Simple tips for leftover Christmas menu items

Did you once again go overboard with the lavish Christmas menu and there's a lot left over from everything? Moreover, one is often invited to friends and relatives, and the possibility of eating everything promptly is increasingly out of sight. Unfortunately, this leads to food being thrown away too soon or stored improperly. As a result, food waste increases unintentionally.

With this article, we want to provide you with guidance on the best ways to store leftovers and how long they can be safely enjoyed while still tasting as good as when freshly cooked.

Store properly in sealable boxes

Store leftovers properly

Proper storage can positively affect shelf life. Thus, airtight containers or jars with screw tops are the right choice. Open bowls should be covered with sustainable beeswax wraps. Cooking pots must not be placed in the refrigerator immediately, as a field of warmth can be maintained in the center of the pot's interior. This is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

Storage - timing is everything!

The timing of when food is placed in the refrigerator also plays a crucial role in terms of shelf life. Ideally, dishes should be placed in the refrigerator right after cooling down or at most two hours later. The reason is that room temperature promotes bacterial growth. If you don't have the option to put everything away immediately, a better choice is to first place everything in sealed pots on the balcony or terrace. This is a good substitute for a refrigerator.

Reheat food leftovers, but do it correctly!

Prepared foods should be reheated no more than once and at a minimum of 70° Celsius. This ensures that most bacteria are killed. Do you have so much leftovers that it's enough for several meals? Then the food should be portioned into boxes or jars right after the meal. If you plan to use the leftovers the very next day, then keep them in the refrigerator. Put the remaining containers straight into the freezer.

With these tips, the already cooked dishes can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. However, make sure to check beforehand if everything is still as it was. If the food has taken on a different smell or looks strange, it is better not to consume it.

Mushrooms, poultry, and the like: How long these food items stay fresh

What was that again about grandma's rule of thumb? Can I do the same with mushrooms? Was the food really put into the fridge immediately after cooling down? These are the most common questions that arise when preparing meals again.

Meat

When preparing meat, make sure to cook it thoroughly. This is important to prevent the formation of bacteria when reheating. The best way to achieve this is to ensure the core temperature reaches 80°C and the meat is no longer pink inside. It is very important to store it in a cool place afterwards. This way, steak, chicken, etc., can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Prefer using a pan when reheating meat. Reheating in a microwave often leads to unevenly heated food. In this case, so-called 'cold spots' can form, where salmonella can survive very well.

Fish and seafood

Lobster or shrimp are popular delicacies often served at Christmas. It is particularly important to refrigerate them immediately after they cool down. Then, fish and the like can be kept for up to two days. However, with shrimp, it should be remembered that they can lose their juicy texture and the taste may also suffer as a result. Surprisingly, cooked fish remains edible for three to four days with proper refrigeration.

Side dishes

Starchy side dishes such as potatoes, pasta, and rice are very susceptible to a specific type of bacteria that forms spores. These heat-resistant spores cannot be properly killed off even when reheated a second time. Therefore, careful consideration should be given before using the side dishes for a second meal.

Shelf life of pasta and the like.
cooked pasta up to 3-4 days
cooked rice, a maximum of two days
fried or boiled potatoes last about 2-3 days

The advantage of side dishes is that they retain their nutrients well during cooling and taste as good as on the first day of preparation even after several days stored in the refrigerator.

Mushrooms

It is commonly believed from past times that mushrooms, chanterelles, and the like spoil much more easily than other foods. However, this is not correct. If the mushrooms are well cooked during preparation and reheated properly before being eaten again, they can be reheated once more without issue. Nevertheless, it should be noted that mushrooms should not be stored in the refrigerator for more than a day. Otherwise, toxic bacteria can develop. This is due to their high water content. As a precaution, mushrooms should be discarded if they smell bad or have discolored.

The following overview may be helpful:
1. Allow mushroom dishes to cool down quickly after preparation.
2. Store in the refrigerator at 2 °C to 4 °C (lower glass shelf).
3. When reheating, ensure a minimum temperature of 70 degrees and heat everything thoroughly.

Spinach

Prepared spinach should be sealed airtight and refrigerated as soon as possible. Spinach contains the harmless plant nutrient nitrate. However, if bacteria form, this converts into the harmful nitrite. If your refrigerator is well adjusted to the stored food, this rarely happens. Nevertheless, prepared spinach should be included in your meal planning no later than two days after.

Salads

It is possible to keep salads and leafy greens for several days without any problems. However, this reduces their quality. Celery, beetroot, or Swiss chard contain nitrate, which can turn into toxic nitrite, just like with spinach. Therefore, it should not be left at room temperature for an extended period. Whether raw or cooked, make sure to cool it as quickly as possible or incorporate it into the next dish.

Eggs

The most delicate food is probably the egg. Whether scrambled or fried eggs, or boiled eggs, they should not be reheated a second time and should also not be stored in the refrigerator. Always try to prepare only as much as necessary with eggs and, if needed, take more and prepare it fresh.

When reheating prepared food, care should be taken to ensure that leftovers are thoroughly heated to at least 70 degrees Celsius for two minutes.

Spread made from leftovers for the Christmas brunch

Recipe ideas from the Christmas menu

Spread:
Are you planning a Christmas brunch or do you love spreads just as much as I do? Can you prepare a delicious spread. For this, let leftover cooked legumes simmer for about two to five minutes. Add cooked vegetables and onions with some butter or vegetable fat and sauté it with the legume mash, stirring constantly. Let it simmer for five to ten minutes and season it to taste.

