Leftovers - How Long to Keep? How Do You Use Them Up?

My family but me hates left overs, so what I make needs to be just right otherwise I will be eating tons for the next week. This is how I do it that I found that works really good. On the day I get groceries I buy the items in bulk. Its cheaper in the long run that way. I also pick up some ziplock freezer bags and some freezer packing wrap at the butchers. Say with ground beef I separate the amount into 1.5 lb in each ziplock bag, works great for lunch meat too, just in smaller sizes... for roast, I ask the butcher at the store to cut it into smaller portions and have them wrap it in their brown freezer packing wrap. Date them on their packages with a jiffy marker when they went into the freezer. Then stick everything in the freezer until needed. But say you have a couple extra chicken breasts that you had cooked up and have for left overs.... the next day I would use them in a salad to take to work... say something like chicken pasta salad, or chicken salad sandwiches, or making a Grilled chicken caesar salad. Its healthy and simple to make the night before or in the morning for work. Then you dont have a lot of left overs at all to worry about that might attack you if left alone in the fridge too long.

Dry erase marker works well on plastic containers and you can use them to write the contents and date. You can also put a paper on your fridge with a list of leftovers and their dates so that everyone knows what is available to eat. Just cross it off when you eat it.

I have leftover night. Usually one night of leftovers is not enough to feed our entire family so I will wait until we have 3 or 4 nights of leftovers and then I heat them all up and serve it all. My kids LOVE this. It's kind of fun, like a buffet.

With most precooked things, I will only eat them for upto 5-6 days. A week would be pushing it. I'm just scared to eat something nasty. lol.

I have a few "meat keepers" that I bought through tupperware. These are great for bacon and lunchmeats and can keep them fresh for weeks. Our food doesn't last long. I make my hubbys sandwich everyday so a pound of lunchmeat only lasts a week.

As far as applesauce and sour cream and stuff goes, we use it unless it's moldy. But, it usually doesn't last that long.

You already have tons of info and ideas about how long things are good for, which are really helpful to me too. Thanks Ladies!

So I just wanted to add one thing. Your biggest culprit in food spoiling quickly or in getting possible food poisoning is improper thawing or cross contamination. Even if you eat food that is slightly spoiled, if it has been handled properly, it probably wont make you sick. That danger comes from bacteria like salmonella, ecoli, and listeria, not mold. So always defrost in your refrigerator or under cold running water, never the counter. Always use new plates and utensils after you finish cooking something- don't use the fork you used on the raw chicken to serve it with. Be careful you don't cut uncooked or slightly cooked foods on the same cutting board as your raw meat. Always use a fresh utensil in packaged things like salsa to avoid other food bacteria getting into it (never double-dip). And bacteria will start to breed if it is at an unsafe temperature for more than 2 hours. I buy prepackaged lunch meat instead of deli meat that they slice because the slicer doesn't get cleaned after every use. There are a bunch of other things involved in safe food handling, but just wanted to give you the big ones. If you are careful there, your leftovers will be much safer to eat.

We're really big on leftovers, because that's what my hubby and I take to work for lunch.

Lunchmeat is tough decision because you don't know how long it was sitting at the deli counter before you purchased it. I've had it last a few days up to 2 weeks. Store it is a ziplock bag and try to squeeze out the most of the air.

Large containers of things like cottage cheese are good until the sell by date. If they are contamined (using a spoon that was used for something else), they may go bad earlier.

Usually things like steak, chicken or pork is good for about 5 days.

I'm a big fan of plastic containers (tupperware or rubbermaid) that seal well. They're great for storing leftovers, ziplock bags work well too (don't use the ones with the little plastic zipper).

If you choose to freeze left overs make sure to label and date them. Almost anything will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.

try www.stilltasty.com
If you have to ask about it, I usually pitch.

Lunchmeat can be kept for up to a week or more as long as you seal it tightly and remove all the air from the container. So if you put it in a ziploc bag then squeeze out all the air when you close it. This goes for cheese as well.
As a rule of thumb anything I prepare myself and in my own kitchen can be kept up to 5 days at the max. Anything I got at a restaurant can be good for 3 days max. Anything in a container is good until it grows mold :) or smells bad.

A lot of times I make extra of something with 2 meals in mind. Like if you make taco meat for tacos, you can make some burrito's with the rest of the meat to freeze - instant cheep and healthy frozen meal.
If I make meatloaf, I make the rest of the meat into patties for burgers or patty melts later.
I love leftovers!! It makes less work for another meal later.

Mom on the GO
Well, my standard with lunchmeat is actually 4 days. If you get it at the deli it is good for4-5 days(I have heard that smoked meats last longer). Packaged containers like bologna will say right on it once opened discard after 5-7 days. Foods that are prepackaged have an expiration date on them but that is only good if it is unopened. Once opened use within 5-7 days. Uncooked ground beef should be used or put in freezer within 24 hours of puchasing. Roasts and steaks are good in refrigerator until sell by date on package usually 2-4 days. Same with chicken and pork. Honestly, even with these rules, you still need to follow your eyes and nose. If it looks bad or smells bad throw it away. Leftover cooked meat is about 2 days. Chicken in broth is shorter. Grilled meats are about 3 days. If you do the research most stomach illnesses are caused by cross contamination in your very own kitchen. Always clean with a bleach based cleaner especially when meat,chicken, seafood are involved. I like Clorox Anywhere. GOOD LUCK

I place all lunch meats and cheeses in ziploc bags. The meats will last for about a week and a half this way. Make sure when you purchase all perishables to look at the dates. Get the ones that have the longest "use by " dates.

