By: Nikia Wells

In the past few weeks, a number of home cooks have been using up the last bit of ingredients from past Showman eBistro boxes. A bit of Asia here, a dash of Bahamian there, and a splash of other ingredients from around the entire world resulted in fun, creative, unique and innovative dishes. With the return of the Showman meal kits on January 25, there will be a number of new and creative recipes and international inspiration for the more daring souls who like to take chances in the kitchen.

While each box tackles dinner for the week, there are bound to be a leftover or two that will shine as the stars of breakfast or lunch the following day. It may be tempting to toss that juicy, perfectly seasoned steak or decadent lasagna, from the night before, into the microwave to re-indulge that much faster, but here are a few tips to show your meals a bit of TLC for their second showing.

Just Say No… To The Microwave

Microwaves are great. Yes, they can reheat and defrost foods in a few minutes. And, sure, they can get the job done. But, they don’t always do that job well. Instead of using the microwave to reheat foods such as pizzas, breads, pastas etc., consider reheating on the stove or in the oven (or the toaster oven or air fryer if you’re adulting like that). This way you can avoid soggy, aggressively chewy pastries and a meal that closely resembles what it looked and tasted like when it was first cooked.

Avoid Being Big Eye

This is a hard one. We all love delicious food, and want to fully enjoy a hearty portion. But, if you have a smaller family or know that you alone can’t eat an entire Showman feast in one evening (…if you can, enjoy. We don’t judge over here) – consider partially preparing a dish and only cooking what you intend to enjoy at that time. The rest can be properly stored and finished cooking the next day.

Get Artistic…

Leftovers, much li

ke cooking, have no rules. If you have leftover meals or side dishes, you can completely revamp them into something new, the next day. Mashed potatoes and meats can be transformed into a quick shepards pie. Cold chicken or steak can be added to a crisp, fresh salad or sandwich. And, vegetables like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, corn etc. can be turned into a soup or quick, creamy chowder in just a few minutes.

Much like cooking, rethink leftovers. And, get a bit creative so that no meal feels like an afterthought…