Change in Your Pocket: Saving Thanksgiving Leftovers | Video

Joel Porter | 11/22/2012

By this time, most people have had their fill of white and dark meat. But before you just shove your Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge, think about what you plan to do with it.

"If you put it in the fridge, it`s only good for three or four days," Morton County Extension agent Vanessa Hoines said.

Odds are you`ll quickly grow tired of cold turkey sandwiches, but there are plenty of inexpensive ways you can dress up a few pounds of that meat.

"The best thing would be to portion it out. Maybe keep some of it in the fridge, but really freeze a lot of it so you have a lot of that to do later on to make soups or casseroles," Hoines said.

Even though the holiday is nearly over, grocery stores typically continue running specials on turkeys for a few more days. Which is why it may be worth your time to pick up an extra bird or two.

"It`s probably a good idea if you have a deep freeze, pick up an extra one for later down the road. Because you won`t find prices below one dollar probably until next year again," Central Market store director Greg Severson said.

"And a turkey is especially one of those things, because it is a very inexpensive meat. It`s a healthy meat and it`s a good family meal to have those turkeys on hand," Hoines said.

After all, it`s not like that frozen bird will be going bad any time soon.

"A frozen turkey can actually be frozen indefinitely," Hoines said.

"It might even get you through Christmas if you want to purchase it now and hold it over," Mandan Central Market store manager Terry Elsberry said.

If you need some added inspiration, go online. You can find thousands of free recipes on sites like Pinterest or Chefs.com. It`s certainly better than tossing your hard work in the kitchen in the trash, and it`ll save you a little change in your pocket.

You can also reuse your leftover mashed potatoes to make soup, shepherd`s pie or even bake it into a loaf of bread.

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