Use up leftovers: recipes that turn food waste into francs
Using up leftovers is the cheapest cooking there is, because the ingredients are already paid for. In Switzerland each person throws away around 90 kilograms of still-edible food worth over CHF 600 a year (foodwaste.ch), and households cause around 40 percent of the waste. The principle: leftovers plus one cheap addition like an egg or a tin of pulses make a new meal.
Updated regularly. Using up leftovers is the cheapest cooking there is, because the ingredients are already paid for. In Switzerland each person throws away around 90 kilograms of still-edible food a year, worth over CHF 600 (foodwaste.ch). A large part of that could be recovered with a few leftover recipes, and households cause around 40 percent of the food waste.
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How do I use up leftovers sensibly?
With one simple principle: leftovers plus one cheap addition make a new meal. 1. Check what you have first. Before shopping, check the fridge and pantry; often only one ingredient is missing for a full dish. 2. Make leftovers the base. Cooked rice, pasta, vegetables and meat leftovers are the base for stir-fries, soups, frittatas, bakes or bowls. 3. Add one cheap promo ingredient. An egg, a seasonal vegetable or a tin of pulses turns leftovers into a filling dish. 4. Store well and read the dates. The best-before date is a quality date, not a safety one; much is still good after it. Only the use-by date on risk perishables is a hard limit.
| Leftover | Becomes | Cheap addition |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked rice | fried rice, bowl | egg, seasonal veg |
| Pasta | bake, frittata | own-brand cheese |
| Vegetable scraps | soup, stir-fry | tinned lentils |
| Day-old bread | French toast, croutons | egg, milk |
Leftovers become money
Wasting less is the simplest saving there is, because you do nothing extra for the money except eat what you already bought. Which leftover recipe fits this week's cheap promo ingredients is suggested live by the Rappn recipes section. For what food waste actually costs, see food waste is money, and the whole saving method in cook cheaply.
Sources checked: .
This is Rappn's home screen: live offers plus recipes matched to them, so a leftover plus one cheap promo ingredient becomes a meal. Tap around to try it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I best use up leftovers?
By the principle of leftovers plus one cheap addition. Check what you have first, make cooked rice, pasta or vegetable leftovers the base for stir-fries, soups, bakes or bowls, and add an egg, seasonal vegetable or a tin of pulses. Leftover recipes matched to your ingredients you find live in Rappn.
How much food does each person in Switzerland throw away?
Around 90 kilograms of still-edible food a year, worth over CHF 600 (foodwaste.ch). Households cause around 40 percent of Swiss food waste, which is why your own behaviour is the biggest lever.
Can I still eat food after the best-before date?
Usually yes. The best-before date is a quality date; most products are perfectly fine after it. Only the use-by date on risk perishables like minced meat or fish is a real safety limit you should respect.
Why is using up leftovers so cheap?
Because the ingredients are already paid for. Turning leftovers into a meal usually costs only one cheap addition like an egg or a tin of pulses. Wasting less is therefore the simplest saving there is.