Sep 4, 2014 6 min read

I’m going to ask you a question and when you read this question, I want you to stop reading for a couple of minutes to think about the answer. There is no right, wrong, good, or bad answer – there’s just an answer. Answer it in your head and then continue reading this column with your answer in mind.

I am going to ask you the question and then I will share my answer with you for the remainder of the column. You don’t have to share your answer with anyone if you don’t want to (it’s not a sensitive question so it shouldn’t be a big deal), but I want you to have it in mind to compare/contrast your thoughts with mine.

This is about as real time interactive as we can get with a print column, so this should be fun. I’m going to ask you the question now, and again just take a few minutes to ponder and gather your thoughts and then you can continue reading to learn my thoughts on the subject.

Here’s the question: What are your feelings regarding leftovers?

I know, that was a loaded question. But now that you’ve taken a few minutes to really think about leftovers, let me first tell you why I asked you that question and then, as promised, I will share my answer.

I asked you that particular question because while we are all familiar with leftovers, most likely very familiar, we never really stop to think about them. We know what they are and have an opinion about them that, again, we probably don’t think about all that much, and then we go about our day.

Leftovers are important and they are important to think about. With modern technology it is possible to safely save and store food in better condition for longer periods of time than ever before.

You can even buy countertop machines that will vacuum seal your food and allow certain foods to keep in peak condition for months under the right circumstances and in the right environment. Not to mention the recent advances with appliances as “everyday” as a refrigerator and freezer.

I know people who don’t care for leftovers and that’s perfectly fine. As long as food doesn’t get wasted I reserve no judgment regarding your personal opinion. However, if you don’t like leftovers and you use that as an excuse to waste good food, then that’s something I have an issue with.

The first step, before we can go any further with this discussion, is to define what we consider a “leftover.” To me a leftover is any food item that is unintentionally remaining after a meal has concluded.

For instance, if you routinely prepare your meals ahead of time so that you have ready-made meals throughout the week, I don’t consider those to be leftovers. They were intentionally prepared in advance for a specific purpose. They are ready-made meals, again, not leftovers.

However, I would consider the mashed potatoes you have remaining in the serving bowl when everyone’s belly is full after dinner is over to be a “leftover.” You may have known that you would have remaining food after everyone’s had their fill, but you made it with the main objective to be consumed during that specific meal. The leftovers, therefore, still fall into the unintentional category in my mind.

My opinion regarding leftovers isn’t so simple. That’s why I asked you to take a few minutes to consider your position. What seems to be so normal and everyday is really a more complicated topic than it seems to be on the surface.

It really depends on what the leftover is if I like it or not. For example, we all know that French fries and macaroni and cheese are horrible leftovers to have. I’m not saying that you can’t do anything with them, but they take some skill and experience to reheat properly.

On the other hand, foods like roasted chicken, dressing (stuffing), and mashed potatoes are all welcome additions to my refrigerator. I’m not really picky, but if the food is easy and quick to prepare I would much rather make it fresh. With that in mind, I generally live by the rule that the more complicated it is to make, the more I would be happy with having some leftover.

The key is learning how to repurpose food. Most people look at leftovers as just the dish they are and then flop them into the microwave until they are lukewarm. That’s not how I, or any good chef, think.

The key is to forget for a minute that the food in your refrigerator is a “leftover” and instead look at it like everything else in your refrigerator – as an ingredient. If you think of that roasted chicken as cooked chicken instead of a ready to eat drumstick you’ll be surprised at what you can do with it.

I’m talking about repurposing leftovers and turning them into new and fresh dishes. That roasted chicken would make a great chicken salad sandwich or great pulled barbequed chicken sandwich or a great chicken, spinach, and sundried tomato omelet – just to name a few ideas off the top of my head.

The problem with mashed potatoes is that when you reheat them they tend to lose their creaminess and the starch from the potatoes makes them gluey. My family has always used leftover mashed potatoes to make delicious gnocchi. They may not be quite as pillowy soft as when made from scratch with the clear intention to make gnocchi, but they are delicious and repurpose the mashed potatoes.

What I’m trying to say is that there’s really no clear cut answer to the question. The only right answer is your answer, and it’s only right to you.

I challenge you to change the way you think when it comes to leftovers. If you think about it, most food you get in a restaurant is some form of a leftover. The cooks prepare most of what’s on the menu in advance and simply reheat, finish, and season it to order.

Again, in restaurants it’s done intentionally with a clear purpose – to get you your food as quickly as possible. It’s also done in a controlled way so it doesn’t diminish the quality of the food or dish.

Mario Porreca of Belle Vernon is a food personality, entrepreneur, author, and the host of Just Cook It Radio on WMBS Radio 590 AM. He can be reached via his website at: www.MarioPorreca.com. Twitter: @MarioPorreca