Chili/Chili-dip/bean dip/nachos Spaghetti! with whatever’s in the house on top of it. LEFTOVERS, you are so awesome. Frugal too! Tired of leftovers? We could write an entire post on what to do with them but here we will settle with:
- Stirfry
- omelete (you can even put leftover spaghetti in here and call it a fritatta)
- quiche
- pasta
- over rice
- in a wrap
Trader Joe’s food (#1: if you know, you HAVE a TJ’s. *SIGH*) vegetarian chicken nuggets — I know, but try the Morningstar Farms ones. They’re pretty good, cook in about 15 minutes while you make other things, and probably have at least as much protein as actual chicken. You can also add cut up cooked chicken (from frozen breasts is my go-to but you could you know, actually cook chickens or get a rotisserie) to almost anything on these lists to make a fuller meal. Shrimp works too. Bruschetta (excellent use of stale bread) Baked potatoes with stuff on them (not that #1 can eat these anymore, but back in the day this was a go-to) Lightly fried white fish
- with butter, lemon, and/or garlic
- with butter and capers
- with paprika
- dipped in egg and coated in cornmeal, salt, and pepper
Pizza! Quesadillas (salsa totally counts as a veggie), also tacos and burritos Sandwiches Breakfast for dinner Anything from Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen What are you favorite quick weeknight meals?
Grumpy Rumblings (of the formerly untenured) 
November 14, 2010 at 4:18 am
In addition to your above list, we have:
– Frozen Raviolis
– Black Bean Chicken – cook chix dump black bean on it
– Already made Alexa Fries (but not fried) from freezer section. They have sweet potato, waffle, etc. that are really good + faster + low fat. My home made ones don’t taste like fries, but hers do.
– Veggie Burgers – morningstar
– Soups.
– Meat you can slap on a grill
– Salad
– Fancy Grilled Cheeses using sourdough and good cheese
Plus, I usually spend a day a week making other stuff that’s more time consuming and freezing like:
-Meatballs
-Mac n Cheese (the homemade kind)
-lasagna
-eggplant parm
-spag sauce
Can you tell we love cheese in our house..I know, it’s bad.
Aside from Chicken Breasts and meatballs, we don’t eat a lot of meat. This is partly because my husband is grossed out by meat on the bone, so it’s not like we’ll ever have pork chops or chicken legs for dinner. I don’t like the flavor of a lot of red meat, so I never crave it.
November 14, 2010 at 5:39 am
We’re having black-bean chicken tonight. But from Faster! I’m Starving!
Occasionally we’ll just have cheese and crackers for dinner. With carrots or a piece of fruit on the side to assuage our parental guilt.
November 14, 2010 at 9:04 pm
There is nothing bad about cheese!
November 14, 2010 at 6:05 am
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November 14, 2010 at 6:54 am
Leftover chicken is great for quesadillas, nachos, and stir fry. However, I need to be more creative with my other leftovers. As my kids get bigger though, we rarely have leftovers anymore, unless I make a giant crockpot. Then the chili, soup, whatever ends up in lunches. I do love leftovers!
November 14, 2010 at 8:29 am
Burritos (!)
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
And I love the nights I’m home alone with my 2 year old because we both like PB&J for dinner.
November 14, 2010 at 12:24 pm
I love salads, so sometimes I will chop up leftover rotisserie chicken and add it to my salads. No other ideas for leftovers are coming to me right now though :)
November 14, 2010 at 2:01 pm
I’m also a fan of quick Thai curry – meat, veg (frozen is fine), curry paste and a can of coconut milk :)
November 14, 2010 at 5:39 pm
In the summer, it’s often a stir fry or salad from what ever is ready in the garden. Really fresh produce doesn’t need much jazzing up.
Now that it’s deep fall, all that’s left in the garden is cold hardy greens (kale, chard, arugula), a few beets, and the brussels sprouts (but those I’m saving for Thanksgiving). So I may make a quick soup with prepared chicken broth, frozen or fresh tortilini, and sliced chard or kale. Spiced up with a little crushed red pepper it’s soothing and healthy.
Pasta tossed with fresh, wilted greens, olive oil, and garlic.
Crackers and tuna salad: tuna packed in olive oil, fresh lemon juice, chopped stuff (like red onion, celery, radishes, fresh parsley, etc. if I have any on hand), pepper, salt.
I love leftovers, too! They’re so great for lunches and quick dinners. Having leftovers in the fridge is like having money in the bank.
November 14, 2010 at 9:05 pm
… or freezer!
November 14, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Chips and salsa is my first choice…sometimes dressed up into nachos. If it’s just me, I could just eat homemade bread/biscuits/rolls all day long…or cheese & crackers.
November 14, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Thanks for all the great ideas!
November 15, 2010 at 6:43 am
I’m like Rowan. I roast a chicken on Monday nights and then we make either a chicken salad or chicken enchiladas later in the week.
If it’s just me it’s cheese, crackers and wine!
The biggest change (foodwise) in our house to get us to eat healthier and cheaper is to make meals in bulk on the weekends. One weekend we will make 4 lasagnas and then freeze them. The next, make enough tamales to last a few month. It involves the entire family and then during the week dinner becomes quick and easy.
November 15, 2010 at 10:30 pm
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