It should be everyone’s responsibility to prevent food wastage. This is possible by finding ways to use leftovers instead of throwing them away. Therefore, no matter the type of food you consume in your home, there several ways that you can use it to recapture some of your food budgets. Rice is a common meal that is affordable and always has leftovers in most houses. However, what do you do with the leftover rice when you have made too much of it? It is important to know different ways that you can use leftover rice as some of the ideas mentioned in this article.
1. Add it to a stir fry or make fried rice
This is the most common way of using leftover rice. Also, day-old rice is perfect for making fried rice as the rice grains are firmer and cannot easily get gummy or sticky in case you have to stir in a sauce. Therefore, to make the fried rice, choose various vegetables you have in your fridge and toss in the skillet. Add your leftover rice and a scrambled egg for some protein. Once it is ready, drizzle a delicious sauce and you have a quick meal for lunch or dinner. Alternatively, you can add rice to traditional stir-fries. Either as an accompaniment or mix it with the stir fry in the skillet and in this way you can make a quick stir fry hybrid. Some examples for these are adding the leftover rice to beef and greens stir fry among other simple ones.
2. For stews and soups
This is another popular way to use leftover rice. Many people in different parts of the world add rice to almost everything. The most common is rice and beans stew that is considered a low-cost meal. So, if you have a bowl of stew or soup. Try adding your leftover scoop of rice to it and you get a simple meal from it. Also, those who prefer dipping a loaf of crusty bread in their leftover soup, they can opt for the rice instead if there is no bread for a change. The most ideal way to use the soups and stews is when you have a small amount of rice that was leftover. Hence, you can add the rice to African peanut stew, slow cooker black bean stew, or the Mexican red lentil stew.
3. Make rice pancakes
The benefit of having rice pancakes is that they are delicious and filling. How about that for breakfast? Try this for some time when you have leftover rice for your next breakfast. Especially, when you have a long day ahead of you to boost your energy levels. Once you get a recipe that works for you, you will always ensure that you have leftover rice to use the next morning. However, the simplest way to make the rice pancake is by mixing the rice with an egg to help hold everything together. Then, add some flavors that you prefer like vanilla or cinnamon and cook them in a skillet. Seek more rice pancakes recipes online to have a variety of them for different days.
4. For meatballs and meat loafs
When using leftover rice in these two, it is best when you use it instead of breadcrumbs. The rice helps a lot as it absorbs the excess moisture perfectly as the breadcrumbs do. Also, it is a good alternative if you are sensitive to wheat products, as you can now have an ingredient to make your meatballs. Importantly, as you use leftover rice as an alternative, you must know how you mix the proportions for it cannot be similar to that of breadcrumbs. Therefore, adjust the ratios to make perfect meatball and meatloaf.
5. As bowl meals
If you have never tried a bowl meal before. When you get your next rice leftover, you will enjoy how it is easy and fast to make one. As you try this, it is also a good time to make one-offs to use any leftovers that you have in the fridge. Therefore, just like breakfast bowls, bowl meals are as amazing and quick to make a 5-minute meal. For instance, have your leftover rice in a bowl, grab a vegetable that you have, protein, and sauce and add to the rice. Heat and eat it, and as simple as that you have a bowl meal. This is a great way to use leftovers, not only rice leftovers but others as well. Some common bowl foods are Bibimbap, spicy tuna guacamole bowls the list is endless.
6. For casserole meals
Just like you can make fried rice with leftover rice. This day-old rice is also perfect for making casseroles and skillet meals. As you make casseroles, you add whatever you want to your dish. Adding the leftover rice is not a bad idea instead of leaving it in the fridge. The advantage is that these rice grains are firmer and drier. Therefore, they mix excellently with other ingredients for your dish. Absorbing the flavor and any liquid in the dish as well. Others that you can add your rice into are broccoli cheddar casserole, chicken and vegetable rice casserole, and you get a whole comforting casserole meal.
7. Freeze the rice
The last option if some of the above ways are not enticing to you or you are not getting an immediate way to use the rice. Try to pack the rice and freeze it to use later in a way you prefer at your convenience. They are ideal for last-minute meals, like the bowl meals discussed above. All you need is to microwave it, eat and be happy.
To sum up, the above ways are not the only ways that you can use your leftover rice. However, they are among the most common and most people’s favorites. Ask your friends and family how they use their leftover rice and try their recipes as well in addition to these.
