It’s time to get creative with the turkey leftovers because depending on where you’ve stored them, they may be nearing their expiration date.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you can eat Thanksgiving leftovers for up to four days if you store them in the refrigerator. However, you must have stored your Thanksgiving dishes at the correct temperature when they were sitting out during your holiday meal, or refrigerated the food within two hours of serving for safe storage. USDA recommends throwing away food that has been left at room temperature for more than two hours due to the risk of foodborne illness.
The USDA said leftovers should be reheated to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
Can you freeze Thanksgiving leftovers?
You can freeze Thanksgiving leftovers. According to the USDA, they will keep their best quality for two to six months.
Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: This is how long Thanksgiving leftovers last in the refrigerator and freezer
