How long do you keep leftovers

[mrsklamc]

Just curious. I get rid of things in a fairly short time span because I figure it's better to be paranoid than sick, but I want to make sure I'm not being overzealous.

 

[okeydokey]

Honestly, most of the time if we don't eat them in the next day or two they sit in my fridge for a week and a half and then I throw them away.

 

[trip]

Depending on what it is, 3-5 days.

 

[Ericandjenng]

It just depends on what it is. We never eat anything more than a week old. But most things are gone the next day. We really try to cook for just that day and lunches the next. Leftover pizza will get pulled out over several days. We'll have ham/turkey sandwiches for 4 or 5 days before we use any remaining in some kind of casserole.

My #1 rule is smell it! If there is even a hint of an off odor, it goes in the trash!

The other option is to freeze in portion size containers to have for quick meals and lunches since this will keep leftovers much longer.

 

[Debbie]

It just depends on what it is. We never eat anything more than a week old. But most things are gone the next day. We really try to cook for just that day and lunches the next. Leftover pizza will get pulled out over several days. We'll have ham/turkey sandwiches for 4 or 5 days before we use any remaining in some kind of casserole.

My #1 rule is smell it! If there is even a hint of an off odor, it goes in the trash!

The other option is to freeze in portion size containers to have for quick meals and lunches since this will keep leftovers much longer.

Although DH has been known to eat things that have been in the fridge a little longer if I haven't been vigilant. He hates to throw anything away. Me, after the 4 or 5 days, if we haven't eaten it, it gets tossed in the freezer.

 

[sskem96]

My rule is a week for both leftovers and things like cottage cheese and lunch meat. I date everything when I open it, and anything that's over a week old on garbage night goes in the trash.

 

[mamaLori05]

I'm with the one week MAX, but nomally 2-3 days. Then it goes in the TRASH! Same goes with lunch meat.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Just put the garbage out after cleaning the fridge' apparently in answer to OP question WAY to long !!


I'm usually with the 2 to 3 day crowd

 

[gillenkl]

2-3 days

 

[Totoro]

I keep leftovers 3-5 days. If I don't think that I can eat them within that time frame, I will also freeze leftovers right away for up to 1 month.

 

[sk!mom]

Just until DH takes them for lunch the next day. DH loves leftovers!

 

[dizneechic]

Another 2-3 dayer here.

Lunch meats are 1 week, basically I shop each weekend and anything new replaces what was left of the old. Rarely have leftovers on weekday meals and all weekend leftovers go out on Tues AM with the trash.

 

[swilshire]

A week is our normal max, though many things are fine a couple of more days. A few things go out sooner, such as turkey.

I love leftovers, too. I don't know what I'd eat for lunch if it weren't for them. We cook on weekends for planned leftovers. Our two sons left at home won't hardly eat them, so DH and I take care of most of them.

Sheila

 

[SunnieRN]

I've found that if it doesn't get eaten after 3 days, then it never will. Sometimes I wait and throw it away on trash day though.

 

[Rosiekins]

1 week for most things that are cooked like Meat, Casserole and such. Honestly I will only eat them for a few days but DH will eat them until I say STOP lol. Somethings like Taco Meat I will make last for 4 to 5 days, I do Taco Salad for lunch or Burritos. Turkey I ditch after 5 because it gets a smell. When I make Ham I do it on Sunday (we have friends each Sunday for a Sunday Dinner, I buy the meat and each person brings an ingredient that I ask for to make the meal. I cook and we eat together we love it) I then plan several meals over the next week involving ham, Mac and Cheese, Split Pea etc... So that lasts a week. Sorry to have rambled but i guess my real answer is a week but it depends on what

 

[MandM-Mom]

If no one eats it by the 3rd or max 4th day I chuck it...lunch meat I buy on Sundays and toss any leftover meats on Saturday Morning before I take out the trash, any leftover cheese from the week I put in the freezer and when I get a bunch of leftover cheese I make mac n cheese with it!

 

[DISdreamin']

3-4 days max, depending on what it is. Nothing longer than that if I can help it, although DH sometimes get to stuff I simply haven't thrown out yet and snarfs it.

 

[TreslovesWDW]

I follow a 3 day rule,if it has not been eaten it won't be anyway. I really don't trust things past then anyway, especially with luch meat.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

My mother raised me with the motto "When in doubt, throw it out!" I toss stuff after a day or two. Lunchmeat, maybe 5 days. Tomato products, one week MAX. And things don't get heated up more than once. If we have leftover spaghetti sauce, I'll only heat what we will eat a second time and keep the rest refrigerated. I won't heat it all and stick the "leftover leftovers" back in the fridge.

 

[Justsyd2]

Our limit is three days. Anything after that is usually unsafe.