Spread Love (and Cleanliness) during Food Safety Month

Leftovers are a great way to maximize a food budget and reduce food waste, which also helps the environment. To minimize food waste, plan meals ahead of time if possible, stick with what your household knows and enjoys (but don’t be afraid to try something new from time to time!), cook and serve for the number of people eating the meal, and reuse those leftovers! Many leftover ingredients can be used for a second dish. Add cooked vegetables and cooked proteins to soups, casseroles, tacos, and pizza. Use cooked grains or pasta for a second meal, adding new proteins, vegetables, and sauces or spices.

It’s very important to store and reheat leftovers properly to avoid foodborne illness, especially for our friends and family who are older, very young, or have compromised immunity. So follow these tips to safely store and reheat leftovers, and check out our Instagram post for a quick reference:

Safely Store Leftovers

• Store leftovers in the freezer or refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking the meal
• Set your refrigerator below 40°F and your freezer at 0°F
• Do not store leftover canned foods in the original can

Safely Thaw Frozen Leftovers

• Never thaw at room temperature
• Thaw frozen foods:
  • On the bottom shelf of the refrigerator
  • Or in the microwave on defrost mode

Safely Reheat Leftovers

• Food should be heated to 165°F and steaming hot, use a food thermometer
• Reheat foods in an oven, microwave, or on the stovetop
• When reheating in a microwave
  • Cover and rotate or stir foods halfway for even heating
  • Test the temperature in several places with a food thermometer

Check out our Instagram post to see these tips in action!