How long can you eat those leftovers?

(NC) There’s nothing quite like a nice home-cooked meal. Well, except maybe for the leftovers. Who doesn’t love a turkey sandwich in the days after a holiday meal? And some dishes, like chilis and stews, just taste better after the flavours have had time to mingle. But how long after cooking can you safely consume leftovers? Here are tips on how to avoid getting sick from leftovers.

Safety first
While it may be tempting to move from the dinner table to the sofa to watch TV or catch a quick nap after a big meal, you should take care of the leftovers first. You want to make sure that the food temperatures don’t drop into the “danger zone” of 4°C (40°F) to 60°C (140°F) where bacteria can thrive.

You can’t rely on smell, sight or even taste to determine if something is contaminated. Anything that has been left out for two hours or more should be tossed out.

Cool in the fridge
Any cooked food that will be eaten over the next few days should be stored in the fridge. Pack items into storage containers but leave them uncovered at first. Only seal the lid once the food has fully cooled down.

Very hot items can be left at room temperature to cool down, but move them to the fridge or freezer once they stop steaming.

Defrosting advice
Never defrost leftovers in the sink or on the counter. If you have time to plan ahead, defrost them in the fridge. Place items on a lower shelf to avoid any leakage contaminating other food. If you don’t have time to defrost in the fridge, use your microwave’s defrost setting.

Track the time
Leftovers stored in the fridge should be consumed within three to four days. If you want to keep them longer, freeze them. However, once fully defrosted and reheated, leftovers should be consumed immediately and never refrozen.

Depending on the type of food, cooked dishes can be safely frozen for two to six months. To help keep track, label containers with the type of food stored in them and the date they were frozen.

Find more tips at canada.ca/foodsafety.