How long do you keep leftovers

[MsLeFever]

This thread is making me think of George Carlin's comment on leftovers -

They make you feel good twice!
Once when you put them in the frig - "I'm saving food!"
and again when you throw them out - "I'm saving my life!"

 

[jodifla]

Mostly (excepting seafood) a week. Never had ANY problems with things going bad in under a week.

Now we have a Food Saver, and can keep things for WEEKS.

 

[luvmy3jewels]

My rule is no longer than 3 days for leftovers. I usually buy Boars Head deli meats and will only keep those for 3 days as well (they usually get eaten before then anyway).

 

[*BTMRR*]

3 days for homemade leftovers
Next day for takeout or restaurant leftovers

 

[Mickeypooh99]

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.

This is what we do. It must work because the only time my kids get a stomache bug is when its going around the school. I can't remember the last time I had one. (knocks on wood)

 

[lovehoney]

3 days.

 

[*Seanaci*]

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.

I wish my family would take leftovers for lunches...I always throw so much out at the end of the week before I go grocery shopping...makes me sick to my stomach to be throwing so much $ out due to spoilage.

Being a SAHM, I do try to eat leftovers two to three times a week.

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.

Ditto the "When in doubt, throw it out!" rule. My mom taught me that as well.

 

[puffkin]

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.

Same in our house.

 

[Disnydad]

No more than 3 days.

 

[Panna]

Being just myself during the week, I don't really cook to much. Weekends I cook extra and then eat those during the week, either for lunch or dinner. Usually a week will do it, haven't had any issues and if it looks off or smells funny I won't chance it.

 

[Evi]

It depends on what it is for the most part if its not eaten the next day then I put it in the trash. If its something freezable like say a soup I'll freeze it individual portions and if there not gone in 3 months they will get trashed. I really try not to cook enough for leftovers because I don't really like eating the same thing consecutively.

 

[flamingglobessigmund]

Cooked rice- 3 days, when I'm planning to make fried rice. Everything else, 2 days.

 

[swilshire]

I wish my family would take leftovers for lunches...I always throw so much out at the end of the week before I go grocery shopping...makes me sick to my stomach to be throwing so much $ out due to spoilage.

When our leftovers build up beyond a reasonable limit, we bring them all out and put them on the counter and tell the family "that's dinner". That will generally wipe out a good chunk of them.

Sheila

 

[ShellRich]

Depending on item...3 days max.. I speak from experience...sadly.

 

[kirstenb1]

48 hrs is my limit.