Managing leftovers takes more than the “sniff” test

BJC ACO wants you to know how long you can safely keep leftovers.

According to the Department of Agriculture, you should eat refrigerated leftovers within three to four days. If you don’t anticipate being able to eat them within this period of time, freeze them immediately.

Also, don’t let leftovers sit out for longer than two hours at room temperature. If the temperature is above 90 degrees, make that one hour. Before eating leftovers, reheat them thoroughly. Gravies, sauces and soups should come to a boil. If you are using the oven to reheat leftovers, set the temperature no lower than 325 degrees.