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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you are managing Xmas dinner leftovers

102 replies

JaceLancs · 29/12/2023 18:13

We are down to a few bits of chicken and some stuffing which will probably be gone soon in a few sandwiches

plenty of alcohol and chocolates though - which will have to be got through by or donated when I start my diet on January 2nd!!
I try really hard not to over buy but then get given edible/drinkable presents
Quite looking forward to a change from all the rich food so am doing gammon with salad and new potatoes for New Year’s Day

OP posts:
Daughtersandbristolian · 29/12/2023 20:56

I threw the rest of the Turkey and stuffing / sausage rolls away last night as don’t want to get ill - think 3 days in the fridge is more than enough and not appealing anymore 😵‍💫

BIossomtoes · 29/12/2023 21:01

We didn’t have any leftovers. We’ve still got Christmas cake, loads of chocolates, half a trifle and most of a bottle of Baileys. I’ll rise to the challenge.

WashItTomorrow · 29/12/2023 21:11

Daughtersandbristolian · 29/12/2023 20:56

I threw the rest of the Turkey and stuffing / sausage rolls away last night as don’t want to get ill - think 3 days in the fridge is more than enough and not appealing anymore 😵‍💫

Really?!

Kinneddar · 29/12/2023 21:14

ManateeFair · 29/12/2023 20:26

A lot of people, including me, deliberately cook ‘too much’ with the intention of having a few days of leftovers.

Show quote history

I get making sure there's plenty & having leftovers on Boxing Day. But 4 days of leftovers. That's a lot of food. Isn't it boring

Winniespooh · 29/12/2023 21:17

Both sets of parents were sent home with a parcel of leftovers on Christmas day. We had a boxing day roast with all the majority of our leftovers, we had a few potatoes and bits of veg left so we had that as bubble & squeak last night.

Steadily working our way through the cheese, crackers and nibbles. Chocolates, biscuits and booze will be consumed throughout the coming weeks and months. Quality Street is not just for Christmas.

Comfysock · 29/12/2023 21:21

Left over meat I sliced and coveredin gravy...portioned out and froze

Veg we had leftovers Boxing Day and I mashed up, fried up and had with a poached egg for brunch on 27th

Allywill · 29/12/2023 21:25

I wouldn’t class chocolate or alcohol as leftover as these can be eaten anytime. The turkey did Xmas day (sent my mum and dad home with a
portion of turkey for sandwiches) another mini Xmas diner Boxing Day with reheated leftovers, and made a curry in slow cooker with remaining meat. This was a 10kg turkey and it’s all gone.

Daughtersandbristolian · 29/12/2023 21:27

Yes think 3 days is the max I know others go longer but I darent

TheaBrandt · 29/12/2023 21:28

Left over veg made x2 veggie curries gone in freezer. Leftover Turkey made
one curry eaten last night and two Turkey pies one just eaten one in freezer - pie used up gravy too.

coxesorangepippin · 29/12/2023 21:30

Nowt left

Paltry bit of Christmas cake given by FIL, I cooked a ham yesterday which is fast disappearing

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 29/12/2023 21:40

ReindeerShelter · 29/12/2023 20:20

In the bin. We don’t eat leftovers in this house. I find the idea quite grim.

😱😱 Boxing Day bubble and squeak is one of my favourite meals !

Lucywilloe · 29/12/2023 21:41

Bought more than we needed as knew we would use it. MIL kept muttering that we could have done with far less but it's all portioned up in the freezer for chicken and ham pie, chicken lasagna and sandwiches. Cheese left after new year will get grated and frozen for sauces and also looking to get a few of the last minute 15p offers on carrots, potatoes etc to make soup. Aiming to have a thrifty and relatively healthy start to the new year!

