Leftover Stuffing and Gravy
Though some may contend that half the enjoyment of well-liked holiday meals lies in the leftovers, it’s surprising how quickly both stuffing and gravy go bad. Stuffing, which is frequently covered in meat drippings, should only be eaten after two days at most in the refrigerator. The gravy should always be brought to a rolling boil to properly kill bacteria before serving again, so follow the same two-day rule with it. The good news is that extra gravy and stuffing can be frozen to prolong their shelf life by up to four months.
Foodborne illness can result from any meat and cheese-containing food that is kept out of the refrigerator for longer than two hours. This includes the partially consumed pizza box you kept out in case someone else wanted to eat some more. After preparing your pizza, place it in the refrigerator and it will keep for up to four days; an average slice should keep for three days. Following that, bacteria may start to proliferate and cause food poisoning.
If cooked lasagna is kept in a tightly sealed container to keep out excess moisture and other contaminants, it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days. The best indicators that lasagna has turned are dried-out noodles or a sour odor coming from the cheese and tomato sauce.
We suggest labeling items with the date they were cooked so you can keep track of how long they have been in the fridge. Then, to avoid forgetting about it and inadvertently pushing it to the back of the refrigerator, keep it on a middle shelf that is easily accessible. Put food in the freezer to consume later if you don’t think you’ll be eating it within three to four days.
Perhaps you prepared a large batch of boneless, skinless chicken breasts to use in salads and sandwiches throughout the week. Or maybe you just made a lot more chicken chili than your family could consume at one meal. For whatever reason, a lot of us deal with leftover cooked chicken every week. While having it in the refrigerator is very handy and fantastic (chili tastes even better the next day), for how long can cooked chicken be kept there before it becomes unsafe to consume?
