First, a word on safety. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of the meal, and plan to eat them within three to four days. Anything you will not get to in that time can go into the freezer.

1. Turkey and sweet potato enchiladas

Serves 4 to 6

• 3 cups shredded cooked turkey
• 1 1/2 cups mashed or roasted sweet potato
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce
• 10 to 12 corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
• sliced green onion, cilantro and sour cream, to serve

Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Mix the turkey, sweet potato, beans, cumin and half a cup of the sauce. Spread a little sauce in a baking dish, fill and roll the tortillas and lay them seam side down. Pour over the rest of the sauce, scatter with cheese and bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Finish with green onion, cilantro and sour cream.

2. Leftover vegetable hash

Chop roasted vegetables, potatoes and a little stuffing into small pieces. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet, add everything in an even layer and leave it alone for five minutes so it can form a crust. Flip in sections, crisp the other side, then make a few wells and crack in eggs. Cover until the whites are set. A spoon of cranberry sauce on the side is a surprisingly good match.

3. Turkey stock and soup

Put the turkey carcass in a large pot with an onion, a carrot, a celery stalk and a bay leaf. Cover with cold water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for three to four hours, skimming now and then. Strain, cool quickly and refrigerate. For soup, simmer the stock with diced vegetables, a handful of rice or small pasta and any leftover turkey until tender. Extra stock freezes for months.

More quick ideas

• Stir cranberry sauce into plain yogurt or whisk it into a vinaigrette.
• Press leftover stuffing into a hot waffle iron until crisp.
• Fold mashed potatoes into a pancake batter for crisp potato cakes.
• Turn the last of the pie into a breakfast parfait with yogurt.

With a little planning, the leftovers last a few more days and every meal feels new.

Forage with care

• Only eat a plant you can identify with complete certainty. When in doubt, leave it.
• Avoid roadsides, lawns that may have been sprayed and spots where dogs are walked.
• Pick young, tender leaves; older ones are tougher and more bitter.
• If you have no safe place to forage, buy dandelion greens at a market. They are cultivated and taste the same.

Weeds worth knowing

• Dandelion: bitter, leafy greens, best young or briefly blanched.
• Purslane: juicy, lemony and crunchy, lovely raw in salads.
• Lamb’s quarters: mild and spinach-like, good wherever you would use spinach.
• Chickweed: tender and fresh, nice in salads and sandwiches.

Dandelion Green Pasta
Serves 4

• 12 ounces orecchiette or spaghetti
• 1 large bunch dandelion greens, about 8 ounces, washed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino or parmesan, plus more to serve
• 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs
• kosher salt

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Trim the tough ends of the greens and cut the leaves into two-inch pieces.
2. Drop the greens into the boiling water for one minute to tame their bitterness, then lift them out with tongs and set aside. Keep the water boiling.
3. Cook the pasta in the same water until just short of tender. Save a cup of the cooking water before draining.
4. While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook until the garlic is pale gold.
5. Add the greens and a pinch of salt and toss for a minute or two.
6. Add the drained pasta, the lemon zest, half the lemon juice, the cheese and a splash of the pasta water. Toss until glossy, adding more water if it looks dry.
7. Taste, add more lemon juice or salt if needed, and serve topped with breadcrumbs and more cheese.

Too bitter? Use half dandelion greens and half spinach, or blanch the greens for an extra minute.

Miso-Glazed Salmon With Garlicky Kale
Serves 2, and doubles easily

• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves torn
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• a pinch of chili flakes
• 1/2 lemon
• toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion, to finish

1. Heat the broiler with a rack about six inches from the heat. Line a small sheet pan with foil.
2. Whisk together the miso, honey, vinegar, sesame oil and ginger until smooth.
3. Pat the salmon dry, place it skin side down on the pan and spread the glaze over the tops and sides.
4. Broil for 6 to 9 minutes, until the glaze is browned in spots and the salmon flakes easily. It is done at 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part. If the glaze darkens too fast, move the pan a rack lower.
5. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
6. Add the kale and a pinch of salt and toss until wilted and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Squeeze over the lemon juice.
7. Divide the kale between two plates, set the salmon on top and finish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Swap it. The glaze is just as good on cod, chicken thighs or thick slices of eggplant. Spinach or chard can stand in for the kale; cook them for only a minute or two.

A note on miso. White miso is mild and slightly sweet. Red miso is saltier and stronger, so use a little less of it and add a touch more honey.

The one-hour prep

Set aside an hour on the weekend and make five things:

1. A grain. A big pot of farro, brown rice or quinoa.
2. A tray of roasted vegetables. Carrots, sweet potato, broccoli or cauliflower, tossed with oil and salt and roasted at 425°F (220°C) until browned.
3. A protein. Roasted chicken thighs, a pot of chickpeas, a few hard-boiled eggs or a block of baked tofu.
4. A sauce. Something punchy, like a lemon and tahini dressing or a green herb sauce.
5. Something fresh. Washed and dried greens, sliced cucumber or quick-pickled onions.

Store each one in its own container. Keeping them separate means nothing gets soggy, and you decide the combination each morning.

