Whether it’s the holidays, a celebration, or just a weeknight dinner, leftovers can be a cause for both excitement and concern. Take a look at a few of our leftover storage tips:
- Store leftovers in airtight containers and add a piece of masking tape to the lid to mark the date. This way, you can be sure they’re eaten or tossed out within the proper time frame.
- Open canned foods should be repackaged as well.
- When properly refrigerated and stored, you can save:
- Pizza for 3-4 days
- Cooked seafood for 3-4 days
- Rice pasta dishes without meat for 3-5 days
- Cooked meats like steaks, pork, and chicken for 3-4 days
- Soups and stews for 3-4 days
- Cooked vegetables for 3-4 days
- Shallow pans are the best way to cool warm food fast before storing them to refrigerate.
- Avoid overfilling your refrigerator because it prevents cool air from circulating around food and maintaining its proper temperature.
- Reheat leftovers on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave until the food is nice and hot.
- Avoid reheating food in slow cookers; it heats food too slowly and harmful bacteria can grow.
- When in doubt, throw it out. You can’t always tell or smell when food is contaminated with bacteria; it doesn’t necessarily look spoiled to the naked eye. If even for a second you suspect your leftovers may have been sitting out or even in the fridge too long, better to toss them in the trash than take the chance and get sick.