Leftovers Save the Day!

This end-of-the-school-year craziness has been even more busy this year than last, since our second son is now into scheduled activities. We have some nights where we are together for just an hour before popping off in separate directions, one of us with each kid. This is where leftovers are the lifesavers of our day, the key to saving money, eating well even when we're busy, and staying on budget.

I've mentioned a few times in recipes and posts that I cook extra to keep leftovers. Those freezer bags labeled with contents and date have made up more than a few meals for us this month. From roasted chicken with a quick vegetable stir fry to roasted pork and cheddar sandwiches (with fresh vegetables on the side, of course!) to a chicken fried rice for dinner tomorrow night, these leftovers have kept us from ordering in, eating out, and consuming an unhealthy amount of sodium and fat. Not only that, but because the leftovers were part of our original grocery budget, we're not spending any extra money. 

The only downside? Now we're out of leftovers in our freezer, so we'll need to cook extra and cook ahead for a couple of months to build up our stockpile again. But that's ok, because in a couple of months when fall starts up again, we're going to be wanting to cook cozy roasts and hearty stews for dinner.

What are some of your favorite uses for leftovers?