A Perfect Pantry

Breathe out, you survived another Christmas and now it’s time to make your way through all those leftovers in the fridge and pantry.  Each year, Australians throw out $8 billion of edible food.  Leftovers account for 27 per cent of all the food wasted in households around the country. 

To make the most of your leftovers, and celebrate National Leftovers Day this Boxing Day, check out our top five recipes using ham, turkey, fruit and baked vegetables. Yum!

1. Cheese and ham rolls – what could be better than freshly baked cheese and ham rolls for brunch, lunch or to take on a summer picnic?  Just use that delicious leftover ham with some basic pantry items and you’re on your way.
2. Ham and veggie carbonara – all those baked vegetables from the Christmas feast can be put to good use in this crowd pleasing pasta dish.  There’s no need to sauté for as long when using pre-cooked pumpkin.  You can also replace the bacon with ham in our winning recipe.
3. Mango Bellini – If you snapped up a tray of mangoes this Christmas, why not celebrate the holidays with this super simple refreshing drink for your Boxing Day brunch.  Just add sparkling white wine or champagne and blitz!
4. Turkey Club Sandwich  – add some crunch to your lunch with this classic toasted club sandwich.  It’s a great way to get through leftover turkey and cranberry sauce and is perfect for serving on a generous platter for everyone to dig in to.
5. Chunky root vegetable and ham soup – after the indulgence of Christmas, a simple soup can cleanse the body and soothe the soul.  And our classic vegetable and ham soup takes no time to prepare.  Use all those leftover chunks of pumpkin, turnip, sweet potato and carrot and stir through diced ham at the end to warm through.