc.
- 1 small onion
- Fresh herbs (e.g., chives or wild garlic)
- Salt, Pepper, Oil
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Chop the vegetables finely, sauté in a pan with some oil. Whisk the eggs, mix with salt, pepper, and cheese, and pour over the vegetables. Let it set briefly, then place the pan (if ovenproof!) in the oven or transfer to a baking dish. Bake for about 10–15 minutes.
3. Warm Spring Potato Salad
Ingredients:
- Cooked potatoes from the day before (approx. 500 g)
- 2 spring onions
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp oil (e.g., canola or sunflower oil)
- Salt, Pepper
- Optional: fresh herbs such as parsley
Preparation:
Slice the potatoes. Cut the spring onions into fine rings. For the vinaigrette: mix mustard, honey, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Fry the potatoes in a pan with some oil until they are slightly crispy. Remove from the heat, mix with the vinaigrette, and sprinkle with herbs.
4. Sweet oven-baked pancake with apple or banana
Ingredients:
- 100 g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 150 ml milk (or plant-based milk)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 apple or banana
- Some butter for the pan
- Topping: cinnamon, sugar, honey or maple syrup
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Mix flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, and salt into a smooth batter. Slice the fruit. Grease a small casserole dish or pan, place the fruit inside, and pour the batter over it. Bake for about 20–25 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar or serve with honey.
5. Spring Panzanella – Salad with day-old bread
Ingredients:
- 2–3 slices of stale bread
- 1–2 Tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 1 handful of radishes
- Some cucumber
- Fresh herbs (e.g., basil)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- Salt, Pepper
Preparation:
Cut the bread into cubes and toast in a pan without fat. Slice or dice the vegetables, combine with the bread cubes and herbs in a bowl. Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to make a dressing and pour over the salad. Let it marinate briefly.
🌼 Spring in the Kitchen – with the Smantry App
Spring is not just for cleaning windows – but also for rummaging through your pantry! With the you can keep track of your ingredients.
This is how the leftover kitchen becomes a creative comfort kitchen – completely without waste.
👉 Open the app, browse, cook – and enjoy.
Which combination have you tried? Share it with us on Instagram! 💚
The best kitchen tools to turn leftovers into delicious dishes 🍲✨
Hand on heart: Each of us has them – those little leftovers in the fridge or pantry that somehow never get properly planned for. But it's exactly these remnants that can often be turned into the most creative and delicious dishes! All you need are a few clever kitchen tools that make the work easier and get the best out of your ingredients.
Here are our favorites:
🥣 1. The powerful blender
Smoothies, soups, dips – a good blender transforms leftover vegetables, fruit, or even bread into a new dish in seconds. Perfect when bananas are a bit brown or the vegetables no longer look crisp.
🔪 2. A sharp chef's knife
Sounds simple, but a really good knife is worth its weight in gold. It allows you to cut vegetable and meat scraps precisely and quickly. Moreover, cooking is just more fun when you have the right tools.
🍳 3. A cast iron skillet
The all-rounder in the kitchen: fried potatoes made from leftover boiled potatoes, frittatas with yesterday's vegetables, or crispy bread cubes from stale bread – everything tastes twice as good in a cast-iron skillet.
🥕 4. Vegetable Peeler & Grater
A modest tool with a big impact: grate carrot leftovers, turn zucchini into noodles, or finely shred cheese remnants. With a peeler and grater, you bring variety to your leftover cooking.
🥡 5. Storage Containers & Screw-top Jars
Without proper storage, nothing works. You can keep leftovers fresh, transport them, or even prepare them for the next meal prepping. Tip: Jars are also great for serving small amounts in style.
🌱 6. Kitchen Scale
It's practical to know exactly how much is left over, especially with leftovers. This way, you can adjust recipes and avoid waste.
🥄 7. Personal Blender
The little brother of the blender – perfect for soups or sauces right in the pot. When only a small amount needs to be processed, it's super convenient.
How Smantry additionally helps you 📲
With the Smantry App you can not only keep an eye on your supplies, but soon you'll also be able to discover recipes for your leftovers. This way, you'll immediately know which tool to take out of the cupboard to save your food and create something new.
👉 Because good tools and the right app are the perfect combo to combat food waste.