Five lunches from the same building blocks

• Grain bowl. Grain, vegetables, chicken and greens, with tahini dressing.
• Big salad. Greens topped with roasted vegetables, chickpeas and a hard-boiled egg.
• Pasta salad. Short pasta tossed with roasted vegetables, herb sauce and a little cheese.
• Wrap. A warm tortilla with chicken, greens, pickled onions and sauce.
• Soup. Simmer leftover vegetables and grain in stock for a few minutes and pack it in an insulated jar.

Packing tips

Pack the dressing in a small jar and add it just before eating. Put sturdy ingredients at the bottom of the container and delicate greens on top. A squeeze of lemon or a handful of toasted seeds right before lunch makes leftovers taste freshly made.

How long things keep

Cooked grains, roasted vegetables and cooked chicken are best eaten within three to four days of cooking if kept in the fridge. If you prep on Sunday, plan to use the chicken by Wednesday and freeze anything you will not get to.

A little time on the weekend buys you a week of lunches you will actually look forward to.

Shop your kitchen first

Before writing a shopping list, look in the fridge, freezer and pantry. Plan the first meals of the week around what is already there, especially anything that will not last much longer. Then write the list and stick to it.

Buy whole, then break it down

A whole chicken usually costs less per pound than packs of breasts or thighs, and it gives you more: two meals of meat and a carcass for stock. The same idea works for heads of lettuce instead of bagged salad, blocks of cheese instead of shredded, and whole carrots instead of baby carrots.

Lean on the pantry

Dried beans, lentils, rice, oats and pasta are inexpensive, keep for months and can anchor dozens of meals. Cook a big pot of beans on the weekend and use them all week in salads, soups and tacos. Buy spices from bulk bins, where you can buy just a few spoonfuls at a time.

Follow the seasons

Produce in season is usually cheaper and tastes better. In winter, lean on cabbage, root vegetables and citrus. In summer, tomatoes, zucchini and berries are at their best and at their lowest prices. Frozen vegetables and fruit are a good, affordable backup any time of year.

Cook once, eat twice

Make a double batch of soup, chili or a grain salad and plan for the leftovers. Roast two trays of vegetables instead of one. Tomorrow’s lunch is then already made, which saves you from buying lunch out.

Store food so it lasts

• Wrap washed greens loosely in a clean towel and keep them in a container.
• Keep herbs upright in a glass of water, like flowers.
• Freeze bread you will not finish and toast it straight from the freezer.
• Label leftovers with the date so nothing gets forgotten at the back of the fridge.

Use the scraps

Onion ends, carrot peels and celery tops make good stock; keep a bag in the freezer and add to it until it is full. Stale bread turns into croutons or breadcrumbs. Soft fruit goes into smoothies or a quick compote.

None of these steps is dramatic on its own, but together they add up, both in your wallet and in how much better your week of meals tastes.

Roasted Romaine with Lemon and Mustard
Serves 4 as a side

• 2 romaine hearts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the dressing
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
• a few chives or a little parsley, chopped

1. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and put a sheet pan inside to heat up.
2. Cut the romaine hearts in half lengthwise, keeping the core so the leaves hold together. Rinse them and dry very well; water on the leaves will steam instead of roast.
3. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Lay the halves cut side down on the hot pan and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cut side is browned and the outer leaves are just wilting.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the juice of half the lemon with the mustard, garlic, a pinch of salt and three tablespoons of olive oil.
6. Turn the romaine onto a platter, spoon over the dressing and finish with the seeds, herbs and a little lemon zest.

No oven? Use a pan. A heavy skillet over high heat works just as well. Cook the halves cut side down for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them.

Other greens worth cooking

• Radicchio and endive turn mellow and sweet when roasted or grilled.
• Little gem lettuce is small enough to grill whole.
• Kale and chard are excellent sautéed with garlic, and the stems can be cooked first like celery.
• Beet greens and radish tops are usually thrown away, but they cook down like spinach.

Next time a head of lettuce is about to fade in the fridge, try giving it a few minutes in a hot oven instead of sending it to the compost.

The trick for busy days is to let a slow cooker make the sauce. A long, gentle simmer softens the garlic and chili and turns canned tomatoes deep and sweet. When you get home, the only job left is cracking the eggs.

Slow-Cooker Shakshuka
Serves 4 to 6

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
• 1 or 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• a handful of chopped parsley or cilantro
• crusty bread or warm pita, to serve

1. Warm the olive oil in a wide pan set over medium heat. Add the onion, peppers and jalapeño and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, cumin and both paprikas and stir for one minute, until fragrant.
3. Scrape everything into the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes with their juice, crushing them with your hands as they go in, and stir in the salt.
4. Cover and let it cook on the low setting for 6 to 8 hours.
5. When you are ready to eat, taste the sauce and adjust the salt. Pour about four cups of it into a wide skillet and bring it to a gentle simmer.
6. Make six small wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each one. Cover and cook over low heat until the whites are fully set and the yolks are still soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
7. Scatter the feta and herbs over the top and bring the skillet straight to the table with plenty of bread.

Make it your own. Like it hotter? Add a second jalapeño or a pinch of chili flakes with the spices. Want it richer? A spoonful of harissa stirred into the sauce works beautifully.

Leftovers. Any sauce you do not use freezes well for up to three months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and you are ten minutes away from dinner on another busy night.