Original poster
JaceLancs · 29/12/2023 21:50

I’m low on willpower so safer to give things away as otherwise they will ‘call’ me from the cupboard
All my Xmas food is bought fresh locally where possible and home cooked - the chicken and beef are still far fresher and safe to eat than the stuff you buy on the deli counter or shelves in your local supermarket which was produced much longer ago -
None of us have ever had food poisoning - I look at it, smell or taste it and make my own mind up - I hate food waste and don’t rely on sell by or use by dates
Interesting how we are all so different - I really cut back this Xmas and saved a fortune by doing that and using the leftovers

OP posts:
Cherrysoup · 29/12/2023 21:52

Only had enough for Christmas and Boxing Day, so ran out quickly. Dogs had the last of th beef/stuffing today. Didn’t buy any chocolate.

VillageLite · 29/12/2023 22:12

I love cooking with leftovers!
The last of the turkey went into a fabulous soup today, and there is still a bit of leftover Christmas pudding in the fridge.

Plenty of cheese still, but I don’t class that as leftovers, we eat cheese all year round.
Cake, chocolate, mince pies, stollen, nuts still there to be enjoyed for as long as they last - we certainly don’t want them to run out before 12th Night!

BIossomtoes · 29/12/2023 22:12

ReindeerShelter · 29/12/2023 20:20

In the bin. We don’t eat leftovers in this house. I find the idea quite grim.

That’s an appalling waste.

LaSpuddle · 29/12/2023 22:27

Turkey and gammon eaten with bubble and squeak made from leftover veg.
Remainder made into a pie.
Pigs in blankets eaten every time someone opened the fridge I think.
Beef made into a chilli. No meat or veg left.
I did slightly overbuy on cheese, as I bought a couple of local cheeses to try as well as the usuals. Most of it will get eaten just maybe not one that nobody was keen on.
I also bought too much pâté because I forgot I’d bought it and bought more. Will eat as much as we can!

I don’t count the non perishable stuff as leftovers as we always have snacks/alcohol in stock and will work our way through it eventually!

Sallyingon · 29/12/2023 22:39

We had the last of the ham in sandwiches today. We had a gorgeous turkey and ham pie on boxing day evening and then turkey sandwiches on Wednesday to finish it off. We have a fridge full of cheese that I can't wait to make inroads on tomorrow and we are going great guns on the chocolate. Will have to top up the booze for nye and I think that just leaves three quarters of a Christmas cake to contend with

TheKeatingFive · 29/12/2023 22:58

That’s an appalling waste.

Not to mention a sad loss of culinary opportunity. Leftover turkey/chicken/
ham/duck - so much potential there. You can do so much with it.

RobertaFirmino · 29/12/2023 23:03

ReindeerShelter · 29/12/2023 20:20

In the bin. We don’t eat leftovers in this house. I find the idea quite grim.

Grim? I bet you think they are vile too, don't you!

Jk987 · 29/12/2023 23:21

Gave lots of it away to my partners Dad who was very happy!

Diamondcurtains · 29/12/2023 23:25

We had bubble & squeak on Boxing Day. Yesterday we made a pie with turkey, bacon etc. that’s pretty much it for food leftovers. There is loads of crisps, chocolate, cake, biscuits etc though!

Dogonalert · 29/12/2023 23:31

We had a rib of beef on Christmas Day - a couple of days of beef sandwiches and then I made a cottage pie which was so lovely. So not much left now.

OffsideRule · 29/12/2023 23:33

ReindeerShelter · 29/12/2023 20:20

In the bin. We don’t eat leftovers in this house. I find the idea quite grim.

Stop being silly.

Pallisers · 29/12/2023 23:46

All we have left is chocolates and biscuits - some unopened so no pressure to use - and crisps. We did beef so that was gone in two days. The leftover roast potatoes (loads) were fried for lunch on Stephen's Day. Ditto the stuffings. I froze some extra turnip. I do have some nice cheese in the fridge but we'll use that over the next week or so.

I presume the "leftovers are grim" poster was just having a pop (a bad one) at the OP for the heck of it. I don't think I've ever met anyone ever who bins food after one meal because putting the rest of the joint in the fridge is "grim". Better try next time - maybe have a go at christmas excess and waste?