PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — For those who had a big Thanksgiving meal, this weekend is likely a leftovers weekend. But how long do those leftovers last?
Lucio Palazzo, culinary director for Sojourn Philly, said under strict conditions and with professional refrigerators, leftovers might last about a week. But for the home chef, how long is safe to eat your Thanksgiving leftovers?
"I'm going to say Sunday night to be safe. But, if you gotta sneak something Monday, I wouldn't be mad about it,” Palazzo said.
Be he said that's only if you moved your food from the oven to the refrigerator within four hours.
If you have more than you can eat through the weekend, consider freezing it.
"And you know when you freeze stuff, it doesn't really hold forever either,” he added.
He recommends labeling the leftovers with a date first.
Fish can probably last for three to six months in the freezer, and meat might last for six months to a year.
And don’t reheat your entire dish, just the amount you want to eat.
He said food safety will prevent harmful bacteria from growing in your food, which could make you sick.