It’s not been that long ago that I hated left overs. I loathed left overs. I would find myself skipping meals because I didn’t want left overs. (Go figure, we now know skipping meals can actually be good lol) I’m not sure if it was because the food wasn’t all that good the first time around or I was just too lazy to get it out of the frig, heat it up, stir it, heat it up again – Maybe that was too much trouble. I don’t know. Funny how the mind works sometimes.
Since eating a Keto and Low Carb diet I have learned to LOVE left overs… Like.LOVE.THEM!
Matter of fact, I will sometimes make more of a entree or a side on purpose. Yep! Just to make sure I HAVE left overs!
As long as I’m rockin left overs, don’t have to worry about what I’m going to take to work for a meal. I know that as long as I have left overs to take, that I am able to have a low carb meal and I can stick with this way of eating.
It has made maintaining a keto and low carb diet all that much easier.
All you have to do is increase the volume of your entrees and sides slightly to create additional keto and low carb meals. I will also cook certain entrees or parts of entrees ahead of time on Sunday. This makes dinner easier to get on the table after workdays.
You will notice that once you have been eating keto type meals, that you will eat less! This is what also creates leftovers.
When, my husband and I started eating a keto diet we noticed that left overs started piling up pretty quickly. You get to a point where you are either not hungry, or you start to require less food to feel satisfied.
One of the the other reasons I Love Left Overs is that it saves money! Hello… Who doesn’t want to save money?!
When I fix chicken, I’ve switched up from fixing just breast meat and added some thigh meat to the meal plans since eating Keto Low Carb entered the picture. The breast is still a good option and we like the way it tastes, but adding the chicken thigh to some meal plans has allowed us to be able to incorporate more fat into our meals, therefor feeling fuller for LONGER.
Don’t get me wrong, those healthy *wink* low fat baked chicken breasts can be super delicious when you first make them, but reheating a low fat chicken breast… eh. Not quite the same reheated. Unless you have gravy of course. But ya know.. most gravies have tons of carbs. So that’s a definite no, unless you make our own so you know for sure it’s low carb.
Newsflash!! Chicken thighs are CHEAPER! I didn’t know this until I started buying them. I can cook an entree for 4, and have left overs for 2 lunches for UNDER $10.00. (I will update this post when I add the recipe – Please subscribe to my blog so we can keep in touch and I will email you when I add the recipe)
Here is the macro breakdown for chicken breasts vs. thighs.
We know that the carbs are zero for chicken whether its a breast or a thigh (unless you marinate it, and the marinade has carbs in it). Protein is about the same, with the breast having only a slight edge. The fat is the real difference when it comes to breast vs. thigh meat.
A 3 oz portion of chicken breast contains about 3g of fat while a 3 oz portion of thigh meat contains about 9g of fat.
(This value is based on skinless portions)
If you are new to Keto and Low Carb eating, you will soon learn that along with the spices ~
Fat is where the Flavor is at!
Leftovers are such a staple in our house that I will usually dedicate one night a week in my meal planning as “Left Over Night,” and it’s usually on a Thursday night. I take out all left overs from meals during the week and they become a buffet for dinner. It also helps me get the refrigerator cleaned out and ready for grocery shopping on Saturday. Out with the old – In with the new.
Same can be said for what has been the traditional American diet – Out with the Old – In With the New! #Keto-On
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