Cooking is time-consuming , and it’s hard to blame you if you just don’t feel like cooking every day. A simple way to cut down on the amount of cooking you have to do is to cook in big portions so that you can rely on leftovers for part of the week. But of course, leftovers can sometimes leave something to be desired. Take the mystery out of second-day meals by trying these five recipes that make great leftovers.

Breakfast Sandwiches

If you find yourself in a rush each morning, freezer-friendly breakfast sandwiches can leave you without the hassle of making breakfast and also provide some filling and nutritious fuel for the day to come. Another benefit of breakfast sandwiches is that they can be customized to your liking. While most will go for a sausage patty and maybe an egg, you can sub in turkey or vegetarian-friendly tofu patties. Once you’ve prepared your sandwiches, you can stash them in the freezer, and they’ll be ready to eat after only a minute or two in the microwave.

Baked Pasta

Pasta is one of those foods that isn’t really affected by reheating, and in fact, sometimes seems better on the second go-around. Whether you bake ziti or lasagna, you can easily throw the pan back into the oven, or if in a rush, into the microwave. The big benefit of making pasta is that it’s easy to up the quantity during the cooking process. With just a little extra work, you can get much more mileage out of this meal!

Chili

Chili is good as a leftover all by itself, but its real winning quality is its versatility. If you’re tired of eating chili alone, use it as a topping for baked potatoes or nachos. Cooking up a big batch of chili at the beginning of the week can leave you with many easy meals.

Roast Turkey

Ah, turkey, the notorious provider of leftovers. We all know that Thanksgiving leaves us with plenty of the other white meat for days (or weeks) to come, but you may not realize that you don’t have to rely on just turkey sandwiches to get you through the leftovers. Turkey is a versatile meat, so while it will be fine on its own with a side of mashed potatoes, you can also use it in stews, pastas, and even curries.

Stir Fry

Stir fry is a filling and adaptable meal that can be easily cooked up again in a way that tastes as if it was cooked for the first time. Whether you decide to make a beef or vegetarian stir fry, include rice for a cheap and easy filler, and throw in some vegetables to make it more nutritious. When the time comes to reuse the leftovers, all you have to do is throw everything back into the pan, and voila, the meal will taste as good as new.

Save yourself some time by trying out these leftover ideas, but even better, be inventive! Who knows what kinds of meals you might discover by repurposing the food you have stocked in your fridge.