How Long Do Leftovers Last? This Chart Tells You What’s Safe to Eat (2024)

  • How to Cook

Don’t dig into that few-days-old pizza just yet—check this guide to storing leftovers and how long they’ll last in the fridge or freezer first.

By

Katlyn Moncada

How Long Do Leftovers Last? This Chart Tells You What’s Safe to Eat (1)

Katlyn Moncada

Katlyn Moncada is the associate food editor at BHG.com, sharing food news and tutorials on becoming better home cooks. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience in digital media, photography, and video production.

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Updated on January 29, 2024

Fact checked by

Marcus Reeves

How Long Do Leftovers Last? This Chart Tells You What’s Safe to Eat (2)

Fact checked byMarcus Reeves

Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

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When it comes to leftovers, you might automatically think about the big holiday feasts that leave loads of leftover turkey and mashed potatoes. But as someone that lives alone and loves to cook and bake, I almost always have plenty of leftovers. I try to freeze any abundant leftovers to avoid food waste, but it's easy to lose track of just how long that leftover pizza has been stashed in the back of the fridge. With the help of our Test Kitchen (which uses the USDA as a resource), I tracked down the most common foods that we end up with leftovers. Of course, you'll want to make sure you follow proper food safety measures in packaging and storing leftovers to avoid any risk of food poisoning.

How Long Will Food Last in the Freezer Without Power (or Fridge)?

How Long Do Leftovers Last? This Chart Tells You What’s Safe to Eat (3)

How Long to Store Leftovers

Use this leftover food chart as a guide on how long you can continue eating foods after they've been opened or prepared. If you have food that's unopened, go ahead and follow the expiration date for the "use by" or "freeze by" dates. When in doubt, take the safer route by tossing it.

Type of FoodFridgeFreezer
Bacon, ham, hot dogs, and cooked sausage (links and patties)1 week1 month
Bread3 to 5 days1 to 3 months
Butter1 to 2 months6 to 9 months
Cake1 week6 months
Cheese, hard (i.e. cheddar, swiss, Parmesan)3 to 4 weeks6 months
Cheese, soft (brie, goat)1 to 2 weeks6 months
Chicken nuggets or patties3 to 4 days1 to 3 months
Fried chicken3 to 4 days4 months
Rotisserie chicken3 to 4 days4 months
Deli meat3 to 5 days1 month
Egg casseroles3 to 4 days2 to 3 months
Eggs, hard-boiled in shells1 weeknot recommended
Egg substitutes, liquid3 daysnot recommended
Fruit, sliced3 to 4 days3 months
Mashed potatoes3 to 4 days1 to 2 months
Meat or poultry, cooked3 to 4 days2 to 6 months
Milkuse-by date3 months
Pancakes and wafflesnot recommended2 months
Pasta3 to 5 days1 to 2 months
Pies, fruit or nut3 to 4 daysup to 4 months
Pies, custard or chiffon3 to 4 daysnot recommended
Pizza3 to 4 days1 to 2 months
Quiche3 to 5 days2 to 3 months
Quinoa1 week6 to 12 months
Rice4 to 6 days6 months
Salad (chicken, egg, ham, tuna, and macaroni)3 to 4 daysnot recommended
Soup3 to 4 days2 to 3 months
Tofu1 week5 months
Vegetables3 to 4 days1 to 2 months

Looking for a more specific food to find out how long the leftovers will last? Try USDA's FoodKeeper App where you can search for products. You can also use our Test Kitchen's guide for how to stock and store your groceries.

Here's Where to Store All Your Fruits and Veggies for the Longest Shelf Life

How Long to Store Leftover Takeout

So you ordered too much takeout or have leftovers from a holiday meal. It's nice having lunch for tomorrow covered, but it's also important to make sure you're storing these perishable foods safely to avoid any illness. Pop those leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours to enjoy for up to 4 days. If it was left out longer than 2 hours (or an hour in a room that's 90°F or above), you'll need to throw it away.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

You can't always see, taste, or smell the bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Use a food thermometer to reheat leftovers to 165°F, which is a high enough temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. If your leftovers are frozen, be sure to thaw gradually in the refrigerator and not at room temperature (breads and sweets are OK to thaw on the counter).

Get Our Best Tips for Reheating Leftovers

It's not just the leftovers you'll need to watch out for safe consumption and/or the best quality. Make sure you do regular checks of your pantry and fridge for that too-old salad dressing, nut butter, and more.

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Sources

Better Homes & Gardens is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.

  1. "Leftovers and Food Safety." U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2020

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How Long Do Leftovers Last? This Chart Tells You What’s Safe to Eat (2024)
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