how long you keep the cooked food in fridge?

1. 78

   sarovaiposted 14 years ago

   Some people they keep the cooked food in the fridge for nearly 3days. I do not like such food , and I insist them not to keep cooked food in fridge. How do you see? Is it the right way? or how days you are keeping the cooked food in fridge?

   replyreport
   1. 70

      Pearldiverposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I see that you have had alot of response to this but nobody has asked you about your fridge and that is the most importance part of the equation....
      
      Is it plugged into a power source (other than a hamsterwheel)?
      Are it's seals good enough to keep BlowFlies out of it?
      Does your fridge maintain a temperature below minus four degrees?
      Do vermin (rats or mice) nest under your fridge?
      Do you store Live Chickens in your fridge?
      Is it Really YOUR Fridge?
      Do you use the Icebox for ANYTHING other than frozen pizzas?
      Do you have an over abundance of old Fridge Magnets attached to your fridge?
      
      The BumbleTown Health Department reccommend that cooked food can be given to others only after the feathers have been removed and all cooked animals (including Oysters) have had their hooves removed.
      
      Good Luck with your bacterial concerns and I hope your ducks do not float in your fridge tupperware bowls.

      replyreport
      1. 78

         sarovaiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Checked throughly good running condition with fruits , icecreams and vegetables and eggs.   no

         replyreport
2. 82

   blondepoetposted 14 years ago

   I guess it depends on what it is. Normally if it is leftover meal from that night I only like to eat it until the next day.

   replyreport
   1. 78

      sarovaiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      It is good.

      replyreport
3. 60

   Csjun89posted 14 years ago

   It really depends on the kind of food
   
   Cooked food can last longer though, as the heat kills the germs and bacteria, of course it wouldn't taste as good

   replyreport
4. 59

   Pandoras Boxposted 14 years ago

   Whenever we have leftovers -bbq, s'ketti, chili, stew, roasts, etc- I generally serve it two days later. I don't know what the officially right answer is. We just do it that way to break things up. Like if I feed my kids pasta one night, I figure it's better to skip a day before feeding them it again. I like to rotate meats or fish and veggies, rices and pastas and potatos. It's my effort at balanced nutrition.
   
   Properly sealed or covered, I've never felt badly holding things over for two days. I don't know how long is okay though. Two days is all I ever do. I'm a creature of habit.
   
   Some foods maybe not such a great idea to even save for two days, like egg dishes, dairy based sauces, that kind of stuff.

   replyreport
   1. 78

      sarovaiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I mainly worried about the taste? how about you?

      replyreport
5. 59

   Pandoras Boxposted 14 years ago

   I like your avatar, btw.

   replyreport
6. 61

   Corinposted 14 years ago

   It depends on the kind of food: if it is foods like stew or curry, I can keep it up to 2 days.
   Usually I don't like having leftover, so if it isn't eaten the next day, I would  throw it away.

   replyreport
7. 77

   Shadesbreathposted 14 years ago

   Some chick just wrote a book on this.  They had her on NPR a few weeks back.  If I had to refine the entire conversation down to a nutshell, she was basically saying 3 things: 
   
   1. Americans are such germiphobic pansies and have no clue how spoiled and candyass they are.
   
   2. Americans are such morons, they buy into dates that condemn food prematurely because the manufactureres know people will dump it and go buy new ones once the magic number expires.
   
   3. Use your nose; you evolved a sense of smell for the specific purpose of keeping you safe (unless you are religious, in which case you evolved nothing and smell is just sort of a random thing that makes no sense.)

   replyreport
   1. 67

      Ivorwenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      She obviously does not know this American! 
      
      Everything goes through the smell test, because heaven only knows how long it has been there.  Having said that, most stuff in my fridge is stuff that could live on in a cool counter for several days, without going bad.  (I live in a very dry climate.  Even when it is raining, things will dehydrate in my cupboards.)
      
      Meat is usually used in a week or less.  Vegetables also have a fairly short shelf life, but prefer not to collect them until I am ready to use them.  Anything else had better last until I am done with it!
      
      I have lived without refrigeration before, and it is not a huge deal.  However, during that time, I found that food lasted much longer if it was cooked well.  You can always turn something into a stew or stir fry with sauces, if it gets too dry.

      replyreport
      1. 77

         Shadesbreathposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         
         
         YEP!
         
