Thanksgiving Leftovers Meal Prep to Save for the Week After the Holiday
Thanksgiving leftovers meal prep solves the problem that shows up every year around the Friday after the holiday: a fridge full of turkey and sides, and nobody wants another cold sandwich.
This recipe takes what’s already sitting in your containers — turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, even the cranberry sauce and gravy — and turns it into real meal prep bowls with about 30g of protein per serving.
It takes about 25 minutes to portion everything out, and you’ll have lunches or dinners ready for the days after the holiday when nobody feels like cooking. Here’s how to put it together.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Meal Prep Recipe
Thanksgiving Leftovers Meal Prep Recipe
A simple, no-waste way to turn Thanksgiving leftovers into ready-to-go meals. Turkey, sweet potatoes, and green beans are portioned into containers, with cranberry sauce and gravy kept separate so nothing gets soggy until reheating. It's less a recipe than a smart assembly method — quick, low-effort, and delivers about 30g of protein per serving from the turkey alone.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (about 15 oz) shredded or diced leftover turkey
- 2 cups leftover roasted or mashed sweet potatoes
- 2 cups leftover green beans (or steamed fresh green beans)
- 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce (optional, for topping)
- 1/2 cup leftover gravy (optional, for reheating)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, if reheating turkey in a skillet
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- If the turkey is cold, warm it first: heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the shredded turkey, and warm through for about 5 minutes, seasoning with a little salt and pepper.
- Reheat the sweet potatoes and green beans separately, either in the microwave or in a 350°F oven, until warmed through.
- Divide the turkey, sweet potatoes, and green beans evenly among 4 meal prep containers.
- Add a small spoonful of cranberry sauce to each container if using, keeping it in its own section so it doesn't make the rest of the container soggy.
- Store the gravy separately in a small jar or container. Reheat and pour it over just before eating.
- Seal the containers and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 747Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 10gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 231mgSodium: 417mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 7gSugar: 41gProtein: 59g
All nutritional values provided on this website (including calories, macros, and nutrient percentages) are estimates intended for informational and educational purposes only. These values are calculated using online recipe nutrition databases and software. Because individual cooking methods, product brands, ingredient substitutions, and exact portion sizes vary, the actual nutritional content of your meal may differ from the estimates shown here.
Ways to Stretch More Leftovers
If you’ve still got stuffing or mashed potatoes after building these bowls, swap them in for the sweet potato in a container or two so nothing goes to waste. Roasted Brussels sprouts or leftover roasted carrots work in place of the green beans the same way.
Storage Tips
Keep the sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days, which lines up well with how long most Thanksgiving leftovers stay good anyway. Store the gravy and cranberry sauce separately so the textures don’t run together, and add them right before eating.
FAQ
Is this Thanksgiving leftovers meal prep high in protein?
Yes. With 3 cups of shredded turkey split across 4 servings, each container has about 30g of protein from the turkey alone.
How long do Thanksgiving leftovers last in the fridge?
Most cooked turkey and sides are good for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Portioning them into meal prep containers on the day after the holiday keeps that window as long as possible.
Can I use frozen leftover turkey?
Yes. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then follow the same reheating steps in the recipe.
What if I don’t have leftover gravy?
It’s not required. The bowls hold up fine without it, or you can drizzle olive oil and squeeze lemon instead.
Can I freeze these meal prep bowls?
The turkey freezes well on its own for up to 3 months, but sweet potatoes and green beans can turn watery after freezing, so this one is best kept in the fridge and eaten within 4 days.
What else can I add to use up more leftovers?
Stuffing, mashed potatoes, and roasted vegetables all work well swapped into the containers in place of the sweet potato or green beans.
Do I need to reheat everything together?
No, it actually reheats better when reheated separately, since the turkey and vegetables warm at different rates. A minute or two apart in the microwave works fine.
Conclusion
Thanksgiving leftovers meal prep gives your holiday leftovers a second life that’s more than another sandwich, without much extra effort. Twenty-five minutes of portioning turns what’s already in your fridge into real lunches or dinners for the days right after the holiday. If your family also likes turkey sweet potato meal prep during the rest of the year, this is the same idea built around what you already have on hand.
