How Long, Oh Leftovers?

Even after the turkey carcass soup, there's a lot of food in cartons and containers, wrapped in plastic and foil. But what is safe to keep and for how long? There are some common-sense practices that will allow you to package, store and re-heat those leftovers properly for the days that follow.

First of all, while serving or setting out food for guests, remember to keep hot foods hot enough and cold foods refrigerated until needed, said Nutrition Educator Dawn Reda of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Next, refrigerate turkey, stuffing and sides within two hours, Westchester health department officials said.

Then, Reda added, "Leftover food that was handled correctly should be used within three to four days."

When you're reheating, reheat leftovers to at least at least 165°F before serving. (Check the temperature with a metal probe thermometer.)

Here's more advice from FoodSafety.gov, a website with information provided by government agencies:

• Put leftovers in shallow containers (no more than two inches deep) to cool quickly to prevent any bacteria from growing in the warm center of a dish.
• The recommended temperature for your fridge is 40 °F or below.
• With restaurant leftovers, consider the travel time home and how long the food has been out.
• When re-heating food in the microwave, thoroughly mix food while heating to make sure all parts reach that temperature of 165 °F.