How to Keep your Thanksgiving Leftovers Fresh

CLEVELAND - After Thanksgiving, there’s usually plenty of leftovers to go around.

And if you follow a few simple serving precautions, you can keep them safe to eat for days to come.

“You want to keep your hot foods hot and cold foods cold because that keeps them out of the danger zone, which is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s the range when harmful bacteria can grow on food. A good rule of thumb is to only keep food out for a maximum of two hours,” explained Alexis Supan, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic.

As soon as you’re ready to put food away, Supan said there’s no need to wait for hot dishes to cool.

It’s always best to get things in the fridge as quickly as possible.

When storing leftovers, make sure to use shallow, airtight containers and avoid overfilling or putting large pans directly in the fridge.

This helps the food cool quickly and evenly, reducing the risk of bacterial growth.

Even if you follow all these tips, Supan said you still only have a certain amount of time to enjoy these leftovers.

“A good rule of thumb is that leftovers are safe for three to four days in the refrigerator,” Supan said. “If you don’t think you're going to finish them before that, your best bet is to freeze them.”

Supan said the same storage tips apply for the freezer, but you should use freezer-safe containers in this case.

While frozen leftovers can stay safe indefinitely, their flavor and texture may start to change after about four months.