How long do leftovers last in the refrigerator?

The short answer

Most cooked leftovers are safe in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). That only holds if three things are true:

• The food went into the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if it sat somewhere hotter than 90°F.
• Your refrigerator is at 40°F or colder.
• You reheat it until it is 165°F in the center.

If you cannot remember when something was cooked, or it sat out too long, throw it away. Illness-causing germs usually do not change how food looks, smells or tastes.

Why 3 to 4 days, and why smell does not tell you

Two different kinds of bacteria live in food. Spoilage bacteria make food slimy, sour or smelly. Pathogens are the germs that cause food poisoning. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says pathogens generally do not affect the taste, smell or appearance of food, so you cannot tell they are there. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives the same warning: food can make you very sick even when it seems fine.

Cold does not kill bacteria. It slows them. Some germs, such as Listeria, can keep growing slowly even in a working refrigerator. The 3-to-4-day limit is a safety margin built around that slow growth. So:

• A leftover that smells fine on day 6 is past the limit.
• A leftover that smells bad on day 2 should go too. It may have been stored too warm, or left out too long before it was chilled.

Step 1: Get food into the refrigerator fast

Bacteria multiply fastest between 40°F and 140°F. USDA calls this range the "Danger Zone" and says bacteria there can double in as little as 20 minutes.

• Two-hour rule. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, or within 2 hours of taking food out of a slow cooker, warming tray or oven.
• One-hour rule in heat. If the food is somewhere above 90°F, the limit is 1 hour. A hot car, an outdoor party or a kitchen without air conditioning in summer all count.
• The clock adds up. Time on the table, time in the car home from a restaurant and time on the counter waiting to be packed all count toward the same 2 hours.

Step 2: Cool large batches the right way

A big pot of soup or beans cools slowly in the middle, even inside a refrigerator. USDA's advice:

• Divide it. Spoon large amounts into several shallow containers so the food cools quickly all the way through.
• Cut large pieces. Slice roasts and hams into smaller portions. For a whole turkey, slice the breast meat; legs and wings can stay whole.
• Hot food can go straight into the refrigerator. You do not need to wait for it to reach room temperature. Waiting on the counter uses up your 2 hours. If you prefer, set the container in an ice-water bath for a few minutes first.
• Leave space between containers so cold air can move around them.
• Cover or seal everything before you put it away.

Step 3: Know your refrigerator's real temperature

USDA and FDA both say to keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Many refrigerator dials show numbers like 1 to 5, not degrees. An inexpensive appliance thermometer on a middle shelf tells you the actual temperature. If it reads above 40°F, turn the setting colder and check again the next day.

How long common leftovers keep

These times come from the FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart (last reviewed September 19, 2023). Refrigerator times assume 40°F or colder. Freezer times are for quality only: food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe indefinitely, but it can dry out or lose flavor.

For cooked rice, beans, pasta, cooked vegetables and most other cooked dishes not listed, use USDA's general rule for leftovers: 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Our printable refrigerator storage chart has this table plus a blank label log for your containers.

Count from the day it was cooked, not the day you last reheated it. Reheating kills many bacteria, but it does not restart the clock. Some bacteria leave behind toxins that heat does not destroy.

Freezing leftovers

Freezing is the best option for food you will not finish in 3 to 4 days.

• Freeze early. Freeze leftovers as soon as they have cooled, or at the latest by day 3 or 4. Freezing pauses bacteria but does not kill them.
• Use airtight containers or freezer bags, and press out the air. Freezer burn (dry, grayish patches) is a quality problem, not a safety problem.
• Label everything with what it is and the date it was cooked. A strip of masking tape and a marker works.

Thawing. USDA lists three safe ways to thaw:

Never thaw food on the counter. The outside warms into the Danger Zone while the middle is still frozen. You can also reheat frozen leftovers without thawing in a saucepan, oven or microwave. It just takes longer.

Reheating: 165°F, and stir

USDA's target for reheating any leftover is 165°F, measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part.

• Microwave: cover the dish loosely with a vented lid or microwave-safe wrap, stir or rotate partway through, add a splash of liquid if it looks dry, and let it rest for a few minutes. Then check the temperature in several spots. Microwaves heat unevenly, so cold spots are common.
• Soups, sauces and gravies: bring them to a rolling boil.
• Stovetop or oven: heat until the center reaches 165°F.
• Slow cookers are not for reheating. They warm food too slowly. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave first, then use the slow cooker only to keep food hot (140°F or above).
• Reheat only what you will eat. Each trip out of the refrigerator adds time in the Danger Zone.

No thermometer? Heat until the food is steaming hot all the way through and you have stirred it well. A thermometer is still the only way to be sure.

Restaurant food and takeout

Treat takeout like your own cooking. The 2-hour clock started when the food was cooked, not when you got home, so refrigerate it as soon as you can. FDA applies the 2-hour rule to leftovers, doggie bags and takeout alike.

People who should be extra careful

FoodSafety.gov lists four groups who are more likely to get food poisoning and more likely to get seriously ill:

• Pregnant people. Listeria can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or serious infection in a newborn, even when the pregnant person feels only mildly ill.
• Adults 65 and older.
• Children younger than 5.
• People with weakened immune systems, for example from cancer treatment, an organ transplant, or medicines that suppress the immune system.

If you cook for someone in these groups, stay well inside the 3-to-4-day window. Use the coldest part of your refrigerator, and reheat ready-to-eat items to steaming hot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises people at higher risk to reheat deli meats, cold cuts and hot dogs to 165°F or until steaming hot before eating them.

When in doubt, throw it out

Throw a leftover away if any of these is true:

• You do not know when it was cooked.
• It has been in the refrigerator more than 4 days.
• It sat out longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour above 90°F).
• Your power was out for 4 hours or more, or the food sat above 40°F for more than 2 hours.
• It smells, looks or feels off, even if it is still within 4 days.
• It matches a recall notice. Check FoodSafety.gov's recall list.

Never taste food to decide whether it is safe. A small bite can hold enough germs to make you sick.

If you think a leftover made you sick

Food poisoning often brings diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or fever. CDC says symptoms can begin within 30 minutes or take as long as 2 weeks to appear, depending on the germ. The last thing you ate is not always the cause.

Most cases get better on their own. Sip water or an oral rehydration drink often. See a clinician the same day if you have:

• Bloody diarrhea
• Diarrhea lasting more than 3 days
• A fever over 102°F
• Vomiting so often you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration: peeing very little, a dry mouth and throat, or feeling dizzy when you stand up

If you are pregnant and develop a fever, muscle aches or stomach symptoms after eating a higher-risk food, call your prenatal care clinic and tell them what you ate.

Report it. If you believe a food made several people sick, contact your local health department. They track outbreaks.

Quick questions

Is it safe to put hot food in the refrigerator?

Yes. USDA says hot food can go directly into the refrigerator. Divide big batches into shallow containers first so they cool fast.

Can I refreeze leftovers I thawed?

If you thawed them in the refrigerator, yes, without cooking them first. If you thawed them in cold water or the microwave, heat them to 165°F first. Each round of freezing costs some quality.

Does the freezer kill bacteria?

No. Freezing stops them from growing. They can become active again once the food thaws.

Is rice different?

Treat cooked rice like other leftovers: refrigerate it within 2 hours and use it within 3 to 4 days. Spread a large batch in a shallow container so it cools quickly.

My leftovers are from a recalled product. Can I just cook them longer?

No. Follow the recall notice. That usually means throwing the food away or returning it to the store. Then clean any surfaces and containers it touched.

Sources

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