The great irony is that many of these dishes are so delicious that cooks might even prepare more than they need just so they can look forward to using up the extra later - think of Italian arancini or refried risotto balls with their delightfully crunchy outsides, and you get the idea. And you simply can't make fried rice without rice that's been cooked and cooled.
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Before giving up on taking leftovers seriously - and there are plenty of pressing environmental, economic and even moral reasons why we shouldn't - it's not so much about boring frugality as about food that tastes really good.

I don't throw out much at all

If I can't finish it or save it, the doggies get it, which is not often.