Remembering you have leftover chicken, pizza or turkey in the fridge can feel like a siren call to happiness. But depending on the type of food you’re dealing with, figuring out whether or not Wednesday’s dinner can safely be eaten as Friday’s lunch can feel like a guessing game. If you too are Googling “how long do leftovers stay good” and asking everyone you know the same question, here’s the complete run-down.
Leftover Chicken
Storage conditions will cause the shelf life of cooked chicken to vary from kitchen to kitchen. If your fridge is exceptionally cold and the chicken is sealed properly, it can last for more than four days. However, a good rule of thumb for the average fridge is to toss cooked chicken after four days, which is when bacteria usually begins to grow. If you’re unsure whether or not the chicken is safe to eat, look for any signs of a sour smell or slightly slimy texture. If you find any of these traits, discard the chicken without tasting it first.
Related: A Guide to Best Before and Expiry Dates in Canada
Leftover Stuffing and Gravy
While some might argue that half the fun of popular holiday dinners is the leftovers, both stuffing and gravy have a surprisingly short shelf life. Stuffing — which is often soaked through with meat drippings — shouldn’t be consumed after a maximum of two days in the fridge. The same two-day rule should be applied to the gravy, which should always be brought to a rolling boil to properly kill bacteria before serving again. The good news is that freezing excess stuffing and gravy will extend the shelf life for up to four months.
Leftover Pizza
Any food with meat and cheese that’s left unrefrigerated for more than two hours can cause foodborne illness. This includes the half-eaten pizza box you left out just in case “someone” wanted another slice. Place your pizza in the fridge within two hours of preparation and it will last for up to four days, three days being the recommended shelf life of the average slice. After that, bacteria can begin to grow and lead to food poisoning.
Leftover Lasagna
Cooked lasagna keeps in the refrigerator for up to five days if stored in a tightly sealed container to keep out excess moisture and other contaminants. The best way to determine whether or not lasagna has turned is to look for dried-out noodles or a sour smell emanating from the tomato sauce and cheese.
Leftover Pad Thai and Takeout Noodles
Pad Thai and other popular takeout noodle dishes will generally last up to three days in the refrigerator. Due to heavy sauces that can contribute to a soggy texture, these dishes can sometimes taste bad before they actually go bad. To be safe, always reheat noodles with meat and animal products to a temperature of 165°F or higher in order to kill any outstanding bacteria before eating.
Leftover Beef
Are you reaching for last week’s beef tenderloin leftovers or prime rib leftovers, but not sure if it’s still good to eat? If properly stored, the general rule of thumb for cooked beef is three to four days in the fridge or up to six months in the freezer. If it is giving off a bad smell or it looks slimy or sticky, it’s definitely time to toss that goodbye.
Read more:Can I Freeze This? How to Freeze Fruit, Cheese, Leftovers and More
FAQs
Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.
How long are leftovers good for FDA? ›
Can you eat cooked meat after 7 days? ›
Beef, veal, lamb and pork roasts, steaks and chops may be kept 3 to 5 days. After cooking, meat, poultry and seafood can be safely stored in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days.
What is the general rule for leftovers? ›
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.
How do you count days for leftovers? ›
The day of preparation or opening counts as the first day, so if you prepared a dish or opened a food item on October 13th, you would need to consume or toss any leftovers by October 19th at the latest based on the 7-day rule.
Can I eat 7 day old leftovers? ›
Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.
Can you eat cooked potatoes after 5 days? ›
Potatoes sometimes cause food poisoning. To avoid getting sick, be sure to eat cooked potatoes within 4 days and immediately throw away any potatoes that show signs of mold.
What does the 2-2-4 rule for leftovers state? ›
When it comes to Thanksgiving leftovers, you only need to remember is 2-2-4: 2 means do not leave food out in room temperature for longer than 2 hours. After 2 hours the leftovers need to be refrigerated or frozen.
What is the 222 rule for leftovers? ›
Non-profit organisation Love Food, Hate Waste recommends the 2:2:2 rule. Two hours to get them in the fridge. Two days to eat them once they're in there. Or freeze them for up to two months.
What is the 2-2-4 rule? ›
The 2-2-4 rule for leftovers: Move the food from the oven to the refrigerator in 2 hours or less. Store in the refridgerator at a shallow depth- about 2 inches- to speed chilling. Eat in 4 days or less (or freeze).
After being removed from heat (or the refrigerator), food should only be left out for two hours (or as little as one hour in hotter temperatures). Any leftovers should be consumed within three to four days of being refrigerated to avoid bacterial growth.
How long do restaurant leftovers last? ›
Discard all perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs, side dishes, or casseroles, left at room temperature longer than two hours; one hour in room temperatures above 90 °F. Once leftovers are stored safely, they will remain safe three to four days. For more information please visit Safe Handling of Takeout Food.
Can I eat week old cooked ground beef? ›
USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days. There are two different families of bacteria: pathogenic bacteria, the kind that cause foodborne illness, and spoilage bacteria, the kind of bacteria that cause foods to deteriorate and develop unpleasant odors, tastes, and textures.
What are the FDA guidelines for reheating food? ›
Reheat leftovers to 165° F (74° C). Bring leftover sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil. Don't leave food out at room temperature for more than two hours. On a hot day (90° F or higher), reduce this time to one hour.
Can I eat cooked chicken after 5 days? ›
USDA recommends using cooked chicken within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.
What is the FDA rule on expiration dates? ›
How are expiration dates established? FDA regulations require drug applicants to provide stability testing data with a proposed expiration date and storage conditions when they submit an application for FDA approval of their drug.
Can I eat cooked sausage after 5 days? ›
Information. All sausages- except dry sausage - are perishable and therefore must be kept refrigerated or frozen. Uncooked fresh sausage can be stored in the refrigerator one to two days; after cooking, keep for three to four days refrigerated (40 °F or less).
