5 tasty ways to make the most of leftovers

When you’re clearing the table, put any leftover food in the fridge instead of the garbage. With a little planning and imagination, the remains of last night's dinner can be transformed into a delicious new meal!

Putting leftovers to good use is not only a great way to reduce food wastage, but it can also save you money. Here are some helpful hints for making the most of five common leftovers.

• Mash and freeze. Add to soups, mashed potatoes and fish cakes.
• Make a delicious dip by mashing beans with a little thick, low-fat yogurt and a dash of chili.
• Serve in a taco with chopped onions, tomatoes, avocados, shredded lettuce and grated cheese.

• Make potato cakes or fish cakes.
• For a treat, add some chopped cooked onion, chopped parsley and plenty of cracked black pepper to leftover mashed potatoes and fry in a little olive oil in a non-stick pan until golden brown and crispy.
• Brush potato skins with a little oil and bake in a hot oven until crisp and golden. Serve with a spicy salsa, chutney or dip.

• Leftover rice makes an instant pie crust. Combine 500 grams (two cups) of leftover rice with a beaten egg and press over the base of a lightly oiled, upside-down pie or quiche pan. Bake in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 10 minutes. Add a filling and bake for the required time.
• Use leftover rice in a rice salad or to make fried rice or rice pudding.
• Leftover risotto loses its characteristic moisture and therefore doesn't reheat well. However, it can be turned into delicious risotto cakes. Mix in an egg for easier handling and shape the rice into round patties. Coat in flour, shake off the excess and shallow-fry in hot oil.

• Use leftovers to make stock, which you can then freeze in ice-cube trays to use when you need it. Simply simmer some vegetable trimmings – for example, broccoli and cauliflower stalks, cabbage cores, and parsley stems – together with leftover chicken, beef or fish bones for a couple of hours. Strain the stock before using it or freezing.

• Turn leftover bread (or homemade bread failures) into breadcrumbs. These can be used immediately or frozen for future use, and they are much nicer than store-bought crumbs.

When you reach the end of a meal, don't look at the leftovers as scraps for the garbage bin. Instead, let your imagination run free as you think up creative ways to make another meal from what's left on the table.

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