When in Doubt, Throw it Out

If you're on day 4 (or 5) of Thanksgiving leftovers, and that pecan pie or stuffing is still in the house threatening your hips and your resolve, do yourself a favor: throw it away! I don't usually advocate throwing perfectly good food in the trash, but let's look at it this way:

1. If you eat it, you will probably regret it soon after.
2. It's not exactly healthful, so you're not doing yourself any good by eating it; i.e., it's not really "nourishing" you--especially four days after the holiday for which it was cooked.
3. It will continue to torture you as long as it is in the house (read: midnight snacks, after-work stress relief, etc.).
4. Didn't you want to wear that hot little black dress to the Christmas party in a couple weeks?

The philosophy of throwing away the evil leftovers is akin to the philosophy of "I am not a garbage disposal," which is your mantra if you're used to finishing off your kids' leftover mac 'n cheese and fries. Let it go. Throw it out.

And if you can't quite bring yourself to throw it out, here are some alternatives:

1. Give it away (bring to work, bring to a lonely neighbor, leave on your doorstep).
2. Freeze it. By the time you discover it again, it won't look so appealing.

Good luck! Be strong!