CIFT

Thanksgiving may be behind us, but the real creativity starts now. Leftovers give everyone a chance to show off their best food hacks, and the data shows we all have a different go-to strategy.

Some take the classic route. Surveys show that anywhere from 37 to 44 percent of Americans turn leftover turkey into a sandwich, sometimes stacked high with stuffing and cranberry sauce. Others branch out, with about 41 percent incorporating turkey into soups, chilis, tacos, stir-frys, or pot pies.

A surprising number simply recreate the holiday all over again. In one survey, roughly 26 percent said they plate up a “second Thanksgiving” with all the sides included. Another 17 percent mix everything together into one dish, like a casserole or one-pan meal.

And many people treat leftovers as ingredients instead of meals. Nearly half of Americans say they use leftovers to build new dishes each week, whether that is shredded turkey for enchiladas or mashed potatoes repurposed into shepherd’s pie.

So now we are curious. How do you handle your leftovers? Do you stick with the classic sandwich, reinvent your dishes completely, or recreate the holiday all over again?

Share your go-to approach. We would love to hear what your kitchen looks like the day after Thanksgiving.

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