Easy and very economical, second-chance meals are becoming more and more common. Learn all about reusing leftovers with advice from Natacha Mouton, an expert in anti-waste cooking.
Not throwing away leftovers, on principle, or for other reasons (spending less, cooking quickly, etc.) is worth it.
"I come from a family of cordon bleu chefs, but you had to finish your plate and not throw it away," explains Natacha, author of the highly inspiring book Ma petite cuisine anti-gaspi . So while cooking leftovers is completely natural for her, it's also increasingly trendy. Because yes, today, faced with ecological challenges , all anti-waste actions count. And knowing how to cook leftovers is more about culinary creativity than petty stinginess.
Why cook leftovers?
First of all, it's a little more economical . By learning to improvise with the contents of the fridge, we inevitably spend less and spend less time at the Franprix down the street from our house. Then the advantage is ecological, no more waste and no more bins filling up after each meal. As a reminder, according to Ademe (Environment and Energy Management Agency), 10 million tonnes of still edible food are wasted each year in France. And, each French person alone throws away an average of 20 kg of food waste per year.
An inventive and well-managed cuisine
Cooking leftovers means learning to better manage surpluses. Natacha Mouton is a goldmine of ideas for this. "You've finished the sausages and you have lots of lentils left? Rinse them under water and serve them with a vinaigrette sauce." Hey presto, a very nice little starter in sight. Because cooking for the whole family every day requires a lot of intellectual gymnastics and outstanding logistics. "Learning to cook leftovers will also allow you not to go shopping all the time but to learn to open the fridge and be inventive," continues the author of Ma petite cuisine antigaspi.
Some basic rules of anti-waste cooking
To become an expert in leftovers, however, you need a minimum of organization. But rest assured, it's not very complicated:
- List your essentials and always have some on hand. For example, puff pastry, crème fraîche, bacon, pasta, rice
- Keep the commercial glass jars (ready-made sauce dishes) which you will use to freeze the leftovers of your dishes.
- Organize your fridge like a war machine. In front of the "quickly consumable", behind the "that can wait". Same for the cupboards. One shelf for starchy foods, another for canned goods. So at a glance, you will know what artillery you have on hand.
- Get inspired by mischievous accounts like @lapetitecuisinedenat or @camilleselance on Instagram and create a board with “special anti-waste ideas” pins on Pinterest for days when you’re lacking inspiration.
- Rediscover the art of making broths , preserves or jams. Or more simply, salads with everything and “pastas of my invention”.
Anti-waste cuisine is daring
The good thing about leftovers is that anything goes. At worst, if it's a failure, it's not so bad after all, you change the menu for a pasta dish and you throw away the failed leftovers. So don't hesitate to have fun. An example? A poor slice of cooked ham dries out in the fridge... Put it in the oven and use it as a crouton in a bowl of soup. Make quiche or tart mixes and proudly display the title of "quiche queen" by asking your children to guess its surprise contents... Other examples? Sunday chicken can end up as chicken curry with Indian sauce and rice. If three cheeses are dueling on your platter, offer a remix with three-cheese spaghetti. And a ratatouille base will serve as the base for a delicious cake!
Freeze or re-eat?
The freezer will quickly become your best friend for life. It is indeed easy to freeze leftovers for later. Yes, it is a good idea… provided you are a minimum of organized. First of all, the freezer defrosts once a year. So, before going on vacation for example, reset the counters to zero. When you return, write down everything you freeze as you go in a small notebook and plan one “special freezer” meal per week (Monday for example) or one week per month of “freezer” meals (the last week of the month) to avoid filling the containers without ever emptying them. This will force you to better manage the contents of the freezer.
Finally, after learning how to cook leftovers, move on to the next step and try Batch Cooking, the art of cooking in advance for the whole family!
To read further:
- Gourmet Bouillons , by Keda Black, Éditions Marabout, €16.90.
- My little anti-waste kitchen , by Natacha Mouton, Éditions Eyrolles, €17.90.