         The crock pot is your left over friend!  My wife turns so much crap that I wouldn't touch anymore into kick ass stews and soups.

         replyreport
8. 76

   IzzyMposted 14 years ago

   I'd go with that Shades!
   In my fridge, I keep the remains of previous meals a few days - I prefer to see it eaten by the third day, but if it isn't, well if it smells OK it gets eaten anyway.
   If cheese has gone mouldy, I just scrape it off. Hey cheese is too expensive to throw away - and anyway, if it is good enough for penicillin...
   I throw away turned milk and cream, just because it looks and smells awful.
   And sometimes the lettuce turns to mush in my fridge because I forgot to eat it in time.
   But my mother is something else! Everytime I go home I check her fridge. She has been known to keep foodstuffs in there 2 years!! She'll say to me "It's perfectly all right", and usually it smells OK but the mould has grown out of the container so much you can't even see what was originally there!

   replyreport
   1. 78

      sarovaiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      As such , there will be big difference ready cook food to cooked preserved food in fridge. Mainly it starts with taste.So, I avoid keeping food in fridge unless otherwise it is unavoidable.

      replyreport
   2. 77

      Uninvited Writerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You sound like me I don't worry about mold on cheese because cheese sometimes sits underground for 3 years before it's even sold.
      
      I try to eat my leftovers within 5 days.

      replyreport
   3. 0

      Home Girlposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      My mother was just the same. May be it's Old timers habits (save everything). She would eat completely rotten stuff and never got sick.
      In my experience if you cook something with lots of vinegar like borsch(russian beets soup), with sourcrout (fermented cabbage) or jalapeno peppers - it will stay for a very long time even without a refrigeration, and it will be fine. Sourcrout dishes even taste better with time. I always find it amazing! Regular cooked stuff - a week is enough with good refrigeration. My cats don't like old cutlets from the fridge though! Bastards!

      replyreport
      1. 76

         IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I think the older generation who lived through food rationing during or after the war learned to not waste any foods. A lot of what my parents taught me has rubbed off - I hate food waste too.
         
         I'd be calling the cats those names too LOL. You'd think they'd be grateful to get something better than proprietary cat food! Fussy gits!

         replyreport
9. 74

   LeanManposted 14 years ago

   If it does not smell or look like it has evolved into a higher lifeform then normally it is safe.... Don't be such a worry about food, a bit of mould will not kill you (most of the time). Exposure to a few bugs can help your immune system!!
   
   What did you eat last time you ate out? How long had that been in the fridge or sat on the floor at the back of the burger joint where it fell??
   
   Cheese is mouldy milk, with various types of mould in it, some meat is hung for weeks and weeks before you get it and so on...
   
   Your nose is there for a reason, what did your grandparents do before they invented the best before and sell by date??

   replyreport
   1. 78

      sarovaiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      good question. Hope they might have been using some sort of preservative techniques or they ate raw form.

      replyreport
10. 84

    wychicposted 14 years ago

    I'll have to go with Shadesbreath on this one too...though leftovers rarely stay in the fridge for more than 3-4 days before they're gone, if it's still good we keep it. My husband and I both hate waste and both have known what it's like not to have food, so if at all possible we never waste anything edible. Dinner leftovers usually end up being good lunches or another dinner 2-3 days later. As for flavor, as long as it's covered so the food doesn't take on odors or flavors from the rest of the fridge it's just fine, and tomato-based foods tend to taste even better on the second or third day...when in doubt, microwave it, there's not a lot of germies that can live through the microwave.

    replyreport
    1. 78

       sarovaiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Very nice to hear from you that 3-4 days food items taste better.

       replyreport
11. 61

    Betty Reidposted 14 years ago

    I'm embarressed to tell you how long I keep food in the fridge.  I will say I got food poisoning yesterday, probably from food in my own refrigerator.  After reading this thread, I'm wondering why I didn't get sick sooner.

    replyreport
12. 73

    KCC Big Countryposted 14 years ago

    If it's something that freezes well, freeze it instead of putting it in the fridge.  You can always reheat it 2-3 days later, but it won't go bad for a long time this way.  Obviously, somethings don't freeze well.

    replyreport
13. 80

    mega1posted 14 years ago

    I got one of the Foodsaver machines and since there are only 2 of us here to eat my cooking I often have leftovers that I freeze - with this vacuum/seal machine it makes it easy and they keep a long, long time. no freezer burn or ice crystals.  But unfortunately sometimes food in my fridge doesn't make it to the freezer and goes bad before we eat it.  I'm trying to be less wasteful though, so I am using almost everything I cook - or else it gets frozen and used later.  Like today I made barbecue ribs and we ate half and I froze half for another day.

    replyreport
14. 83

    timorousposted 14 years ago

    I let cooked food cool down a bit before I put it in the fridge, just so there's less condensation.  I also cover it or put it in sealed container.  It's usually good for 3 days or so..depending on the food. 
    
