14 Inventive Ways to Give Away Leftovers

Without a doubt, the best part of the holidays is the food. Thanks to T-Day, Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years, we’ve got two solid months of delicious feasting heading our way. But all that entertaining means there will be leftovers. And sometimes those leftovers need to be sent home with your guests so you don’t overdose on candy, turkey and pie. Instead of sacrificing yet another Tupperware dish you know you’ll never get back, check out these 14 ways to DIY to-go containers. Your guests’ midnight snacking habits will thank you.

1. Classic Takeaway: Take the classic to-go box to a new level by printing out this pattern on pretty paper. Scale the pattern to make whatever size box you want and then stuff each full of tasty goodies. (via Daily Fix)

2. Leftover Pie: In the unlikely event you have pie left over, send it home in little individual slice-shaped boxes. (via Studio DIY)

3. Pie Slice: Ensure you don’t lose any of your favorite dishes by sending home dessert in these cute little boxes. If your guests have a long way to travel, we love the idea of including a disposable fork so they can snack on the road. (via Proper Pinwheel)

4. Patisserie Treat Box: These bright little boxes would look beautiful piled up on a cake stand or individually at a place setting. Fill them with little treats like macarons or truffles as the perfect takeaway gift favor. (via A Beautiful Mess)

5. Cookie Basket: If you’re going to be giving away a lot of goodies, you want something that’s fast and cheap. This little basket is made out of a paper plate and only takes a couple minutes to make. (via It’s Always Autumn)

6. Embroidered Gift Basket: Make up a bunch of these little baskets in whatever color you want and set them around the dinner table. Then when you’re done entertaining, you can send them home with your guests for a sweet treat. (via The Proper Pinwheel)

7. Milk Jug Box: For a sturdier takeaway box, try this one made out of a milk jug. Not only is the plastic food safe, it will keep your leftovers from getting smooshed. (via Creme de la Craft)

8. Thanksgiving Leftovers Label: Just print off these lovely labels on sticker paper and put them on cardboard boxes full of goodies for an extra thoughtful touch that everyone will love. (via Oh Happy Day)

9. Recycled Boxes: Save the environment one box of leftovers at a time! Giving away Thanksgiving food is a brilliant way to speed up the cleanup process and makes sure everyone has the ingredients for a turkey sandwich the next day. (via Cupcakes and Cashmere)

10. Paper Bowls: Gravy lovers will be pleased that they can take home as much as they want without worrying about a soggy mess with these sealed lids. (via The Sweetest Occasion)

11. Customizable Pie Boxes: Perfect for late-night fridge runs, these labeled pie boxes will keep all the flavors neatly organized. (via Kojo Designs)

12. Classy Leftovers: Forget any preconceived dislike you’ve been harboring for leftovers, because these pretty little boxes will make sure you leave the party with a smile on your face and a snack in hand. (via The Glitter Guide)

13. Chalkboard To-Go Boxes: Customize these little boxes with any seasonally appropriate greeting. We personally love the “take me home tonight” tag to make sure your guests don’t forget their leftovers. (via Brit + Co)

14. Cardboard Tubes: You’ll probably want to stick with dry treats for these cardboard envelopes, but how cute are those fall decorations? (via Inspiration Ave)

What are your favorite ways to give away food during the holidays? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!

I truly feel like I’ve been living under a rock when it comes to what’s good at Whole Foods. Turns out, they’ve been hiding some really impressive deals on groceries in the shadows, but I’m here to shed some light on ‘em. Whole Foods offers savings every week, and I’m fully convinced that my local Whole Foods will be seeing a whole lot more of me from now on.

Scroll on for details on Whole Foods’ top deals to shop starting today!

Kaboompics / PEXELS

1. BOGO 50% off packaged soups (Tuesdays)

Tuesdays and Fridays are the main days of the week that Whole Foods offers savings on their groceries. The first amazing deal for Tuesdays is BOGO 50% off packaged soups – perfect for this time of year!

They’ve got every kind of flavor from minestrone and chicken noodle to Italian wedding and broccoli cheddar. Their packaged soups average out at about $9 per 24-ounce tub, so saving 50% on one when you buy one is pretty good, especially for meal prep purposes.

Lukas / PEXELS

2. $2 off classic and organic rotisserie chickens (Tuesdays)

You can take $2 off two kinds of Whole Foods’ rotisserie chickens every Tuesday. Their classic rotisserie chicken goes for $9 while the organic version sells for $13. I love using rotisserie chicken for soups, sandwiches, wraps, and pastas, so getting a whole chicken to use for recipes all week long for just $7 is so nice!

