Everyone knows that at Christmas more food is bought than what we would actually need. We can’t talk about splurging, at least not voluntarily, but when it comes to receiving people at home (and more to celebrate these holidays), we want everything to be perfect and that people eat and drink well. For this reason, on some occasions, we go too far and buy more, even knowing that these are also dates in which we have plenty of invitations and beers with friends. In most cases we arrive more than eaten at family dinners.
However, those leftovers can be used for lunch and dinner the days after the holidays and even, if we manage well, in the month of January (we know, the cost…) So here are some tips to keep leftovers from Christmas and that they last longer in the fridge or freezer and be able to consume them without any rush. Let’s see it!
Essential tricks to preserve Christmas leftovers
Airtight Tupperware to reheat
One of the options to take advantage of Christmas leftovers is to store them in an airtight Tupperware to reheat it in a few days. The downside of this situation is that we will continue eating the same after a few days and that we will be able to keep it for a maximum of 3 or 4 days, since from that date on it may start to get bad.
In this situation, you can take advantage of not only the fridge, but also the terrace if you have one. With the cold that it usually does at this time in some areas of the world, there are many foods that can be kept on the terrace and take advantage of the refrigerator for those who need a more stable temperature.
Reuse food in other dishes
If you have leftover meat or fish remains, you can reuse those ingredients to prepare other dishes that are completely different. This way you will have the feeling of taking advantage of Christmas leftovers but doing it in a different way. For example, you can make some croquettes. Prepare the dough for the croquettes and shape them. Then the way to preserve them can be to freeze them until you feel like frying them or extend their life in the fridge by spacing processes: two or three days with the dough made. Fry them and eat them for the next two or three days.
Freeze it for a future
Without a doubt, it is the best option on these dates, because we eat so much that we end up a little tired of this type of food. But if we freeze it and take it out after a month, we will surely eat it like the first day! We just have to keep several things in mind:
– If the leftovers have been frozen raw but are now cooked, we can freeze them cooked without any problem.
– If the leftovers have been frozen and cooked, we will not be able to refreeze them.
– If the leftovers are raw and we have already frozen them previously, we will NOT be able to refreeze them. In this case, it will be enough to cook them and then we can freeze them.
Film paper very stuck
In the case of canapés or things made with puff pastry, help yourself with plastic wrap very attached to the food and keep it at room temperature will be the best. If you put it in the fridge, you can spoil the texture.
Save the broths of the preserves
In the case of asparagus, olives and other preserves, our recommendation is that you store the broths where they come preserved until the end of dinner or lunch. If there is leftover, they will keep better there than dry and tightly covered or in a new jar with their juice, they will be practically as freshly opened.