CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The year’s biggest meal will be over soon but, it creates another meal just as popular: Delicious Thanksgiving leftovers. But there are some precautions you should take to avoid getting sick from that snack.
There is no debating that people love their favorite Thanksgiving dish. So much so, that they want to keep it safe.
“You got to hide it in the back of the fridge behind the milk, no one will ever see it,” Corpus Christi visitor Matthew Mato said.
But there's different ways to keep that food safe.
The USDA said to make sure you stick your favorite perishables in the fridge if you plan on eating them the following day or over the weekend.
“Just remember you got four days. On the fourth day you have to decide if you’re going to consume or throw away your leftovers,” USDA Public Affairs Specialist Jesse Garcia said.
But there’s a third option if you want them to last longer and still be safe to eat.
“I wrap them up really tight in Tupperware and put them there, munch on them for a couple days. But if I really want to keep it, I’ll freeze it,” Corpus Christi visitor Doug Lasyrung said.
The USDA said you can freeze your food, but you have to freeze the leftovers within that four-day period.
“Just know that if you do freeze your leftovers just know you have four to six months for best quality. When frozen food stays safe indefinitely, but the quality goes down,” Garcia said.
When its finally time for Thanksgiving part two, you have two routes when reheating. The microwave or the oven route.
When you thaw out your leftovers, do it at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. If you choose to microwave them, it’s recommended to cover and rotate the food for even heating, and add some liquid if needed.
“I throw a little water on the turkey and throw it in the microwave for a while and it’s good,” Lasyrung said.
But no matter how or when you choose to take on your seconds, have fun with it.
“When it’s time to eat the leftovers, I make different meals out of it. So like turkey enchiladas or ham tacos or something. There's a bunch of different ways you got to utilize the leftovers,” Corpus Christi visitor Donovan Bourgoin said.
Leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving, if you handle them correctly. For more questions and answers on tips and tricks in keeping your leftovers safe to eat, contact the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or email MPHotline@usda.gov to reach a food safety expert. You can also chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Thanksgiving Day.
