19 Comments

Ah, leftovers. God's way of rewarding you for not pigging out and finishing the entire thing in one sitting. And you're right - there's a terrible feeling of guilt when you throw out a leftover that's been leftover for too long and a corresponding thrill of delight when you realize you've eaten every bit of every meal that was in your fridge. It's the closest thing we have to the satisfaction our Native American brethren had when they used all of the buffalo.

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I'm a leftover purist. I reheat nothing. And you've enlightened me to why my kids don't like leftovers, they don't have to cook so no down side to fresh food. But whatever, I don't need the competition for that pad thai from last night.

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as soon as they hit their teens and they're hungry constantly they'll learn to love them. That's when I started eating my parents out of house and home

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Honestly, nothing beats cold leftover grilled chicken, eaten with my hands, straight from the fridge

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it's so good, and so easy, and so filling. the perfect trifecta

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'love em. Add additional ingredients to create a completely new meal AND new leftovers.

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absolutely! Using what you got to make something new is brilliant

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We never had leftovers growing up. My mother was a one and done dinner maker. She thought leftovers were a bit déclassé. But now that I’m cooking all-the-time! I LOVE them. And often stuff tastes better the next day. I like food at least at room temp. Except for Chinese food, that’s good cold and spaghetti. Actually anything Italian and ...never mind.

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hahah yes anything with sauce is usually even better the next day because it really soaks it up! And your cooking was always good the next day!

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Leftovers have *never* been among my favorite foods to eat...and that was especially true after I came down with gastroenteritis after eating leftover chinese food and wound up having my gallbladder removed at the tender age of 21.

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Yikes! I can see why you'd want to leave the leftovers for someone else after that!

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intentionally ordered extra Thai food last week ... and still reaping the rewards this week

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see now that is a pro move

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A man after my own heart,as the saying goes. Leftovers are key for the reasons you mention. And, just like tp is only to be installed with the paper “ on top “ ( per original patent ) - leftover pizza can only be eaten cold

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I used to be in the cold pizza only camp but Steve is right, the youtube videos on how to reheat pizza make it basically good as new again. But I'll still eat a couple cold slices if I'm short on time or too hung over to be bothered with the stove

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Eric Rodli, I strongly urge you to look on YouTube for the best method to reheat pizza (in a skillet with the crucial addition of a tiny amount of water three or so minutes in). It will change your life.

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Too much effort

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Maybe leftovers were what was really in Shakespeare's mind when he talked about: ''Great Nature's second course." To eat, or not to eat? That is the question.

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Leftovers are the lifeblood of pandemic restaurant abstention. Living with a great cook doesn't hurt either. The best part may be the elimination of lengthy discussions weighing the options for our next meal.

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