Embracing leftovers can be a great way to make sure you always have delicious meals available that contribute to good health. Leftovers don't last forever, though. When stored incorrectly, reheated incorrectly, or kept for too long, leftovers may actually harm our health and lead to food poisoning.
Remember to follow the following food safety guidelines when it comes to storing and reheating leftovers.
The Temperature Danger Zone
Here are two numbers you want to mememorize - 40 and 140! When food is left between these two temperatures in Farenheit, it is in danger. Why? It's the temperature range bacteria thrive in as they bask in that warmth and feed on all the nutrients in your deliciously prepared food.
So, keep hot foods hot (above 140 degrees Farenheit) and cold foods cold (below 40 degrees Farenheit).
Refrigerate all foods at or below 40°F within two hours of it being out, or one hour if the environment is 90°F or warmer.1
Before eating leftovers, reheat them to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F. 1
Saving leftovers to eat later is a great way to avoid overeating while also saving money and fighting food waste. If you're saving dinner for later, make sure you properly refrigerate and reheat the leftovers.
Label Your Leftovers
By labelling your leftovers, you can easily keep track of how long they've been in the fridge.
Regardless of the label or expiration date, though, if something you see or smell something questionable, get rid of it! When in doubt, throw it out! It's not worth the risk!
Storing Leftovers Properly
As aforementioned, cooked foods need to be refrigerated or placed in the freezer within two hours after cooking. If it is 90 degrees Farenheit or hotter, though, that time limit gets reduced down to only one hour!
Remember, that one or two hour limit starts as soon as you finished cooking your food. Don't start counting as soon as you've served your meal or as soon as you've finished eating your meal. Start counting as soon as you've fully cooked your food.
When storing leftovers, use shallow containers as much as possible. The shallower the container (two to three inches), the quicker the food evenly cools, as opposed to large, deep containers.
Reheating Reminders
Leftovers need to be completely reheated, not simply warmed up. "Wet" foods can be reheated to boiling point, such as soups or sauces. Other foods can be reheated until a food thermometer reads 165 degrees Farenheit.
An essential reheating skill is stirring as the food reheats. This helps ensure the food has been evenly reheated throughout. You may need to do this manually when using a microwave oven if it does not rotate the food.
Set a Time Limit
No matter how good your recipe was, set a safe rule of thumb time frame after which you will inspect and most likely discard your leftovers. For refrigerated foods, this is typically after 3-4 days. For frozen foods, it can be 3-4 months.
References
1. Food safety Inspection Service. (n.d.). Retrieved March 04, 2021, from https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/danger-zone-40f-140f#:~:text=%22Danger%20Zone%22%20(40%20%C2%B0F%20-%20140%20%C2%B0F)%20Leaving,grow%20to%20dangerous%20levels%20that%20can%20cause%20illness