Don’t Spoil Your Appetite: FDA-Approved Thanksgiving Leftover Tips

One of the best things about Thanksgiving is, arguably, the leftovers.

Once your family is done feasting (and napping afterwards, of course), it’s time to go back for Round 2! And is there anything better than food served the next day?

Whether you’re going to make a turkey soup, a turkey and cranberry sandwich or a leftover pie, it’s important to know just how long (as well as how and where) to store your leftovers so that they stay as fresh and safe to consume as possible.

First, it’s important to make sure you put the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and any starchy foods in the refrigerator within an hour or two of eating (i.e. before you fall into a Thanksgiving-induced food coma). Stuffing should be removed from the bird and stored separately, and items like potatoes, casseroles and yams can be stored in the fridge 3 to 5 days. Turkey should be consumed within 2 to 3 days (and between you and me, is delicious as a cold snack with a little salt!).

Below, you can check out this chart for the FDA-approved recommendations of how, where and for how long precisely you should store your Thanksgiving leftovers to ensure safe consumption.

Happy Thanksgiving! Stay full… and safe!