Eating With Intention This Thanksgiving

6 of Our Favorite Ways to Repurpose Thanksgiving Leftovers and Cut Down on Food Waste

As a nonprofit with a mission to create good, clean and fair food for all in our local Denver community, it’s important to recognize that Thanksgiving is one of the most food-wasteful seasons of the year– In fact, 320 million lbs worth of food is thrown out after the holidays. In combination with recent SNAP funding cuts, over 45 million Americans—including many families right here in Denver—rely on SNAP benefits. Many of them will go without a Thanksgiving meal, much less enough food, to feed everyone in their families nutritionally this holiday season. 

If  those numbers feel overwhelming  as you stare at the leftovers sitting in your fridge and you and your loved ones struggle to eat all of your leftovers, then you came across this post at the perfect time! Here are a few different leftover recipe ideas you can quickly make to revamp your Thanksgiving leftovers into beautiful, delicious meals that cut down on not just the boring repetitiveness of Thanksgiving flavors, but help work towards lowering your amount of food waste this year. 

1. Mashed Potatoes-> 2-ingredient Mashed Potato Fritters - Recipe By: Kirbie’s Cravings

Starting off our recipes with one of the simplest and quickest, Kirbie’s Cravings Mashed Potato fritters  earns a top spot for how easy it is to make mashed potatoes endlessly delicious days after making. Crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside, these are ready within 15 minutes or less as the perfect appetizer topped with sour cream, chives, or cheese or a hearty breakfast side with eggs and bacon. 

2. Stuffing/Dressing and Cranberry Sauce -> Stuffing Waffles with Cranberry Butter - Recipe by: Food52

For the creative cook, this recipe is for you! Food52 inspires us to reimagine how classic Thanksgiving leftovers like stuffing and cranberry sauce can be consumed not just as mushy side dishes but now as savory, crispy stuffing waffles topped with fluffy whipped cranberry butter. It's a fun, unexpected way to elevate your holiday extras. 

3. Turkey + sides -> Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwiches -  Recipe by: Oh Sweet Basil

A sandwich can quite literally hold any food ingredients your heart desires. After all, what can bread not fix? In Oh Sweet Basil’s Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwich, we love how she uses multiple Thanksgiving dishes to make a new meal whilst still staying true to the foundational elements of what makes a good sandwich: a protein (turkey), a flavorful topping (stuffing) and a condiment (cranberry sauce, gravy). This sandwich recipe creates the perfect holiday-themed meal that's deeply flavorful without being too filling.

4. Green Beans -> Green Bean, Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Tart - Recipe By: Closet Cooking

Green beans may be one of the few greens on the Thanksgiving table, yet they’re often overlooked once the holiday ends. We love how Closet Cooking gives this humble side new life by transforming it into a flavorful buttery tart layered with umami-rich mushrooms and caramelized onions that give it a subtle sweetness. It’s an elegant, delicious and now exciting way to eat your leftover greens. 

5. Sweet Potato Casserole  -> Sweet Potato Casserole Steel-Cut Oats - Recipe By: Imma Eat That

Oats– a pantry staple that often isn’t the most exciting grab amongst the decadent holiday breakfast options, but they’re guaranteed to be satiating, energizing and more nourishing. The best way to make them taste just as special as their counters? Add a scoop of your sweet potato casserole for added creaminess and sweetness. 

6. Mac and Cheese -> Crispy Fried Mac and Cheese Bites - Recipe By: Mike Bakes NYC

An American favorite side dish for all ages, Mike Bates NYC turns this classic creamy dish into one that's crispy, light and bite-sized. These are great for making ahead and as an on-the-go snack for your little ones joining you on your post-holiday errands.

By reimagining your leftovers, you’re not just saving food—you’re honoring the time, resources, and hands that brought that meal to your table. You’re demonstrating a mindful, intentional approach to eating that uplifts our shared values of sustainability, equity, and care for one another.

If this year’s holiday abundance inspired you to take a step toward reducing waste or supporting our community, we invite you to join us:

• Learn more about our sustainable food programs

• Support food access efforts in Denver

• Donate to Slow Food Denver

• Share this post to spark mindful eating in your circles

Together, we can build a Denver where everyone has access to good food—food that nourishes us, respects the planet, and strengthens our community.

Let’s make this season not just about gratitude, but about action that feeds our neighbors and our shared future.

Slow Food Denver

Hannah Dres