How long are leftovers good for?

Question

We reheat in a toaster oven, no micro. My husband and I are constantly arguing over when leftovers should be thrown out. Please tell what you, yourself do at your house if you reheat leftover homemade food.

Answer 1

Toaster oven or microwave, both reheat.  Same difference.

How long something can stay in the fridge and still be eaten then is a matter to debate.  I would not eat shrimp tomorrow even if in the fridge, but a steak left there for a few days is different.  Some things spoil fast and others slow.  Look at the item, smell the item then make up your mind.  If it looks bad it is, if it smells bad it is.  If it still smells and looks good it is.  Use your eyes and nose with your brain and you will be ok.  Processed food generally does not keep as well as homemade.  Pasta does not do so well as a leftover taste wise but is ok food wise.  

In my house I serve leftovers the next day as lunch.  The next night is next.  After that It gets lost in the fridge and when I find it it is out.

Another thing, fruits and veggies start to loose their nutrients as soon as they are picked off the vine, eat them fast to get your monies worth.

Answer 2

i keep for about 3 days..nobody eats within 3 days they are NOT going to eat it..so i chuck it

Answer 3

The worst food to keep are chicken, seafood and fish. I don't know for fish and quite honestly don't prepair much, but for chicken you can keep it for 7 days. For beef and porc, I keep it for the same period and is still good. I've been eating left over for years (in fact, they're my favorite!!) and never have been sick. BUT DON'T MESS WITH FISH AND SEAFOOD

Answer 4

a good compromise is after 3 days toss it. cooked food can stay good for up to 5 days, but that freaks some people out.

Answer 5

I personally work in the food industry:

Meats are good if in re-fridge and exposed/open before for about 24-48 hours.

Vegatables and Fruits not cooked are good until you feel it is time.. Approx 3-7 days.

Cooked Veggies...I would say about 3 days..

Personally, I don't eat anything past 3 days!

In the food industry..A 24-48 code must be put on everything!  

Answer 6

Generally leftovers are good for three days, provided they're stored in a refrigerator. I always put my leftovers in a tupperware container and put the lid on tight, or use plastic wrap to seal the top.

When eating leftovers, it sometimes helps to cook them in a different way to make them more palatable. For example, when I have leftovers from a roast beef dinner, I then make "hot beef sandwiches". This is made by toasting bread and then putting slices of roast beef on top of the toast and then pouring the reheated gravy on top.

You can also stretch your leftovers by not putting them into the refrigerator, but directly into the freezer. Oftentimes I'll accumulate 2 - 3 months worth of leftovers and then use them as ingredients in other cooking projects to save grocery money.

As for throwing out the unusable foods, I don't do that anymore. My city has a Green Waste Program, and I toss my food leavings into a special bin that is collected once a week and taken to be composted. The food wastes are processed into fertilizer which is used for a variety of gardening projects, including public Victory Gardens.  

Answer 7

I have a 2 day rule.  If it is still in the fridge on the 3rd morning, it goes out with the trash!  :)

"Honey, the spaghetti is on its last day.  If you don't eat it tonight, it will be gone tomorrow".

Answer 8

it depends on the food. for example, seafood will not last as long as, say, pizza.

Answer 9

girlfriend, leftovers are never good.

btw, is throwing food good too.. think over.

so is the problem about eating leftover / throwing or some thing else?

is the problem healthy eating / respect for food.. or some thing else?

i never eat left overs, coz i never have leftovers.

good luck, live life healthy life,  

Answer 10

two days

Answer 11

I would say 2 days at the most, we never let food stay in our fridge no more than 2 days just to be on the safe side

Answer 12

Different foods have a different time table. A leftover salad will go bad within only a few days, but leftover taco meat is good for about a week and a half if it is sealed tight. Cooked meats should last atleast a week when placed is a container (only a few days when wraped in plastic wrap). Vegtables especially cooked should be used as soon as possible.

The best advice, when in doubt throw it out. Wasting a little money is nothing compared to food poisoning.

Answer 13

Its good for at least 4 days, or if it gets moldy. Depends on what kind of food it is.