Are you throwing time and money away? Letting leftovers spoil in the refrigerator makes a mockery of your grocery bill and has you cooking more often than you need to. Leftover protein meal prep is the way to save time, money and resources as you meal plan.

What Constitutes Leftover Protein Meal Prep?

Leftover proteins can include:

• Chicken breast or thigh
• Ground beef
• Ground turkey/chicken
• Steak
• Pork chop or tenderloin
• Beans (black, cannellini, kidney, etc)
• Fish (salmon, white fish)

Generally, cooked leftover proteins are safe to eat out of the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If you are stuck with more than you can eat, like turkey after a Thanksgiving meal, you can extend shelf life to 2-3 months by freezing.

I suggest freezing individual portions for a quick grab-and-go meal protein option. For example, you might freeze 4-ounce portions of leftover chicken to thaw and throw on a salad.

Why use your leftovers? Simply, protein (especially meat) is the most expensive category on your shopping list. Your dollars stretch further when you use everything you buy. In 2010, the USDA estimated that 30% of food is thrown away at a retail or consumer level every year, creating a real food waste problem. Plus, you took the time to cook and prep that protein. Cut back on meal prep time by utilizing leftovers for quick meals during busy weeks.

Creative Meal Prep Ideas

There are endless ways to avoid food waste with leftover protein meal prep, and being creative is your best bet to make leftovers work to your advantage. Here are my 5 favorite ways to utilize leftover proteins, and some ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

Salads

I find salads one of the most versatile dishes out there. With a base of greens and your favorite vegetables, the flavor profile of a salad can vary widely, and can utilize just about any leftover protein. Here are some combination ideas to keep your salads interesting:

Add diced cooked chicken breast or thighs with garbanzo beans (more protein!), ranch dressing, frozen or canned corn and avocado slices.

Try sliced steak with bleu cheese or feta, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds.

Use cooked ground beef or turkey tossed in chili-blend spices, Mexican street corn, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro and tortilla strips/chips.

Add cooked pork chop or tenderloin, sliced apples, walnuts and dried cranberries.

Wraps/Sandwiches

A high-protein, high-fiber wrap, like this one from Tumaro’s, makes a great vessel for your leftover protein and other goodies. I also love Dave’s Killer bread for sandwiches, since it has a decent amount of fiber. I tend to make a bulky half-sandwich using one regular slice of bread and pair with cut veggies or side salad for a complete lunch. Use any of the flavor combinations in the salad category to throw in a wrap!

Quesadillas

A cold sandwiches second-cousin, quesadillas make a great weeknight dinner that comes together quickly using leftover proteins.

To make, place one wrap (I like the high protein, high fiber Tumaro’s wraps) in the bottom of a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle cheese on the bottom, and layer on cooked chicken, steak, ground beef or turkey evenly across the top.

I like to add black beans, cut onions and peppers and a sprinkle of taco seasoning across the top. Finish by sprinkling more cheese on top and setting the second wrap on top. Heat through, flipping once, for a delicious, crispy dinner option.

Stir Fry

Make a dish similar to your favorite Asian takeout with leftover proteins.

Toss chicken, pork tenderloin or steak with a frozen bag of plain stir fry vegetables (no sauce!) and your favorite flavor combos below. Serve over a 90-second bag of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice for a meal that comes together in a flash. Don’t forget the flavor:

Saute pork with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic powder and sesame oil for something like pork fried rice.

To a chicken stir fry, add ginger, orange juice, soy sauce (or coconut aminos) for a sweet and sour orange chicken. Use your leftover duck sauce packets (you know you have them!) for a quick drizzle on top.

For steak, try adding red pepper flakes or chili sauce, rice wine vinegar and a pinch of brown sugar for a sweet dish with some heat.

Kitchen Sink Meals and Casseroles

The best way to utilize leftovers is what I call a ‘fridge dump’ meal, aka, Kitchen Sink Meal. Now and then, leftover ingredients of all kinds pile up in the refrigerator and it’s important to use them all. What you have may vary, but with some creativity in the kitchen, you can make a delicious meal as you clean out the refrigerator. Here are a few ideas with ingredients I usually have on hand:

American Chop Suey: called Goulash in my house, but far from the original Hungarian version, this one-pot meal is a weekly staple. I combine leftover ground beef/turkey, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, canned corn and any leftover veggie I have. I bulk up the sauce with milk and flour, plus shredded cheddar cheese. Try Italian-style seasonings, but sometimes cumin and garlic for flavor. I’ll add green olives if I have them, and serve over pasta or rice.

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole: You guessed it, leftover diced chicken goes in here with a bag of thawed frozen broccoli (or mixed veggies). Mix in a can of cream of cheddar soup and a layer of rice. Top with a thin layer of shredded cheddar and bake. I often serve this with a side salad or second cooked veggie to balance out some of the heavier ingredients.

Chili: My Crock Pot chili usually contains ground turkey, peppers, onions, sliced zucchini, black beans and quinoa, seasoned with a simple taco or chili seasoning packet. This is a good spot to toss in any leftover cooked veggies you might have. I add beef broth for a more meaty flavor, alongside Worcestershire and soy sauce for umami flavor.

Time-Saving Techniques for Leftover Protein Meal Prep

Plan to have leftovers to serve multiple meals

Want to save time meal prepping all week long? Batch cook your ingredients that you intend to use for multiple meals. For example, if you eat chicken breast regularly throughout the week, batch cook enough for multiple meals once when you make the initial meal, and store the rest in the refrigerator or freezer until you need them.

This also works well for roasted vegetables, cut raw vegetables and starches too, but be mindful that many things may spoil quickly once cut or cooked. Plan to use them within 1-2 days.

Organize your leftovers

Dedicate a shelf in your refrigerator to leftovers. I like to store meal ingredients separately. For example, if I had leftover chicken, noodles and broccoli, I’d put each in individual containers. When putting in the refrigerator, I’d put the chicken to the left, noodles (starch) in the middle, and broccoli (veggies) to the right.

As you stock up on leftovers, separate in the same way to easily identify components to use at future meals. Look through your leftover shelf regularly and devise a meal that uses up what you already have.

Once a week, make sure to remove and toss any leftovers you haven’t used and have run over their 2-3 day food safety mark.

Leftover protein meal prep for busy nights

Some nights during the week may be busier than others. Maybe you work late once a week or kids have activities that go well into the evening. Meal plan to have a full meal of leftovers (protein, starch and veggie) from earlier in the week, or save proteins to whip together a quick meal.

For example, you might save leftover steak to cut up and toss on a salad or make a quick quesadilla.

Nutrition and Weight Loss

As a dietitian and weight loss coach, I regularly see clients struggle to include enough protein in their daily diets. Protein is vital to help maintain lean muscle mass during weight loss, so that weight lost comes from body fat, not muscle. Building or maintaining lean body mass helps the body burn more calories which can aid in weight loss and give a client more wiggle room with diet.

One of the biggest barriers to adequate protein is cooking and prep. Utilize batch cooking and creative use of leftovers to consistently get protein in your diet for weight loss.

Here’s what you can read next

Balancing your high protein diet plan for weight loss

Meal Prepping for Weight Loss: A Beginner’s Guide