Nadin Sh / PEXELS

3. $8 large cheese pizzas (Friday)

Sometimes you just do not feel like cooking on a Friday evening after work – that’s where this Whole Foods savings hack comes in! Every Friday, you can get a large cheese pizza for $8. While there’s nothing wrong with a plain cheese pizza (nostalgia galore!), I’d take advantage of this deal then bulk up my slices with various toppings like peppers, pepperoni, and olives.

Nadin Sh / PEXELS

4. 12 for $12 wild caught oysters (Friday)

Ooh, fancy! Every Friday, Whole Foods’ wild caught oysters go for $1 a pop. Buy a dozen for just $12, and you’re golden. This deal would be perfect for a bougie at-home date night.

Pixabay / PEXELS

5. BOGO 50% off packaged sushi rolls (Friday)

This is another great date night pick! Buy one packaged sushi roll, and get another 50% off on Fridays only. From rainbow rolls to California rolls, this Whole Foods savings hack has my cravings going crazy.

Minchephoto Photography / PEXELS

6. $10 family-sized tiramisu (Friday)

Got a hankering for a sweet treat? Don’t fret – you can shop a whole family-sized serving of tiramisu at Whole Foods for just $10 every Friday.

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7. $12 bottles of prosecco (Friday)

The death of the work week and start of the weekend is obviously a cause for celebration, and Whole Foods has you covered with $12 bottles of Presto prosecco every Friday. Cheers!

Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more deals!

As much as I love celebrity couples, I love celebrity sibling relationships even more. And Elle and Dakota Fanning are two sisters I've grown up watching since I first saw Dreamer in 2005. Considering Elle Fanning is only five months older than me, and I have a sister of my own, this is one relationship that feels particularly familiar. And while Elle has also watched Dakota Fanning act since we were kids, Dakota just revealed seeing Elle onscreen is just as special for her.

Here's why Dakota & Elle Fanning get emotional seeing each other onscreen.

Elle remembers "sobbing" during one particularly emotional Dakota Fanning movie.

“When Elle’s in anything, it makes me feel it deeper,” Dakota Fanning said at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit on December 3. “She never can fully disappear into a character totally for me as her sister. She obviously does an amazing job, but I’m always gonna see my little sister a little bit.”

And Elle is just as touched by Dakota's roles, and remembers "uncontrollably sobbing" after seeing Now Is Good, a movie where Dakota's character was dying of cancer. “Because it was my sister, I had a real traumatic reaction after that premiere and the screening,” Elle says. “Obviously the acting, but it was something felt on a deeper level.”

“I’m doing this job, I’m an actor because my sister started before me and I watched her,” Elle continues. “I wanted to do exactly what my big sister wanted to do.”

And their movies have also made an impact on everyone who watches them.

When Brit + Co caught up with Dakota Fanning at the world premiere of The Watchers, I had to ask about one of her most iconic movies: Uptown Girls. "I love it," she says of TikTok memes and edits giving the movie new life. "It's nostalgic for people who are kind of around my age, who grew up watching that movie, I think it's like a comfort movie for people. And so I love that people are still revisiting it and loving it. And maybe now that everyone's older [they're] understanding different things about it."

Dakota starred opposite Brittany Murphy, who also had roles in movies like Clueless, 8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted. Brittany passed away in 2009 when Dakota was 15. "I loved Brittany so much and I still miss her," she says. "So anytime that she has, you know, a moment where people think about her is also nice."

You can see Elle Fanning in A Complete Unknown, in theaters December 25, and you can also stream Dakota Fanning's new show The Perfect Couple on Netflix now.

If there’s one recipe you 100 percent need to crank out some seriously festive Christmas dessert ideas, it’s the classic, basic sugar cookie. Some of the most intricately ordained, masterpiece cookies (like pink Christmas decorations, jolly reindeer, and llamas) begin with a simple foundation. Let’s start with this recipe we love for a vanilla-bean-speckled version that’s sure to hold its own under all that royal icing.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (room temperature + cubed)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cups flour

Directions

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add vanilla bean and egg. Mix until just incorporated. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Gradually add flour (you may not need the full three cups), and mix until dough forms and pulls away from the bowl. Divide dough into two even discs and wrap in cling wrap, then refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.

When ready to roll dough, pre-heat oven to 350°F and line baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Using a rolling pin, roll cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper to 1/4-inch in thickness, and use cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes.

Transfer cookies to a baking tray using a lightly floured spatula. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes before baking.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or when edges begin to brown. The time will be dependent on size and thickness of cookies.

Allow to cool on tray until warm to touch, then transfer onto a wire cooling rackbefore decorating.

Decorate your easy Christmas cookies to you and your family's liking!

Check out our baking and cooking classes for more recipes to make at home!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

See our ‘Grammable Holiday Cookie Guide.

Recipe via Vickie Liu; photos via Brittany Griffin/Brit + Co