5 Easy Dinner Recipes That Make Great Leftovers

After cooking a big batch of this curried chicken soup, ladle half the soup into an airtight container, cool, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and then heat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Store smartly: Freeze the second batch of soup instead of refrigerating to prevent the couscous from absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy.

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After dining on these yummy meatballs in tangy tomato sauce, transfer the remaining meatballs and sauce to a storage container. Cool, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from the fridge on the stovetop or in the microwave. If frozen, defrost overnight in the fridge, then heat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Make it a meal: Serve these saucy, Moroccan-ish meatballs with pita bread or on top of couscous or zucchini noodles.

After baking this simple pasta casserole, cool the second pan and wrap in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat at 425°F, covered, straight from the fridge, for 30 minutes, or from the freezer, about 1 hour, until warm.

Make it vegetarian: Nix the bacon and bake as directed. Or, for extra punch, stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes before baking.

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After baking this hearty, cheesy pasta dish, cool the second pan and wrap in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from the fridge, covered, at 400°F until hot, about 30 minutes, or about 1 hour from frozen; remove foil for the last 15 minutes.

Swap the veggies: Use 4 or 5 zucchini (about 3 lbs.) instead of eggplant.

After baking a batch of calzones, cool the second calzone, wrap in plastic, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Unwrap and reheat straight from the fridge at 425°F until warm, 15 minutes, or from frozen, about 25 minutes.

Make a mini meal: Prep 10 to 12 individual calzones rather than 2 big ones. Leftovers travel well for work or school lunch.

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