How do I store leftovers safely?

Leftovers are safe only if you move them fast enough. FoodSafety.gov says perishable food should be refrigerated within two hours, or within one hour if the food sat above 90 F. It also says leftovers should be eaten or frozen within three to four days.

The easiest habit is to divide hot food into shallow containers as soon as the meal is over. That helps it cool faster and keeps the fridge from turning into one giant warm pot. Labeling the container with the date is also worth it, because food that looks fine is not always food that is still safe.

Do not let “cool it first” turn into leaving food out all evening. Big pots of soup, chili, rice, pasta, and casseroles are the usual problem because the center stays warm for a long time. Move them into smaller containers, leave the lid slightly vented until steam drops, then seal and refrigerate.

When reheating, aim for 165 F so the food is hot all the way through. If you know you will not get to the leftovers in time, freeze them early instead of hoping you will remember them later.

If your fridge lives on container chaos, a set of glass food storage containers makes the whole system a lot easier to keep straight.

Food safety is mostly about time and temperature. The same logic shows up in the egg storage guide and the safe chicken thawing guide: make the safe choice easy before you are tired.