Don't throw away the carcass of a whole chicken or turkey. Boil it to create a low-sodium stock to use in soups, risotto and other recipes.

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I found I was wasting money on 1/2 used containers of stuff...
-sour cream- freeze for a big batch of mashed potatoes
-spag/ tomato sauce- freeze to later spice up as a dip for homemade tortilla chips

Things I can't yet figure out a use for.. half-used:
mayo
whipping cream
buttermilk
mustard/ketchup getting old

Ideas, anyone?

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Stay at home mommy to one beautiful girl, Anna Dee, born February 2008

Whip the cream, pipe into little rosettes and freeze.

When you boil a chicken/turkey to make stock, how long do you boil it? Is there a certain amount of water?

Anybody make beef stock?

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Stay at home mommy to one beautiful girl, Anna Dee, born February 2008

for chicken/turkey stock, I cover the bones with a couple of inches of water in a big pot, and simmer for about two hours.

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Someone said something about french toast. I freeze left overs, then when we want some just put them in the toaster. They cook well in there.
I always end up with extras of sloppy joe meat, taco meat, spaghetti meat (italian sausage), etc. So instead of having the left overs of it, I just don't add all the meat in the mixes. I freeze extra meat and use them for things like soup, enchiladas (any meat goes fine in these), stuffed mushrooms (italian sausage), stuffed peppers, baked potatoes, or any other mixes. It's nice to have a small bag of meat available when you don't know what to cook.
I also freeze pancakes, fruits, etc. as well.
As for the enchiladas, just keep tortillas, cheese, and sauce packets on hand for that one time you have left overs in the freezer.

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Daycare mom

Buttermilk can be used in baked goods like biscuits, pancakes, and etc. Anything that calls for milk. Mayo and buttermilk may also be used to make your own ranch dressing. Ketchup and mustard can be used as seasoning in baked beans. Fruit and yogurt can be used to make smoothies.

We also tend to eat our leftovers for lunches during the week. Fresh produce going bad is what we deal with more often.

Got this from a newspaper a long time ago, kind of labor-intensive, but worth it if your milk is approaching it's "date:"
First make sure the milk isn't spoiled, or headed that way!
Microwave milk in a microwave safe container on high until the temperature reaches 160 degrees on a food thermometer. 1 cup usually takes about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir frequently - don't let it boil! After it reaches 160, refrigerate immediately. You should get about 7-10 more days out of it.

I also save the ham bone for Ham and bean soup. You can freeze the bone until you're ready to make soup.

Interesting about the milk, though milk never lasts that long at our house.
I don't have any specifics but I'd just say leftovers in general. Meat, potatoes, veggies rice, pasta. You can throw any of that stuff into, for example, a frittata, and it is good enough to serve to company!Same for tortillas. Wrap it up in a tortilla and add some cheese, very rarely can you go wrong!

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Aja

am i the only one that just re-heats the leftovers as is? if there are any! i just put it in a microwave safe container and have it for lunch, i dont make anything new out of it.

But in my house we constantly have fruit and veggies going bad. if its fruit, i make muffins or cake or cobbler and freeze, bananas i freeeze in the peel for bananabread! i know its time to make some when i open the freezer and get attacked by bananas.
we had some rubbery carrots and limp cellery in the fridge, i just cut them up to freeze and use for chicken noodle soup somewhere down the line, along with an onion, and i frooze the rest of the onion chopped up for other recipes, since i have a hardtime chopping onions, i always end up washing my hands and face halfway through and waiting for my eyes to stop wattering so i can see.