Ah, leftovers—some people love them and others hate them. If you are a fan, there are a few important recommendations for handling leftovers safely.
First, it is important the meal was initially cooked to the recommended safe internal temperatures. Within two hours of cooking or after it is removed from being kept warm, your leftovers should be cooled rapidly to keep the food out of the danger zone of between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F. Package leftovers tightly and promptly for storage in the refrigerator or freezer. For big batches, like soups or large cuts of meat, separate into smaller portions for quicker cooling. Any perishable food that has been left at room temperature for more than two hours, should be discarded.
Leftovers can be stored in refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months. Frozen foods are safe to eat indefinitely, however, the flavor and moisture deteriorate the longer it is in the freezer.
Thawing leftovers can be done safely in the refrigerator, cold water in the sink or the microwave oven. Refrigerating keeps the food consistently at a safe temperature but does take longer. Cold water thawing requires more attention than any of the other methods in order to keep a safe temperature maintained and the food sealed.
It is also safe to reheat frozen leftovers without thawing such as on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave. Food should be heated until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. Whichever way you choose to reheat the leftovers, be sure to reheat to 165 degrees F. Check the temperature in several places to be sure the minimum temperature has been reached throughout the food.
It is safe to refreeze any remaining food after it has been reheated—leftovers of the leftovers. Also, if only a portion of the thawed leftovers is used, the remainder can be refroze.
To learn more or if you have any questions, contact Janell at the Chouteau County Extension Office at 622-3036, janellb@montana.edu or 1308 Franklin St in Fort Benton.
Montana State University, US Department of Agriculture and Montana Counties Cooperating. MSU Extension is an equal opportunity/affirmative action provider of educational outreach.
