With groceries at such a high price, sending any leftover down the disposal is like throwing money away. So be more economical with your food and try these clever ways to use every last bite:

• Rice. Have some steamed vegetables left over from tonight's side dish? Or maybe you just have small bits of fresh veggies waiting in the crisper. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, onion, corn, green beans and peas make a great addition to steamed brown rice.
• Omelet. Leftover vegetables can also be added to an omelet for a quick, healthful and easy meal.
• Pizza. Leftover protein such as chicken, ground beef or sausage makes a great pizza topping. Try a BBQ chicken pizza or come up with your own unique combination. It's hard to go wrong.
  
• Potato cakes. Leftover mashed potatoes can be made into tasty potato cakes.
• Soup. It's pretty hard to go wrong with soup. Use up leftover vegetables and add them to a broth base along with barley or another whole grain.
  
• Calzone. ParentDish's Rob Barrett shows you how to turn almost any leftover into a delicious calzone.
• Salads. Tuna, chicken, beef, cut veggies, nuts and fruit are all great salad toppers.

Using and reusing leftovers is an economical way to go. But remember safety and ditch those leftovers when it's time.