Marie, we do the same thing. I save up the leftovers, and on one day a week they can choose off the menu. Some items are highly desired, so they have to come to mom and claim it first.
We can too. Nothing like seeing a row of jars full and waiting for the rest of the year. Love the sound of the seals popping.
Ditto on the freezer, we have the chest and then the refrigerators. One freezer I have dedicated to bread and rolls, and the chest is mostly meat, the other is mostly vegetables.
I use LDS sites for menu planning and food storage. No use reinventing the wheel, they have it down pat.
I actually make some meals with extra just for leftovers on those days when I’m too tired or too busy to cook.
There are some dishes that actually taste better after they sit for a few days.