My goody box had about a half pound of beef and chicken, some refried beans, some spanish rice and half a dozen flour tortillas.

Since we were full from this lunch the leftover box was enough food for dinner on Sunday (along with a salad) and my wife’s lunch today (we flipped a coin; I got a ham sandwich, apple, walnuts, and carrots).

I would not serve leftovers, save in a case similar to something I used to do: two friends and I used to have a regular Friday get-together twice a month. All of us brought whatever needed using up in our fridges, and we polished them off. I got to eat things I might not have cooked for myself, and I got to get rid of things I was sick of that might otherwise go to waste. Unfortunately, I moved away, and G. married and moved away … but I have been loking for a similarly inclined circle to pick up the practice with!

I also, like many posters, draw a distinction between foods cooked in bulk, like chicken breasts, or soup, or anything like that, and tad-ends. And I would ALSO have no trouble serving someone a new dish in which some elemnets were re-configured leftovers. My mother was a Depression-era child, and she taught me that. If I cooked chicken soup, I might invite someone over for freshly-made chicken pasties made with the boiled chicken I used for stock.

Finally, I really wonder–why do people dislike leftovers? Add another ingredient, and you have a new dish. I make spaghetti sauce ahead, because it is *better* after it has sat a while. Even if you don’t add new things, I can happily eat the same meal three days in a row. It isn’t as if people are eating from the storage or serving bowl, you know. The food in it is fine and uncontaminated, so long as it has been stored properly.

However, I see no problem with serving leftovers if it was previously announced to the guests, or if their relationship is particularly close.

With that being said, I also consider this a very personal, perhaps even a (micro)cultural situation–if the serving couple was brought up in a manner where it was okay to provide leftovers to guests, then those visitors should follow the wise proverb, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” If this does not sit well with the guests, they certainly do not have to sit at that table again.

I agree it’s about presentation – had they made extra grilled chicken and decided that would make a lovely dinner another night – no problem – but to invite someone over and have them enter while you’re in a tizzy trying to ‘find something to feed the guest’ would make me feel unwanted and unwelcome – like a burden rather than a guest.

So I say it’s a-ok if it’s ‘good’ leftovers – not scraps and dried out remnants – but that it should be done with style :)

I assume it was kept in the fridge. ha.

I think this story is missing some details.

I second the emotion that homemade lasagna is much better the second day and beyond. So are chili and beef stew. The whole point of crock pot cooking is to have leftovers, and that’s how I make most of my meals. As long as food is kept sanitary and served before spoiling, why should anyone care when it was prepared?

Here’s my best frugal food tip of the day: sandwich shops like Jimmy John’s, Subway and Quizno’s often sell or give away their unused bread. We got four LONG loaves of delicious day-old bread from Jimmy John’s today for only 50 cents apiece. It was very fresh but can be microwaved to soften it up. I guess those were leftovers too, but they taste better than anything we can buy or bake. (Send Jim over and maybe I’ll make him a sub with some ham salad that’s starting to turn.)

Martha Stewart doesn’t live here, and that’s a Good Thing.

If it really is your friend…. why worry…. eat drink and be merry…. to many people want to define what a good friend is….

It’s all about the flavor and the presentation. One last point: I admit Jim’s friends may have had a bad day for whatever reason, and may never have even intended to serve leftovers. And if Jim saw that his hosts were rushing around, he should have at least offered to help with the preparations.