New laws on food waste in Spain
Spain has recently passed a groundbreaking law to combat food waste. This law requires all actors in the food chain, from producers to retailers, to implement specific plans to prevent food loss.
Key provisions of the law:
Obligation to donate surplus food: Supermarkets with a floor space of more than 1,300 square meters are now required to form partnerships with non-profit organizations to donate surplus food that is still fit for consumption. These donations are exempt from value-added tax.
Offer of packaging for leftover food: Restaurants and bars are required to provide their guests with free, reusable or recyclable packaging so that they can take home uneaten food. The aim is to raise consumer awareness of food waste and encourage them to take leftovers with them.
Promotion of the sale of products with approaching expiration dates: Retailers should offer products that are nearing their expiration date or have aesthetic defects at reduced prices to encourage their sale and reduce waste.
Hierarchy of priorities for dealing with surplus food: The law establishes an order for handling surplus food. Priority is given to human consumption through donations. If this is not possible, the food should be used for the production of processed products. The last options include using it as animal feed or for energy generation.
Sanctions for violations:
Companies that violate the provisions of the law can expect fines ranging from 2,000 to 500,000 euros.
Critique and Outlook:
While the law is considered an important step in the fight against food waste in Europe, there is also criticism. Some voices argue that the strict framework of sanctions could disproportionately burden companies and that the law does not sufficiently address the role of consumers, who are responsible for a significant portion of food waste.
Nevertheless, the law is seen as a significant advancement in reducing food waste and promoting a more sustainable awareness in society.
Join in and reduce food waste! 🌱📲
Spain's new law demonstrates: Sustainability starts in the pantry! With the Speisekammer App you can keep track of your groceries, plan meals efficiently, and avoid unnecessary waste.
👉 Download the app now and join the movement for less waste and more conscious consumption! 💚 Try it now!
Sharing supplies together – why the Shared Economy is now moving into the kitchen
The concept of Shared Economy has long been more than a short-term trend – it's changing our everyday lives. More and more neighborhoods, shared apartments, and community projects are discovering how practical it is to organize groceries together and manage supplies transparently.
Why sharing supplies is becoming increasingly popular
- Save on costs: Bulk purchases become cheaper when more people participate.
- Save space: Not everyone needs their own package of rice or pasta.
- Better organization: Digital tools make it easy to see what is available.
- Experiencing community: Food brings people together – as does camping together.
From the flatshare to the neighborhood
Especially in shared apartments or families with multiple households it pays off to keep a communal stock of supplies. But neighborhood projects or small communities are also recognizing the added value: shopping, storing, and using together.
How Smantry helps
This is where Smantry comes into play:
- Community Feature: Supplies can be managed collectively.
- Transparency: Everyone can see which items are available.
- Efficiency: Duplicate purchases are avoided, leftovers are used up in time.
- Flexibility: Soon it will become even easier to manage entire communities (including new features such as categories or the option to completely delete communities).
👉 The shared economy doesn't stop with cars – it moves right into your kitchen. With Smantry sharing supplies becomes easier than ever.
At last, it's here: The categorization of articles 🎉
Over the past few months, we have collected numerous feedback from you – and the request for better organization of supplies was one of the most frequent wishes. Soon, it will be possible to sort your items into individual categories, so that you can keep track of everything even more quickly.
Why categories are so practical
- 🥦 More organization in your pantry: Instead of a long list, you can structure your products into categories such as "Vegetables", "Beverages", or "Household Goods".
- ⏱️ Faster Finding: No more long scrolling – jump straight to the right category.
- 👨👩👧👦 Improved collaboration: In communities or family households, everyone can immediately see where things belong.
- 🌍 Customization: You can create your own categories that suit your needs – whether for meal prep, stockpiling, or just your everyday life.
Your wish will become reality ✨
We know how important this feature is to you. That's why our development team has implemented categorization as a high priority. It will soon be available step by step in the app – fulfilling one of the biggest wishes of our community.
We are thrilled that we can make everyday life even easier for you with this. Stay tuned – as always, we will keep you updated on when the feature will be officially released.
👉 Do you already have ideas on how you want to structure your categories? Feel free to send us your suggestions or requests – your input might directly influence the ongoing development.