Leftovers facts for kids
Leftovers are extra food that you don't eat during a meal. Instead of throwing them away, you can save them to eat later! Things like bones or fruit peels are usually considered waste, not leftovers, because you can't eat them.
People often save leftovers from meals eaten at home. It's easy to put them in special containers and keep them fresh in the fridge. You can eat them cold, heat them up, or even use them to make a brand new dish!
When you eat at a restaurant, sometimes you have food left over. In places like the United States, people often ask for a "doggy bag" to take their extra food home. The name "doggy bag" makes it sound like the food is for a pet, but usually, it's for the person to eat later!
Creative Dishes from Leftovers
Making new dishes from leftovers is a very old idea! People have been doing it for centuries, long before fridges or airtight containers existed. For example, people learned to make stock or broth from bones. This liquid could then be used as a base for small bits of leftover food that weren't enough for a whole meal on their own.
Many popular dishes today might have started as ways to use up leftovers. Think about casseroles, paella, fried rice, Shepherd's pies, and pizza. These dishes are great for mixing different ingredients you might have on hand.
For big celebrations like Christmas or Thanksgiving in the United States, it's common to cook much more food than needed. This way, guests can take some delicious leftovers home with them! After Thanksgiving, cold turkey is a classic leftover. People often use it to make sandwiches, soups, or more casseroles for several days after the big feast.
The "Doggy Bag" Story
When you're at a restaurant and can't finish your meal, you can ask to take the rest of your food home. The container you get for this is often called a doggy bag. This name probably came from people pretending the food was for their pet, even if they planned to eat it themselves. It was a polite way to ask for leftovers.
The idea of the "modern doggy bag" became popular in the 1940s. During World War II, food was scarce, and people wanted to avoid wasting anything. In 1943, some cafés in San Francisco even offered special "Pet Pakits" for customers to take their leftovers home. The term doggy bag became widely known in the 1970s.
Taking a doggy bag is very common in restaurants that also offer take-out food. However, whether it's socially accepted can vary a lot from place to place. In some countries, especially in Europe, people might not be used to asking for a doggy bag.
Sometimes, restaurants will even wrap your leftovers in tin foil and shape it into fun designs, like swans or sea horses!
Images for kids
-
A restaurant customer showing their leftovers to be put in a "doggy bag."
See also
In Spanish: Sobras para niños
