(KTAL/KMSS)—A recent report estimates that 316 million pounds of food is wasted on Thanksgiving, equivalent to discarding 8.2 million whole turkeys. Minimizing food waste is crucial not only for protecting our planet but also for saving money.
Thanksgiving leftover recipes include treats, soups, and turkey broth. Other common ideas include salads, sandwiches, pies, and casseroles.
Here are some creative recipes and ideas to help reduce food waste and your carbon footprint.
- Donate: give food to food-insecure communities.
- Host a party: a Friendsgiving or street party with your neighbors
- Make dog or cat treats: makes a great gift!
- Freeze it for later and/or make a broth.
"Nearly 58% of the food wasted on Thanksgiving comes from two staples: turkey and milk," Nonprofit ReFED reports.
Creative turkey leftover recipes:
Recipe for turkey dog and cat treats:
This recipe makes roughly 100 treats and can make a cute gift for pet parents (store it in a small mason jar). This takes approximately 30 minutes.
- 2 cups of chopped turkey
- 1/2 cup of plain mashed sweet potato or pumpkin,
- one egg,
- 3/4 cup of water, and
- 2-3 cups of whole wheat, barley, or oat flour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine sweet potatoes, water, and egg, stirring until thoroughly incorporated.
- Add turkey and flour and stir again until combined.
- To make rectangular biscuits, spread the dough evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, forming a rectangle (approximately 10" x 14") at about 1/2" thickness.
- Use a knife or pizza cutter to score the dough into rectangles of whatever size you'd like.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until the dog treats are lightly golden brown.
- Let it cool completely, then break along the score lines, or use a knife or pizza cutter to cut along the score lines.
- Store in the refrigerator or (for longer storage) in an airtight container and freezer remainder (thaw before serving), or gift it to a fellow pet parent.
Recipes for tomato tortellini soup with turkey
This is probably the easiest meal and only takes roughly 20 minutes. Originally by Summer Miller.
- 16 ounces of turkey meat (grounded or shredded)
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
- Four garlic cloves, minced
- One teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (or substitute chicken stock)
- One tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes (I like fire-roasted)
- 4 cups chicken stock, store-bought or homemade
- 8 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
- Combine cooked turkey (if not cooked, saute for 2 minutes or until onions are translucent)
- Add 1/4 cup white wine or stock to deglaze the pot, reduce it by half by letting it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and stir continuously for two minutes
- Add crushed tomatoes, add 4 cups of stock, and bring to a boil (approximately 10 minutes)
- Add tortellini to the soup for 10 minutes or until cooked through
Recipes for Short-Cut Salsa Verde Turkey Soup
Originally by Bev Weidner, this recipe involves a slow cooker and takes 6 to 8 hours. A novice home cook could make it. It consists of seasoning, chicken stock, and salsa verde (which combines tomatillos, jalapeños, onions, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice).
Recipes for Turkey Broth
Turkey broth uses both the carcass and the meat! Duration: 2 hours.
- Combine the carcass, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a stockpot. Cover with cold water (about 7 quarts).
- Allow it to simmer for 2 hours
- Spoon the fat from the surface and discard
- Pour into the strainer, and discard or compost the solids (do not discard down the drain; the fats will clog your drain)
- Add the cooked turkey meat
- Serve
It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