Ragout:
Do you have any leftover meat from yesterday's goose or duck? Then you can cook a delicious ragout with the sauce, chestnuts, and mushrooms.

Stew:
If only the bones (carcass) are left, you can make a broth by starting with cold water. Now just add any remaining vegetables, soup noodles, or croutons, and your leftover stew is ready.

Vegetable broth:
Do you have leftovers from herbs, peels, and vegetable side dishes? Then you can cook a vegetable broth with water, salt, garlic, and a few peppercorns. This can serve as a base for other dishes.

Potato cakes:
Do you have leftover mashed potatoes? You can create a savory batter by mixing it with some flour, egg yolks, and chives. Fry this batter in a pan and you'll get delicious potato cakes.

Casserole:‌‌
A hearty casserole can be prepared from leftover raclette. Sauté the potatoes with onions and bacon in oil, add the pickled vegetables, Crème fraîche and mix everything well. Now transfer everything into a casserole dish and garnish with the remaining raclette cheese. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the cheese reaches the desired golden brown color.

Farewell to Stollen:
If there's too much Christmas stollen left over and it has become dry, you can revive it by drizzling some butter and a cup of warm milk over it, giving it a new zest for the next round.

Inspiration for the next big celebration or Christmas 2022

"Meal-Prepping" is a popular practice for many who want to eat healthily and diversely during the week. It also eliminates the daily dilemma of deciding what to cook, as the basics are already prepared on Sunday or just need to be thawed on individual days. Meal-Prepping works wonderfully for holidays or Christmas too. Initially, one only needs to consider what the basic components will be and then decide which dishes can be created from them. This allows for a variety of delights over several days and greatly reduces the likelihood of having too many leftovers.
Another positive effect is that it reduces stress in the kitchen since there is less to prepare, and fewer different ingredients need to be purchased, which can shorten the time spent in the supermarket. This is a significant contribution to fostering more contemplation during the hectic Christmas season. In our research, we were inspired by "Zu gut für die Tonne". We have listed the menu suggestion here so that you can see for yourself how simple Meal-Prepping can be at Christmas.

What is important in Meal-Prepping? The main component is vegetables. Whether fried, boiled, or raw – vegetables offer great flexibility and are always tasty. Opt for varieties like carrots, onions, beetroot, pumpkin, as well as winter cabbage and turnips, to be seasonal, regional, and diverse.

Potatoes, rice, pasta, couscous, or bulgur are starchy foods that are filling. When uncooked and stored properly, they all keep for several months, except for the potato.

Meat, fish, legumes, eggs, curd, or yogurt are sources of protein that should not be missing in any dish. However, it is important to note that fresh fish, minced meat, or poultry should also be consumed within two days of purchase at the latest, well chilled. With pork and beef, you can plan up to three days in advance.

Even on holidays, the right storage options are crucial for meal prepping. Because what good is the best-prepared menu if it can't be stored properly. Holiday feast a la Meal-Prep

Here is a classic suggestion for the possible menu:
Christmas Eve: Roast goose with red cabbage and mashed potatoes
First Day of Christmas: Roast ragout with red cabbage and walnut salad, potato pancakes, and ratatouille

Boxing Day: Leftover Quiche

If you want to add more variety to your meals, you can use a range of vegetables such as onions, carrots, zucchini, eggplants, bell peppers, and mushrooms multiple times in addition to red cabbage and potatoes.Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, the traditional roast goose is served. Red cabbage and mashed potatoes are the suitable side dishes that come to the table. Both can be wonderfully prepared in advance and can be stored frozen for several weeks. The red cabbage can be cooked with some old apples, onions, and goose fat. After cooling, fill it into an airtight container and store in the freezer. If space in the freezer is limited, the precooked red cabbage can also be kept for a few days in the refrigerator if sealed airtight. Who would have thought that mashed potatoes can also be frozen and stored without losing flavor? Thaw it on Christmas Eve and the mashed potatoes are ready with little effort. The roast goose can also be well prepared in advance. Thus, after purchasing, the roast can be prepared right away. Once it is frozen, it is sufficient to thaw it in the refrigerator on the eve and warm it up in a well-tempered oven on Christmas Eve. However, do not forget to check it regularly.

Christmas Day
The remnants of the generously calculated Christmas feast celebrate their revival on the first day of Christmas. Thus, a ragout can be cooked from the leftover goose, onions, and apples. To the red cabbage with apples from Christmas Eve, a few walnuts and a dressing made of vinegar and oil are added to create a crisp salad. Leftovers from the mashed potatoes are mixed with eggs, remaining flour, and spices, and fried in a pan to make potato pancakes.

Boxing Day
On Boxing Day, it's time to tackle the leftovers. A delicious leftover quiche can be conjured up. Everything goes in, whether it's roast leftovers, vegetables, ratatouille, or surplus eggs and flour – everything is used here.

Ready, set, go with the containers. Now you should be prepared for the perfect storage of your Christmas menu leftovers. Moreover, you now have an idea of how meal prepping can work with the festive menu. Let us know what you all had to eat for Christmas and how you dealt with the leftovers. We're excited to hear from you! Feel free to write to us at info@speisekammer.app