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Eating a cold slice of pizza by the refrigerator light? Yeah, we’ve all been there. No shame or judgment though, because real pizza lovers know that cold pizza is still delish. But TBH, there’s only so much day-old crust-chewing our jaws can handle.
If you’re ready to learn creative ways to repurpose your leftover pizza (and want tips on repurposing and recycling your pizza boxes, too!) we’ve got you covered.
Properly Dispose Of The Pizza Box
Whether you finish the pie before there can be leftovers or use one of the delish recipes below, here’s how to properly repurpose and recycle the box when you’re done.
RECYCLING
Even though pizza boxes can be recycled in most places, there are some areas that still don’t take pizza boxes yet. So, next time you’re finishing a pie, be sure to check out your local guidelines and see if your college and hometown allow pizza boxes to be recycled. If it does, then simply empty and flatten the box, and it’s ready to be recycled! By recycling it, you’ll keep it out of landfills and the material can be reused to make new paper-based products. (Pro tip: regularly check your local recycling guidelines to see if new items have been added!)
Recycling acceptance is growing, so if you’re curious about other ways to make your kitchen more sustainable, check to see if your local recycling center also accepts items like those paper coffee cups from the must-needed caffeine pick-me-up between classes. Before you know it, you’ll be a papertarian (aka a person who chooses and uses paper products as part of a sustainable lifestyle, prioritizing paper products and packaging due to their renewable nature).
Learn more about other ways you can make a positive impact on the environment by recycling!
Leftovers → Luxury Lunch
Some may say the best way to eat leftover pizza is to simply just put it in your mouth, but there are more creative (and equally delish!) ways to use your leftovers before properly recycling the box. Here are some of our faves:
WAFFLE-PIZZA-SANDWICH
Appliance: Waffle iron or panini press
Ingredients
- Two slices of pizza
- Olive oil
- Fresh mozzarella cheese (sliced)
- Tomato (sliced)
- Fresh basil
- Prosciutto
With a name including three of the best foods to ever exist, how can you go wrong with this meal?
Brush olive oil on the backside of the pizza. Build your “sandwich” by stacking all of your new ingredients on one slice of the pizza and topping it with the other slice, crust side out. Get your waffle iron or panini press, and place your pizza sandwich in it. Gently press down until your crust and fillings are crispy, hot, and melted. Repeat for your other leftover slices!
SALAD WITH PIZZA CROUTONS
Appliance: Oven, baking sheet
Ingredients
- (At least) two slices of leftover pizza
- Olive oil
- Salt, Pepper
- Romaine and iceberg lettuce (chopped)
- Red onion (diced)
- Black olives (halved)
- Salami (cut into bite-size pieces)
- Mozzarella pearls (drained)
- Sundried tomatoes (drained)
- Jarred banana peppers (drained)
- Jarred artichoke hearts (drained)
- Italian dressing
- Optional: Garlic powder
To really upgrade your salad, make this recipe using leftover pizza.
Remove the pizza crust. Cut it into bite-sized pieces. Mix the pieces in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, and add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. With the oven on 350º, pop your crust in for about 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let the crust cool while you prep your salad ingredients. Mix everything— including your croutons — together and top with Italian dressing.
SCRAMBLED PIZZA
Appliance: Stovetop, kitchen scissors, pan, rubber spatula
Ingredients
- (At least) one slice of leftover pizza
- Two large eggs
- Butter
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
If you’ve had breakfast pizza before, you know how tasty the pizza x egg combo is.
Chop and halve thin strips of your leftover pizza. Add half a teaspoon of butter to the hot pan and then add the pizza strips. Add your eggs with shredded cheese to one side of the pan once the pizza pieces start to get soft. While the eggs are still undercooked, mix them with the pizza strips. Turn the stove to low and cover to ensure the cheese is melted. Add other ingredients as you please.
Anyone else suddenly craving pizza? For more information about how to recycle paper products and pizza boxes, head to HowLifeUnfolds.com. Here’s to becoming a papertarian and not letting anything — from the boxes to the leftovers — go to waste!