Leftover turkey and dressing or a slice of pumpkin pie can be a wonderful after-the-holidays treat. But a UGA food safety expert warns not to wait too late to eat them.
“A good rule of thumb is to use your leftovers within three to four days,” said Judy Harrison, a Cooperative Extension food safety specialist with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “After four days you should discard them.”
Eating leftovers that have been kept too long or stored improperly can make people sick with a variety of foodborne pathogens, she said. “And the longer you keep the food, the more time bacteria has to grow to high numbers.”
Food kept at room temperature for two hours or less can be stored for later use.
“Keeping foods at room temperature for several hours before freezing increases the chance of spoilage and foodborne illness,” said Elizabeth Andress, director of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, hosted by FACS.
Some foods don’t freeze well. Cooked, creamed vegetables tend to lose flavor fast when frozen, but vegetables packed in sauce tend to retain their flavor longer. Raw potatoes don’t freeze well, either.
Freezing whole cooked turkeys isn’t considered safe. Slice the turkey off the bone and package it in usable amounts. Freeze stuffing separately, too.