• All leftovers should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours of cooking. Food spoils quickly if left at room temperature for longer than two hours.
• When preparing leftovers for refrigeration, divide them into small, shallow containers so they can cool more quickly and evenly. If you store them in large containers, the food will stay warm in the middle—making a perfect breeding ground for bacteria hours after being placed in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Cut the leftover turkey off the bone so that it will cool faster.
• Properly stored, turkey leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Placing turkey in the freezer can extend its shelf life by six months.
• At each meal that incorporates leftovers, reheat only what you expect to use. Don’t reheat the same leftovers more than once. Every time food goes through the 40°F-140°F “danger zone,” bacteria has an opportunity to grow.
• Cooked vegetables are safe to eat within 3-4 days if properly stored in a sealable container. Refrigerate large portions into two smaller containers, and leave a little space on top. Some leftover vegetables may not freeze well; they may be mushy when defrosted.
• Pie can be frozen for up to a year. To freeze the leftovers of a fruit, mincemeat or even pumpkin pie, slip the entire pie into a gallon freezer bag; then seal, label and freeze.
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