You have about three or four days to safely eat most leftovers, says Bucknavage. Of course, this depends on the exact type of food, as well as other factors like refrigerator temperature, how much moisture is in the food, how long the food sat out after cooking, and sanitary practices used to prepare the food, he says.
Three to four days is a guideline, though some foods won’t be good for that long. “Cooked meals like casseroles, roasted veggies, and pizza usually hold up well for that timeframe, while delicate cold salads or seafood might spoil sooner,” says Alyssa Simpson, RDN, a digestive health dietitian in Phoenix, Arizona.
Eat cold salads that are dressed within one to two days, she recommends. Some salads, like romaine lettuce that’s been tossed in a vinaigrette, won’t hold up at all as leftovers — their taste and texture will be compromised (read: a soggy mess) — so you’re better off trying to make only what you plan on eating in one sitting, if possible.
If you’re going out to eat, stick to the three- or four-day rule for restaurant leftovers. But be advised that some experts, like Simpson, toss them sooner out of an abundance of caution. You don’t know how far in advance they were prepared at the restaurant, she says.
