How long for left-overs?

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I have a delicious giant meatball left in the fridge that my DMIL made for dinner last Thursday (exactly a week ago). Can I take it for lunch today? I hate to waste food!

 

[Pikester]

I usually give them a week and then they're out! You should be fine.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

2 days, maybe 3 max. 7 days is too long.

 

[wdwfan16]

Toss it. Too old.

 

[Sleepy]

My limit is 5 days max. I am sure things would be ok for longer, but I have had food poisoning, so I never want to risk it.

When my brother was a teen he once ate some leftover fried popcorn shrimp that had been lost in the fridge about a month. Mom had removed it to throw it away, but I guess my brother found it on the counter and thought it was fresh. It never hurt him. How, I will never know.

 

[bomzar]

Throw it out!!!! Leftovers should only be kept for 2-3 days at the longest!

 

[jx3smom]

I really think 7 days is too old. I'd toss it.

 

[MdmMim]

According to the FDA, cooked meat is good only for 3-4 days. I would toss it.

 

[claudia]

Toss it....

 

[Mermaid02]

My Mother would say it's fine........ I would chuck it! No way would I eat something that had been in the refrigerator for a week like that.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Ugh, I'm so conficted! It's just so delicious but I don't want to get sick. It's in sauce. Does that help? I did bring it with me to work but maybe I should just toss it and run out and get a bagel at lunch....

 

[Mermaid02]

No that doesn't help- it just gives it something to fester in........ walk away from the meatball...............

 

[lovesmurfs]

I usually allow for up to a week (6 days) in the fridge. When in doubt, though, I look it up on http://stilltasty.com/

For ground beef, it says 3-4 days.

 

[MariDisney]

For me it's 3-4 days max. In fact, I have some corn chowder left from Monday, and if we don't finish it all today then I'll toss it. I never want to risk food poisoning.

 

[Sleepy]

No that doesn't help- it just gives it something to fester in........ walk away from the meatball...............

Your choice of words makes me want to never eat leftovers.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Meat gets rancid quickly with the fat. How is that for a stomach turner? As my tag says..."Grease can't be good".

 

[Pikester]

I guess I'm bad! I always give everything a week and then toss. Oh well, what doesn't kill me will make me stronger! Right?

 

[loveWDWalways]

I know some people who go to the movies, buy a large popcorn, eat three and a half pieces
(sometimes four ) and throw the rest out! Usually I finish mine before the movie starts! I'm pretty sure I remember someone telling me after they cook/eat a meal, immediately all leftovers are thrown out.

 

[pearlieq]

That's too long for meat.

I would generally give it 3-4 days, maybe 5 on the outside if I cooked it really, really well, but a week is too long.

 

[Micca]

No that doesn't help- it just gives it something to fester in........ walk away from the meatball...............

Yep, 48 hours tops on leftovers.