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Smell and slime are sure signs of a bird that’s gone bad.
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers more helpful advice for how long to keep your Thanksgiving leftovers.
You have two to three days to safely eat or freeze your turkey, it says. The same goes for giblets.
Three to four days is also a good guideline for soups and vegetable stews, especially if they contain meat.
Was your Thanksgiving less traditional? Cooked beef, veal, lamb and pork should be eaten more quickly — within two to three days, the FDA says.
While uncooked fish only stays fresh for two days, cooked fish can last three to four days. (If fish is smoked, it’s good for two weeks.)
And that opened package of hot dogs will last a week. If unopened, it’s still safe at two weeks. The same time limits apply to luncheon meats.
Sausage, if raw, is only safe for a day or two. Smoked links are healthy for a week.
If you freeze your food — at 0 degrees Fahrenheit — it will last indefinitely. Think “Ötzi,” the Tyrolean Iceman, who still looked lovely more than 5,000 years after his glacial death.
But if you don’t want your meat to be mummified, eat it within four to six months.
The key to safe food storage is is temperature setting. In the refrigerator section, that’s between 34 and 40 degrees. The freezer should be set as low as 0 degrees, never rising above 5 degrees.
You may not be able to see or smell microbiological contamination. But most bacteria, like salmonella, can be killed during cooking at temperatures above 165 degrees, as measured with a meat thermometer.
When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165 degrees as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. Cover leftovers to reheat — this retains moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through.
Do you have leftover leftovers? It’s safe to refreeze any food that’s been cooked to a safe temperature of 165 degrees. If a large container of leftovers was frozen and only a portion of it is needed, it is safe to thaw the leftovers in the refrigerator, remove the needed portion and refreeze the remainder of the thawed leftovers without reheating it.
What wins the prize for most durable food? Ham — if canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated” and unopened.
Even after six to nine months, it won’t kill you.
More advice for longer-lasting food:
• Purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates.
• Follow handling recommendations on product.
• Keep meat and poultry in its package until just before using.
• If freezing meat and poultry in its original package longer than 2 months, overwrap these packages with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper; or place the package inside a plastic bag.
