Why refrigerate leftovers

Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Basics for handling food safely. Department of Agriculture.

Accessed July 10, Foodborne illness: What consumers need to know. Food safety counts! Department of Health and Human Services. Slow cookers and food safety. See also A healthier take on a breakfast favorite A new way to enjoy fresh fruit A spoonful of sugar helps the veggies go down Add kick to fresh fruit Secrets of low-fat cooking An easy way to add omega-3 Bake with less sugar Batch cooking for 1 Beans and other legumes: Cooking tips Canned pumpkin: Better than fresh?

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Grill fruit! Want healthier recipes? Swap ingredients! Proper handling of leftovers makes them safer to eat later. To keep your leftovers safe, follow the rules below:. Any perishable foods sitting out at room temperature for longer than two hours should be discarded.

Leftovers can also be immediately frozen for reheating later. While freezing stops the growth of bacteria, food quality can suffer if stored too long in the freezer. To speed the cooling process, try separating large quantities of leftovers into smaller containers. But how do you avoid getting to that point? According to the FDA Food Code, all perishable foods that are opened or prepared should be thrown out after 7 days, maximum. No leftovers should survive in your fridge for longer than that.

Some foods should be even be thrown away before the 7 day mark. Refer to expiration dates and food safety guidelines to know how to handle specific foods. The chart below from Foodsafety.