How long are leftovers good for??

[Ember]

I tend to eat leftovers pretty quick, but of course, holidays tend to leave more leftovers than usual. How long are things good if packaged up and kept in the fridge??

 

[sbell111]

One article that I read said three to five days. I assume that it depends on what is 'left over' and how well it's packaged.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I agree with the basic 3-5 days, or until it smells, looks or tastes funny. I am the household food checker here

If I made it myself and am positive it was cooked properly, and am positive no-one coughed on it or stuck a finger in it, and know it was promptly refrigerated and know I will absolutely re-cook it until it is back at the same high temp to kill all bacteria, then I will be a little more on the lax side. However, if the leftover is from someone else's kitchen, or came from a party where other people were bound to breathe on it, then re-cooking within 2 days is the max for me. If there is any chance it was left out more than 2 hours at a party I throw it out, or leave it for the party throwers to do with it what they want. Anything containing regular meats, seafood and dairy are treated with way more caution than, lets say a fruit salad, baked dessert or highly salted cold cuts. However, last year a DF of mine gave us all wicked colds when she prepared her cookies with a cold... I KNEW she had a cold but assumed she took precautions. This year ALL cookie gifts got a 10 minute visit to a hot oven at before being set out in my house, any that didn't make it got the heave- ho.

Back when, my brother was infamous for getting food poisoning ALL THE TIME byway of leftovers. I watched and I learned, when in doubt throw it out

 

[lovesmurfs]

I'm bad, I'm sure -- but I always allow for a week.

There's a great website -- www.stilltasty.com -- which tells about how long you can keep food.

 

[Micca]

"Still good" can mean A) You can eat it and it won't make you sick, or B) It still tastes good. I go with "B" and if it isn't eaten by day 3, it's tossed.

 

[karensi]

I also toss any leftovers after day 3.


Karen

ETA; I just added that website stilltasty.com to my favorites. Thanks for the link lovesmurfs

 

[Ohiodislover]

I go for about a week. The exception would be fish, and cooked vegies. They usually get nasty looking after a few days.

 

[John VN]

Well, I'm the chief cook and bottle washer in this household, have made it to 59 years of age, have been married for 36 years, just had turkey leftover from 11 days ago and have more left that should be finished by Saturday. Smells great and tastes like the day I cooked it. Leftover yams with pineapple and fresh cinnamon was wonderful and that was 7 days old.

Have never gotten ill from leftovers nor has anyone that has eaten them in my house.

With proper refrigeration a week or longer is not a problem. There is too much healthy food thrown away in the US.

 

[HannaBelle]

Wow...I am surprised we are not dead.

We keep leftovers for 2 weeks, unless it is fish. 3 days for fish of any type.

Everything is packaged in tupperware/rubbermaid type containers in the fridge. If it smells funny or looks funny, it gets tossed.

EDIT: The one thing I am militant about is out of date salad dressings...they are tossed. My DMIL and SIL's keep them until they are all gone. =/

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

Depends on the food item.
But our general rule at our house is about 3 days.
I don't know if that is accurate but that is the way we roll here.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I'm bad, I'm sure -- but I always allow for a week.

There's a great website -- www.stilltasty.com -- which tells about how long you can keep food.

After reading this website I have to let out a big YIKES over the spices section. Ummm, I do not put dates on my spices and according to this site 4 years seems to be max with 2-3 more average. I hate to admit it but I am pretty sure I have at least a few 'only used once for a weird recipe' spices floating in my cabinets from back when my kids were in Kindergarten I guess I know my little task for the day

 

[spaceacewannabe]

After reading this website I have to let out a big YIKES over the spices section. Ummm, I do not put dates on my spices and according to this site 4 years seems to be max with 2-3 more average. I hate to admit it but I am pretty sure I have at least a few 'only used once for a weird recipe' spices floating in my cabinets from back when my kids were in Kindergarten I guess I know my little task for the day

Spices don't really go bad so much as lose some intensity. I wouldn't toss just because it's old---taste and see if it'll still do the job.

 

[Wall-E1]

They're usually good until they go bad.

 

[KirstenB]

48 hrs, and then I toss them.

 

[minniecarousel]

ay-yi-yi!

I'll open a carton of soup & it'll get used within 7-10 days. It says toss after 5 days! eek!

I have to remember to use the freezer more often. Open a refridgerated gravy and divvy it up into smaller containers & freeze.

dang....gotta go thru the fridge today.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

I don't know how long they are good for really, but let me tell you apparently they are still good to "some people" weeks later lol. On christmas eve my FIL stayed over so we could do christmas am with him before heading to my MIL's in Daytona. I guess he was raiding the fridge in the middle of the night since the next morning he complimented us on our chili leftovers we had in the fridge. I was like wth, I haven't made chili in months?! Come to find out he was eating the leftover speghetti sauce from about three weeks ago that was hidden in the back of the fridge lol.

 

[C.Ann]

I've had several bouts of food poisoning in my lifetime - one severe enough that I had to be hospitalized for over a week - so I'm pretty particular about my food.. Not quite as bad as my late DH would have had you believe though - "If it's more than 5 minutes old, she won't eat it.."

I portion out enough leftovers for 2 days max.. The remainders go into serving-size containers that I put in the freezer and warm up in the microwave as needed or wanted at some other point in time..

Food poisoning is NOT fun, so I do my utmost to avoid it - even if it means throwing away food..