    You need to know what to look for and smell.  Don't assume anything.  If it's starting to grow anything that looks even a little bit blue and white, it's too late..you got mold.  It usually smells a bit too.  Same goes for fruits and veggies.  If they start to get slimy when stored in the fridge, it goes out.
    
    You could take a chance, but why bother..it's no fun puking later on

    replyreport
15. 72

    Beth100posted 14 years ago

    If there are any leftovers, then 3 days and only if I was the cook.  If it's someone else who's cooked, then 2 or I might not even keep it.  Ok, I sound nasty on this one, but if you knew some of the people who cook to "help" out, you probably wouldn't even eat it.  Put it this way...the dog won't even sniff their cooking. 

    replyreport
16. 78

    sarovaiposted 14 years ago

    Please read this http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food- … rator-safe

    replyreport
17. 61

    Originposted 14 years ago

    I usually try to eat cooked food that it's put in the frig after 1-2 days max, sometimes 3 depending on what it is. If I get something like pizza delivered to my house, I try to eat it within a day or two.

    replyreport
18. 59

    Denseposted 14 years ago

    5 days max for me. I keep food in sealed Tupperwares even for 1 hour. If I need longer than 5 days, then I'll just put it into the freezer.

    replyreport
    1. 60

       Ign Andyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I do too, in sealed Tupperware 5 days max, usually in 2 days all leftover already eaten.

       replyreport
    2. 59

       Denseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Glad to know I am not the only one, though I must admit that I had once tried 7-day old food, the kind that wasn't meant to be kept that long, if you know what I mean.

       replyreport
19. 60

    ShoppingIncognitoposted 14 years ago

    sorry, I don't like left overs

    replyreport
20. 69

    Research Analystposted 14 years ago

    When it comes to turkey or chicken some people like to freeze portions to take down for later to make sandwiches, soups and salads.

    replyreport
    1. 76

       IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I usually turn left over meat into another dish then freeze it as a cooked dish, like curry. It's more economical to make a whole batch at once, set aside enough for eating that day, and freeze the rest in meal-sized portions for future use.

       replyreport
       1. 0

          Home Girlposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Like my cat's I don't like old meal. But I like to save money, so I try to make a diferent dish from leftovers. Let's see: Mashpotatoes->Sheppard Pie->Perogies.  Fried chicken->Chicken Nuggets->Stir-fry->Egg-rolls. And so on. Recipies are endless. Not the budget.

          replyreport
21. 86

    rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

    after reading this thread yesterday, I cleaned out my fridge last night... and found two containers with mold growing and threw out a carton of yogurt, a package of unopened mushrooms... it's sad..
    then I say to myself, why do I save leftovers?? food poisoning is very prevalent now with these super bacterias. my oldest son was sick for almost a week after eating raw oysters from a restaurant.
    
    freeze it or cook less and eat it within one day. the temp should be between 35 and 40 degrees F. freezer set at 0 F especially if you have a lot of food.

    replyreport
22. 74

    LeanManposted 14 years ago

    I have been known to keep food in there for a few months, but at this point it normally tries to escape all by itself...

    replyreport
23. 61

    nanospeckposted 14 years ago

    My Uncle says eating food after 3 hours of cooking is useless to body. Hez an Ayurvedic Doctor!

    replyreport
24. 74

    LeanManposted 14 years ago

    you're meant to cook it?????????????

    replyreport
25. 83

    timorousposted 14 years ago

    Actually, cooking most fresh foods (veggies) destroys the enzymes that enable you to digest the food.  Your stomach has to work a bit harder to produce more of its' own enzymes.  Many people swear by eating everything raw for this reason.  To each his own...
    
    The best way is to cook veggies is steaming, just long enough to heat through, to minimize the enzyme loss.

    replyreport
    1. 78

       sarovaiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       The digestion of raw veggies or cooked one depends on hereditary. If you try to change the habit from cooked to raw veggies , you need to start from small quantities. but it takes time to get used. And there is also side effects.

       replyreport
       1. 83

          timorousposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Quite so, sarovai.  Some people are also allergic to certain raw foods, but not allergic to the same food when it's cooked.

          replyreport
          1. 78

             sarovaiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             By digging your profile , my assumption come true. You know quite lot about naturopathy.

             replyreport
             1. 83

                timorousposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                Thanks a lot, sarovai.  You might like to read the hubs too and visit my website [shameless plug]

                replyreport