When you hear the word “leftovers,” what do you picture? If it’s plates covered in plastic wrap set out on the table of week old food and your mom saying, “Pick whatever you want,” then we’re here to change your mind.

Leftovers are actually one of life’s greatest hidden treasures. Making a few extra servings for each meal can be life changing.

Five reasons leftovers are the best

We took a poll, and quickly found that there are multiple reasons to love your leftovers. 

1. Money saving. Ok, seriously, this is one of the best ways to save money in your budget. The way Beehive Meals works, the larger meal sizes cost less per serving than the smaller ones. Choose more portions than you need for just one meal, planning ahead for a future dinner or lunch. 
2. Time saving. We know we beat this to death, but freezer meals are all about saving you time and stress. Why not let it save you time for more than one meal? If you usually get a standard size order from Beehive Meals, bump it up to the larger portions, and you’ll have even more food for the next few days. You don’t even have to put it in the slow cooker this time!
3. Inspires innovation in the kitchen. We are big fans of using the same meat or protein in multiple ways. If you enjoyed Beehive Meals’ Pork Carnitas for dinner the night before, you might have served the meat on warm tortillas with pico de gallo, lettuce, and a dash of sour cream. The next night? Grab some soft buns, swiss cheese, and a few dill pickles, and you’ve got Cuban sandwiches. Or maybe you’ll use that meat for sheet pan nachos while enjoying the game with your family Sunday night. The possibilities are endless for every meal. If you want some ideas, we’ve got you covered.
4. Delicious lunches. If you’ve been having the same old PB&J for lunch, or maybe whatever frozen entree you found in the grocery store, it’s time for a change. Use your leftovers from dinner the night before to give you a delicious meal that is just as quick as that microwave lunch. You can prepare it the same way you did 18 hours earlier, or add a little variety by using the entree in a new way. 
5. Send lunch to work. If you or your partner are eating out every day at work, that’s going to take a toll on your grocery budget. If you have enough leftovers at dinner, pack your lunch right as you’re cleaning up. Put enough in a tupperware for the next day, pop that baby in the fridge, and you’re ready to go. And, make sure you put a note on the front door so you don’t forget it when you leave for work (yeah, we’ve done that a few dozen times). 

Leftovers Safety

While we recommend planning for leftovers, there’s also some food safety to keep in mind. Beehive Meals always packages your food in airtight, vacuum sealed bags and keeps it at proper temperatures to ensure safety and nutrition. Once you’ve cooked it all the way through and enjoyed a delicious meal, it’s time for you to keep it safe, too. 

We went to the experts on this, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for some tips about food safety. Here are their recommendations:

• Wrap leftovers well. Choose airtight packaging or a nice and tight plastic wrap. This helps block out bacteria, retains moisture, and prevents other odors from getting inside. Who wants their potato soup smelling like last night’s salmon? Not us. 
• Use it soon. As a general rule, leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. When you’re meal planning, be sure to use those leftovers for lunches or plan another dinner right away. 
• Reheat all the way. Make sure you get that food piping hot again (at least 165 degrees fahrenheit) to be sure it’s safe to eat. 

Size up and save stress now

Choosing a monthly subscription is as easy as one, two, three. Choose your county, your delivery date, and the size of meals you’d like, and you can set up your monthly subscription in just a few minutes. You’ll have a jump start on your month, take a load off your mind, and be ready to feed your family delicious, healthy meals. You can start your monthly subscription with Beehive Meals right here, right now.