What’s more, those synthetic fertilizers take a lot of fossil fuels to manufacture, and the leftovers run off into waterways, ultimately causing problems like algal blooms that deplete and kill aquatic life far afield.

I found success by planning just three dinners a week and leaving the rest flexible for leftovers or low-effort meals.

Yet for me, leftovers have never been a source of shame.

She also suggests encouraging guests to bring reusable containers for leftovers.

My middle child’s preschool puts reusable containers out at the end of each day and parents are encouraged to take leftovers from lunchtime home with them and return the containers the following morning.