How to safely store and prepare leftovers

December 29, 2020

Saving leftovers is a great way to avoid overeating. It also saves money and fights food waste. Making larger portions of food can also save time in the kitchen when you plan to eat leftovers for another meal.

Before you reheat and eat, follow these steps to reduce your risk of food poisoning.

Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers within two hours of serving.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a shallow, clean, airtight container and label with a date.
Keep your refrigerator temperature at 40 F or lower.
If you are not going to use the leftovers within three to four days, put them in the freezer to use later.
Reheat leftovers to 165 F to kill all harmful bacteria. Probe with a food thermometer to check the temperature.
Be sure to label leftovers to keep track of when they were made. When in doubt, throw it out.

Beware of some common pitfalls.

More than a third of people keep their refrigerator set higher than 40 F and/or don’t know how to track the proper temperature for their refrigerator.
97% of leftover lovers do not use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the foods they reheat.
36% of pizza lovers admit to eating leftover pizza from the night before without reheating, even if it has not been refrigerated. If pizza has sat out at room temperature for more than two hours, toss it out.
If you are a doggie bag diner, be sure to refrigerate the leftovers promptly and label the container with the date of purchase. Discard the food if it is not used in several days.
If you do not have a turntable in your microwave, be sure to rotate food one half turn mid-way through reheating to eliminate cold spots where bacteria can survive. Then let food stand one minute and check the temperature to make sure it is reheated to 165 F.
If you defrost meat in the microwave, be sure to cook it right away and be careful not to cross contaminate. Use separate plates to defrost and serve the meat.

Keep food safety in mind when you are handling food and leftovers. Have everyone in the kitchen wash their hands often in clean soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Use hot soapy water to wash utensils, cutting boards and counters before and after food preparation. By keeping these tips in mind this season, you can help keep your family safe.

Information provided by Joan Plummer, dietitian and diabetes educator at Columbus Community Hospital.