How Long Leftovers Really Last in the Fridge (A Simple Chart)

Step by step

1. 1

   Put the food away within 2 hours

   Start the clock when the food comes off the heat, and get it into the fridge within 2 hours. If it is over 90°F where the food sits, like at a summer picnic, you only get 1 hour.

2. 2

   Split big batches into shallow containers

   A big pot of soup takes a long time to cool, so ladle it into a few shallow containers instead. Cut large pieces of meat, like a roast, into smaller parts first.

   You do not have to wait for the food to cool. USDA says hot food can go straight into the fridge, or you can chill it fast in a bowl of ice or cold water first.

   What it looks like: several small, shallow containers instead of one tall pot.

3. 3

   Cover each container tightly

   Put a lid on it, wrap it well, or seal it in a storage container. USDA says a good cover keeps bacteria out, keeps the food moist, and stops it from picking up smells from other food.

4. 4

   Write the date on the lid

   Put a strip of tape on each lid and write the day you cooked it. That one word saves you from guessing later in the week.

   What it looks like: a short strip of tape on the lid that says “Mon” or “11/9” in marker.

1. 5

   Check that your fridge is at 40°F or below

   Set a fridge thermometer on a middle shelf and read it the next morning. If it reads above 40°F, turn the fridge colder and check again the next day. Unless your fridge has a thermometer built in, this is the only way to know for sure.

   What it looks like: the needle or screen sitting at 40°F or a little under.

2. 6

   Eat it or freeze it by day 4

   Anything you will not eat by day 4 goes into the freezer while it is still good.

3. 7

   Reheat to 165°F

   Heat leftovers until they reach 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Bring soups, sauces and gravies all the way to a rolling boil.

   In the microwave, cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid and vent it so steam can get out. Stir or turn the food halfway through, let it stand, then check the temperature in a few spots, because microwaves leave cold spots.

   What it looks like: steam coming off the food, and the thermometer reading 165°F or higher.

When it will not work, and what to do instead

Most leftover trouble comes from one of these.

• The food sat out overnight. That is far past 2 hours. Throw it out, even if it looks and smells fine.
• It smells fine, but it is day 6. USDA says the germs that make people sick usually do not change how food looks, smells or tastes. Go by the date, not your nose.
• There is mold on it. Throw out moldy cooked leftovers, pasta, rice and casseroles. Do not sniff it, because USDA says that can cause breathing trouble. Check the food that sat next to it, and clean the spot where it was.
• Your fridge runs warm. If the thermometer reads above 40°F, turn the fridge colder. USDA says food held above 40°F for more than 2 hours should not be eaten.
• You lost track of the date. If you cannot tell how old it is, throw it out, and start taping dates on the lids.

Why it works

Here is what is going on. The germs that make people sick grow fastest between 40°F and 140°F, and USDA calls that range the Danger Zone. Cold slows them down, but a few, like Listeria, can still grow slowly in the fridge.

That is why the clock matters on both ends. The 2-hour rule keeps food out of the Danger Zone, and the 3 to 4 day limit stops it before that slow growth in the fridge catches up.

Shallow containers help because thin layers cool faster. It is the same reason a puddle dries up long before a bucket does.