How long do holiday leftovers last?

“How long has this turkey been in the fridge?” “Are these mashed potatoes still good?” “Will this stuffing last until Christmas?”
These are common questions you might hear echoing from the kitchen after the holidays.

Sharing food with family and friends makes great memories, but no one wants to remember getting sick from old leftovers. So, how long will holiday foods stay safe to eat in the refrigerator?

Illinois Extension Educator Lisa Peterson has written this great article that should answer many of those questions.

First, remember that foods like turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green beans shouldn’t sit out at room temperature for more than two hours. Try to keep hot foods hot by using pre-heated slow cookers, and keep cold foods cold by placing them on ice.

Not sure if the food is staying at a safe temperature? Use a food thermometer! Hot foods should stay at 140°F or higher, and cold foods should stay below 40°F. If food is sitting out without temperature control, set a timer to remind yourself to put it in the fridge after two hours.

How you store food also affects its safety and quality. Freezing is an effective way to keep food safe for long-term storage. When freezing leftovers, make sure the bags or containers you use are freezer-safe. Freezer burn can happen when food is stored in regular storage bags rather than freezer bags.

Freezer burn, although unappetizing, is a quality issue, not a safety issue. Another important tip is to use containers that are no more than 4 inches deep when storing hot food, especially liquids. If the hot food is too deep, the middle won’t cool fast enough, and harmful bacteria can grow. Either use shallow containers or cool food quickly before storing. 

How long does your holiday leftovers last after the fun is over?

How long will leftovers last? Well, it all depends on the food. You can find a helpful chart online at https://go.illinois.edu/turkey. Also, here are some guidelines for how long the shelf life is for holiday leftovers in the refrigerator.

*including fish, seafood-rich soups, and entrees

Remember when in doubt, throw it out! The stuff that’s going to hurt you, you can’t see, smell, or taste. Those are called pathogens. Have questions about how long to store food or other food safety questions? Contact a local Extension office at https://extension.illinois.edu/global/where-we-serve, and they’ll be happy to provide research-based answers you can trust! 

Cheri Burcham, University of Illinois Extension

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Cheri Burcham is responsible for family life programming in the counties of Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie, Shelby and other parts of east central Illinois as needed. Cheri’s emphasis is on healthy lifestyles throughout the life span which include family relationships, communication, caregiving, stress management and human development including early childhood and healthy aging. Her passion is to help people to be their best selves and to promote a healthier, independent older population.

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