The fridge runneth over

Since I have restriction and haven't been eating as much--I have a bit of a problem. 

Leftovers. 

I LOVE leftovers. But usually I don't have any (because I would eat everything at the meal), or they would be gone by the end of the night.  Those that made it through to the second day were usually gone by breakfast.

Now, I have leftovers.  There's a whole container of grilled chicken in the fridge (the results of two nights of dinners). There's 1/2 of the bag of Trader Joes' gnocchi that I fixed last night waiting in the fridge. There's deli meat and cheese that I bought over the weekend that is just sitting there.

I went through an adjustment period when I moved away from home to go to college, and when I was out of the dorms and in my own place and able to cook again--I didn't know how to cook for just one or two. I only knew how to cook for five or six. So, over the past few years, I've had to relearn how to cook for two. And usually what I cook for two is really just for me, because the ELB and I don't always agree on food--one meal plus leftovers for me. Or one great big meal for me, as the case usually has been.

This week, I'm turning away the large half plate portions. I'm saying no to seconds. I'm being satisfied on one breakfast sandwich, and eating sensibly portioned dinners. I'm not snacking all day long. I'm not going to the kitchen 10x a night looking for something.

Today, I'm making crock pot chicken barbecue because I had leftover rotisserie chicken from last week that I needed to use up. The freezer is FULL and I can't leave it in the fridge any longer. So into the crock pot it went this morning with homemade bbq sauce (probably not the best choice but made with ketchup, brown sugar, garlic powder, McCormick cajun seasoning, red wine vinegar, and some worsteshire--I also added 1/2 cup of SF apple sauce). I will probably pick up a small container of cole slaw at the grocery store during lunch and now dinner is done. And if the ELB decides he doesn't want any, well, I"ll have dinner for a few nights, I guess.

This is deffinitely a learning experience for me. I'm already studying the menu for my office lunch tomorrow to find something that keeps me on plan, and isn't ginormous portion wise because honestly, I don't need to be taking home any more leftovers. And the ELB and I are heading to my dads house Friday/Saturday. Looks like I'll be packing a cooler and taking some of my food with me. Probably for the best, because I don't like fast food anyways. 

BTW, yesterday, hit 1285 for calories. I tried the new Grilled Market Salad (180cal) from Chick-Fil-A for lunch, and used the Berry Balsamic Vinegarette (110). I did NOT use the granola or nuts on it to save calories. I was suprised--I'm usually not a fruit in my salad kind of girl, but it worked! I will deffinitely get it again.