having too much food is one of the cornerstones of the holiday season. But when guests leave with to go containers and there still seems to be enough food for several meals, this is how you save your delicious holiday food for another scrumptious meal. The Food and Drug Administration says to refrigerate leftovers within two hours because harmful bacteria grow rapidly at room temperature. Freezing food is also a great option. If you aren't going to finish the leftovers within four days, slice extra turkey before freezing. That way, the pieces will defrost evenly. Chefs a tow. Add a bit of broth or gravy before freezing toe. Add moisture to the turkey. If your mashed potatoes were made with butter and cream, go ahead and freeze them for more spud decadence. Health conscious people who match their potatoes with broth or another low fat option will find their potatoes don't freezes well. Stuffing or dressing should be frozen in a tightly sealed bag and re heated in the oven for even Mork RB goodness. Later, gravy can be frozen for up to four months, but remember to add a little room in your storage container because liquids expand when frozen Now that you've got an entire frozen meal to enjoy later, remember this advice from the Food and Drug Administration. Food can be defrosted safely in the refrigerator, under cold running water or in the microwave.
Here's how long you can really eat leftovers without getting sick
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Updated: 9:06 AM EST Dec 23, 2020
Even if food doesn't exhibit any telltale signs that it's well past its prime, the USDA has a hard-and-fast rule of thumb: If it's been in your fridge for more than 4 days, it has to go.As far as big hunks of meat you may have made, you might as well grill it into a cheesy Monte Cristo, chop it up with your scalloped potatoes or turn it into a hearty corn chowder. Or you could stick them in the freezer and save some of it. The USDA says that frozen foods can be kept indefinitely (as long as they don't thaw), but recommends storing dishes that way for up to four months. Any longer than that and you could wind up digging into a casserole that's drier than beef jerky and not even half as flavorful as it once was.If you plan on freezing your meals, place them in shallow containers or gallon-sized resealable bags with the ingredients flattened out so it freezes faster. This can also help prevent bacteria from growing within the dishes, the USDA reports. Once you're ready to eat, bring the food to 165°F to kill off any potential bacteria. Then put on your elastic-waistband pants and dive into the deliciousness that awaits. If you've got a mound of leftovers and you're sick of eating them as-is, try converting just about any of it into a creative workweek lunch.
Even if food doesn't exhibit any telltale signs that it's well past its prime, the USDA has a hard-and-fast rule of thumb: If it's been in your fridge for more than 4 days, it has to go.
As far as big hunks of meat you may have made, you might as well grill it into a cheesy Monte Cristo, chop it up with your scalloped potatoes or turn it into a hearty corn chowder.
Or you could stick them in the freezer and save some of it. The USDA says that frozen foods can be kept indefinitely (as long as they don't thaw), but recommends storing dishes that way for up to four months. Any longer than that and you could wind up digging into a casserole that's drier than beef jerky and not even half as flavorful as it once was.
If you plan on freezing your meals, place them in shallow containers or gallon-sized resealable bags with the ingredients flattened out so it freezes faster. This can also help prevent bacteria from growing within the dishes, the USDA reports.
Once you're ready to eat, bring the food to 165°F to kill off any potential bacteria. Then put on your elastic-waistband pants and dive into the deliciousness that awaits.
If you've got a mound of leftovers and you're sick of eating them as-is, try converting just about any of it into a creative workweek lunch.