We do the same as Kimmie, I cook as much as possible. On Thursday nights it is leftover night starting from Sunday. We feel the same about it being like a buffet..
I LOVE the idea of the dry erase pen!.. I usually put new food items towards the back or under the existing same item so that we will use the already opened up first.

For meats, I try to use them within 2 or 3 days. Many times since we grill so much, I will grill lots of chicken , sausages, meat patties, and freeze extras in Ziplocs.. dated..so we can microwave later. And to clarify, do not grill chicken with any other meat at the same time..

If I find a really good deal on Chicken or ground meats, I will bring it home and freeze it in smaller packages. I place it towards the back of the freezer and move the already frozen to the front..

ok I will keep lunch eat till experation on package but I keep it in ziplock bag so it doesn't dry out and get gross. I will not eat dried out food no matter what the dogs get that. ON average I do 3-4 days for left overs but it doesn't usually make it that long in my house because about every 3 or 4 days I do a free for all which means eat left overs or whatever you want Im not cooking. Now for chicken bone it and do chicken and dumplings makes it quick. or if its breaded chicken bone it keep the breading and make chicken loaf if you need the recipe I will give it to you if you mail me I am out of town right now and dont have it with me. I seen something I am going to try but it is a 5 star rating. go to food network and find potatoes croqettes and fried macaroni and cheese would be great leftover done another way to try.
The potatoe croqettes are make with mashed potatoes.

Left over roast I change to bbq pork within 2 days and make bbq sandwiches you could do the same with chicken. Left over taco meat or something like that you can bake potatoes add your meat (first time I tried this is was made with taco meat but you can vary your meat.) add cheese butter salt pepper sour cream and picante sauce for a stuffed potatoe. I have seen this done with bbq meat too. left over baked potatoes I would try to use in potatoe croquettes. Ham fixing to expire make omlets. same with vegtables fixing to go bad. if you have left over taco meat and potatoes do burritoes out of them. throw in a can of beans if not enough meat or just to vary the taste. Left over rice same thing burritoes with rice instead of potatoes. or make chicken and rice which is rice cooked chicken 1 can cream of chicken 1 can cream mushroom soup and 1 cup milk(I add 2 cups milk or edges of rice dry out.

Check out paula deen on food network alot of her recipes could be used to use up left overs. Left over taco meat and not in the mood for burritoes taco pizza.
cottage cheese I use to experation date only. apple sauce fixing to go out make an apple sauce cake. I love apple cake if your apples are fixing to go bad. try some of these if you want the chicken loaf recipe get ahold of me private message after monday enough people want it I will post it on the site.

I get fresh sliced lunchmeat and cheese, it keeps for about a week in a ziploc bag or butcher paper. Dry Salami lasts longer.

Leftovers I keep in ziploc containers - how long depends on what it is: rice keeps for about 2 weeks, potatoes start getting funky after a few days. Some leftovers like stew and soup or full meals like lasagna I portion out and freeze for quick and easy lunches or dinner. I often end up taking these to work.

Meat leftovers I freeze. For example ground meat that we don't use I form into patties and they go straight in the freezer. I buy vacuum sealed chicken breasts in single servings and they go straight from the store to the freezer to be thawed as needed.
Our beef usually comes vacuum packed as well it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks, or I freeze it for later.

Most open containers of yogurt and cheese and such will stay good until the use by date at least. If you use a clean spoon for them every time they don't spoil as easily.

Generally our rule is that we will use it unless it looks or smells funky.
Never had an issue with food poisoning so far...

Great answers for most everything. I have one thing to add. Store your cottage cheese upside down in the frige. It stays fresh for a very, very long time. I heard it also works for yogurt but I personally have never used it. I buy the big cottage cheese at Sam's Club and have never had it go bad.

I cook Mon-wed, leftovers on Thurs, pizza on Friday and we wing it sat & sunday! :o)

Well lunchmeat can be kept for awhile depending on how you store it. We usually put it in a storage container that seals well. Lunch meat generally will go bad if kept in a deli bag after about a week so switching it to a container will keep it longer.

I've never had a problem with stuff like cottage cheese or apple sauce going bad. yogurt so long as it is in a sealed container and the lid is kept on it will stay good at least until the used by date.

Many times I combine leftovers into other meals. Such as left over veggies get thrown into a stew or hamburger helper. Taco meat can be frozen to be used later or added into other items such as a sloppy joe. Usually though we only cook enough meat stuff for that meal.

as for raw meat we seperate it the day we buy it and put it in vacume seal bags then freeze it. as for the cooked meats such as steak and chicken they can stay good for a week or more so long as they are in a bag or container.

The best thing to do is never put uncovered food in the fridge because that is what causes it to spoil fast.