Is My Leftover Food Still Good?

If you’re bulk cooking or eating more meals at home than you’re used to, you may be finding an uptick in leftovers as well.

But food safety is as key for everyday life as it is for large holiday celebrations such as Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Each year, about 48 million Americans get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die of food poisoning, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of food poisoning can begin a few hours after eating contaminated food and include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea and fever. Everyone is at risk for food poisoning, but people such as young children, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems from medical conditions are more likely to get sick and develop a serious illness.

Here's your guide to avoiding an unwanted food-borne illness.

When Supporting Local Restaurants With Take-Out Food

If you’re supporting local restaurants with take-out purchases, you should eat the food within two hours to avoid harmful bacteria that begin to multiply. If you aren’t eating the food within two hours and want to keep it hot, place the food in the oven at or above 140 degrees. Cover food in the oven to keep it moist.

Cold foods should get similar care. If you are not eating cold food within two hours after buying or preparing it, put it in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.

Safely Enjoying Leftover Food At Home

Refrigerate all leftovers promptly. Foods should not stay out of refrigeration longer than two hours. (In hot weather - 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above - this time is reduced to one hour.)

Remember to:

• Store leftover food in shallow containers no more than two inches deep.
• Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Discard any foods that may be unsafe to eat.

Know how long leftovers can last. Check the reference chart below.

Setting The Temperature Is Key For Food Safety

Set your refrigerator temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This keeps harmful bacteria from growing. Storing food in a refrigerator with temperatures higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit increases the likelihood of food poisoning.

Temperatures inside a refrigerator can vary, especially from season to season. Control the temperature by keeping a refrigerator thermometer in the center of the middle shelf (not on the door). Check thermometer often to be sure the temperature remains below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Signs Of Foodborne Illness

Signs of a foodborne illness or food poisoning may include:

• Belly pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Muscle pain
• Bloody bowel movements

With vomiting or diarrhea, you can expect to lose hydration. It’s crucial to drink water or use hydration solutions like Liquid I.V. or Pedialyte. Thankfully, in many mild cases of food poisoning, staying hydrated will help.

If your food poisoning symptoms last over three days, contact your doctor. They may suggest antibiotics for specific infections. And remember, food poisoning can also be contagious. Coming in contact with the germs of a person impacted by food poisoning may result in experiencing symptoms yourself.