National Leftovers Day Date in the current year: November 27, 2026

The origins of the American version of National Leftovers Day are unclear, but the choice of date makes sense because the Thanksgiving celebration centers almost entirely on a large meal shared with family or friends. Even those who don’t do much else for Thanksgiving usually plan a substantial dinner, resulting in plenty of leftovers the next day.

In other countries that celebrate National Leftovers Day, Christmas dinner is the most important meal of the year, so National Leftovers Day is celebrated immediately after Christmas instead. In Australia, for example, the celebration is held on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas. It was launched in 2009 by DoSomething!, a nonprofit organization that encourages people to change the world for the better by doing simple things, such as reducing food waste. In the UK, National Leftovers Day was launched in 2022 by Aldi Scotland and is celebrated on December 27.

But why celebrate National Leftovers Day at all? What is its purpose? According to statistics, food waste accounts for 20 to 30 percent of total household waste in many developed regions. About half of that waste is avoidable because it consists of edible food, such as leftovers, that could have been eaten.

National Leftovers Day aims to raise awareness of food waste by encouraging people to plan their holiday meals better and utilize leftovers the next day while the food is still edible. This will help reduce food waste and cut household costs by reducing grocery expenses.

Even with thorough planning, there will be at least some leftover food after a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner because a good host doesn’t want their guests to go hungry, and a good guest will always bring something to the table, such as a side dish or dessert. National Leftovers Day is a great occasion to learn tricks to help minimize food waste after a holiday meal.

To ensure your leftovers are still edible the day after your holiday meal, store them properly. Do not leave food out on the table until the end of the evening. It is recommended that you refrigerate any uneaten food within two hours of serving. Putting leftovers in small containers will help them cool more quickly.

Refrigerated leftovers should be eaten within three to four days, except for gravy, which lasts a maximum of two days. If you are not sure that you will eat all the leftovers within a couple of days, freeze them as soon as possible. Frozen leftovers should last two to six months as long as you freeze your food promptly. When reheating leftovers, heat them until they are hot and steaming to ensure the temperature is high enough to kill bacteria.

Instead of simply reheating your leftovers, you can turn them into new meals. Experimenting with recipes that utilize leftovers is a great way to celebrate National Leftovers Day. For instance, you can combine cooked vegetables to make stews and stir-fries; use leftover rice to make fried rice or stuffed peppers; turn cooked pasta into a salad or casserole; make croquettes with mashed potatoes or use them as a topping for shepherd’s pie.