Two food safety experts answer the question: how long are thanksgiving leftovers good for?

And there’s some serious nuance.

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Lisa Yakas is a microbiologist and consumer safety expert at NSF International, a global public health organization.

But if were all being honest, the rush ofeating Thanksgiving leftoverstranscends even the ultra-rare 70 percent off sale.

Happy leftover-eating, everyone.

How long are Thanksgiving leftovers good for?

An image of four wine glasses on a wooden surface

(Womp, womp.)

Next, check that youre using your full stable of Tupperware containers to store those leftovers.

To speed the cooling process, try separating large quantities of leftovers into smaller containers.

Young woman mixing ice coffee

Meat such as ham and turkey should be sliced before storing, so it cools more evenly.

(And dont worry, theres no evidence to suggest thatfood loses nutritional value in the freezer).

Now, flash forward to when youre ready to enjoy Turkey Day, part two.

Cropped shot of young woman shopping in the dairy section of a supermarket. She is reading the nutrition label on a container of fresh organic healthy natural yoghurt

Lisa Yakas is a microbiologist and consumer safety expert at NSF International, a global public health organization.

Whenreheating leftovers, double-check the temperature is 165 F or above.

If using a microwave, stir the food periodically to help promote even reheating.

confirm there are no cold spots in the food where bacteria can survive.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.

you could bring leftovers out of the fridge to room temperature before warming up, explains Yakas.

Frozen leftovers can be thawed in the fridge or microwave using the same instructions.

How long are Thanksgiving leftovers good for?

red pigment in a wooden spoon

However, if you store it in the freezer, you just need toeat within two to six months.

Pie

Everyone breathe a sigh of relief: You haveplenty of time to eat leftover pie.

Just see to it to polish the remaining slices within three to four days.

Just see to it you follow those same reheating rules we talked about for the savory Thanksgiving dishes.

See how a dietitian fills her Thanksgiving plate:

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