Turn Your Thanksgiving Scraps into Delicious Dishes
The leftovers and “waste-bits” from Thanksgiving don’t have to be wasted. With just a little planning, you can stretch your meal, lower food waste, and make some delicious second-round meals from what might have gone into the bin.
Also read: 5 Ways to Cut Down on Food Waste This Thanksgiving
Carrot tops
Use them instead of herbs: blend into a vibrant pesto or chimichurri to toss with pasta or roast veggies.
Potato peels
Don’t throw away the skins — crisp them in the oven or air-fryer for a snack, or simmer them into a peel-based soup.
Turkey bones
After the big meal, simmer the bones with aromatics to create a rich stock or soup. Great base for future dishes.
Also read: 5 Savory, Vegan Mains to Wow Your Thanksgiving Guests
Leftover cranberry sauce
Rather than letting it sit in the fridge, transform it: swirl into quick breads, mix into mayo/spreads, or use as a dessert compote.
Stale bread
Day-old or slightly stale bread is perfect for dishes like bread pudding, croutons, strata, or even panzanella salad — good for waste avoidance.
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Onion skins
The outer layers of onions (skins, ends) are perfect when making stock — add flavor instead of tossing.
Also read: 25+ Plant-Based Sides for Thanksgiving
Celery base/ends/leaves
Don’t discard the base of celery or the leaves — they’re great for stock, soup, or even chopped into salads.
Vegetable scraps (herb stems, carrot ends, leek tops, mushroom stems)
Save them in the freezer and simmer them into a flavorful stock when you have a handful.
Vegetable peels (clean ones)
Many peels add flavor to stocks or can be crisped as snacks.
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