You’ve eaten your fill of turkey and pumpkin pie and it’s almost time for that post feast nap. Before you settle in to subdue your full stomach, take a minute to safely put away your leftovers. Foodborne illness is definitely not how you want to remember this meal. The following is a guide to handling leftovers safely.
The Leftover Low-Down
- As a general rule, leftovers are any foods that didn’t get eaten within 2 hours after they are cooked.
- The chance of food poisoning increases the longer you store a food after it is cooked.
- Improper handling or storing cooked food is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the home.
- So if it sat out for more than 2 hours after being prepared, you are going to have to toss it to be safe.
- All cooked foods should be reheated to 165° F, refrigerated, or frozen within 2 hours after cooking.
- In hot weather, that time limit is only 1 hour.
- Remember that the “safe” period starts after the food is cooked. It includes the time that the food sits before being served and the time it sits on the table while the meal is being eaten. This period lasts until the food is actually in the refrigerator or freezer.
Storing Leftovers
- Wash your hands with soap and water before handling any of the cooked food you store to eat later. Use clean utensils to handle the food, and store it in clean containers.
- Do not put food back into the same container it was in before it was cooked, unless you have washed the container with soap and water.
- Use small, shallow containers, 3 inches tall or less, and cover them completely.
- Don’t stack these containers right next to other containers, but leave some air space around them. By using shallow containers and by leaving air space around the containers you can promote rapid, even cooling of the food.
- Avoid using large, deep containers as it will take longer for food in the center to cool and could grow dangerous bacteria.
- Remove the stuffing from cooked poultry and refrigerate or freeze it separately. This allows the stuff to cool more rapidly.
- When storing leftover turkey, remove the meat from the carcass before refrigerating.
- If you plan to save the carcass for stock, pick the bones cleans and refrigerate the carcass separately.
- Never taste leftovers that are of questionable age or safety.
- Only keep leftovers for a maximum of 4 days. Many of us can’t remember how long the food has actually been in the refrigerator so when in doubt, throw it out! (If you date leftovers before refrigerating them, this can help you ensure they don’t remain in your refrigerator too long.)
Reheating Leftovers
- When reheating leftovers, make sure you heat them completely. Leftovers that are merely “warmed” and not heated throughout are much more likely to cause food poisoning.
- Cover any leftover sauces, soups, gravies, and other “wet” foods, and heat them to a rolling boil before they are served.
- Heat all other foods to 165° F throughout.
- Stir foods while you reheat them, to ensure that all the food reaches the appropriate temperature.
By following these suggestions for handling leftover foods safely, you will improve the safety of your family’s food and lessen the likeliness of food poisoning.
