Last week Anna shared about our recipe of the month – Vegetable Fried Rice. I enjoy making that recipe for my family, but I always end up with extra cooked rice. Thankfully, there are many ways to use leftover cooked rice. Before we get started on those, I would like to thank our friends at AnswerLine for providing the tips below for safe storage of cooked rice:

• Store cooked, cooled rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Cooked rice will last in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 days.
• Cooked rice will last in the freezer for up to 6 months.

The easiest way to use up leftover cooked rice is to re-heat it and serve as a side dish. My family especially likes it as a side to chicken or fish (such as Italian Chicken). Another option is to top it with a curry or stir fry (such as Thai Chicken Curry). A third option is a filling for tacos or burritos (such as Lentil Tacos).

However, if you are looking for something a little different, try one of the recipes below which include rice as a main ingredient.

• Confetti Rice and Bean Salad
• Make Ahead Burritos
• Zesty Whole Grain Salad

Enjoy!