Keep Your Christmas Leftovers Fresh: Expert Tips to Prevent Food Poisoning

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Everything comes to an end, and Christmas food is no exception — but there are ways to delay this end and prevent food waste.

The equivalent of over 54 million plates is expected to be thrown away this Christmas. At the same time, about 69 per cent of households’ food waste is actually edible, according to new research by End Food Waste Australia (EFWA).

This contributes to 7.6 million tonnes of food waste in Australia each year, as shown by the National Food Waste Strategy study, costing the country $36.6 billion annually.

Even if you’ve overestimated the amount of food needed for your holiday gathering, there’s a silver lining: you can preserve these festive treats for the rest of the season.

Be cautious of fridge temperatures climbing above 5°C, as this can create an environment ripe for bacterial growth, potentially compromising the safety of all stored food.

The first important tip is that you may only have a couple of hours to save the leftovers.

To keep all those foods fresh, your fridge or freezer is your best friend, and the general rule of thumb is that if the food is out for less than two hours, you can either use it or store it at less than 5C.

However, hot food cannot be refrigerated directly, as it may raise the fridge temperature and put all other stored food at risk.

Putting hot food into a fridge may raise the fridge temperature above 5C.

Should this temperature rise persist for more than four hours, unfortunately, those leftovers may end up contributing to the vast amounts of food waste in Australia.

Make sure you keep them separate from uncooked foods like raw meat.

If you do not need all the food in the next few days, you can freeze it, donate it to your local food relief organisation or let the guests serve themselves.

In the scenario that the food has been out of the fridge for between two and four hours, there is still hope: you cannot store it, but you can still eat it.

The duration you can safely store leftovers varies by type. Turkey stays fresh for under four days, ham on the bone can be enjoyed for up to ten days, and Christmas pudding has a shelf life of two weeks in the refrigerator.

For leftovers that won’t be consumed within three days, freezing is a great option, extending their edibility for as long as three months.

If you have successfully refrigerated your leftovers within the first two hours, you have saved the food for days.

According to the NSW Food Authority, generally, leftovers stored in the fridge can be eaten within three days, and cooked rice and pasta should be eaten within two days.

However, the actual storage time depends on the type of food. Turkey remains fresh for less than four days, while ham on the bone can last up to 10 days and Christmas pudding can be kept in the fridge for two weeks.

Experts warn that after three to four days, bacteria may start to grow in refrigerated leftovers, increasing the risk of food poisoning. Bacteria usually don’t alter the taste, smell, or appearance of food. So, you can’t rely on these signs to tell if a food is dangerous to eat.

If you are not going to eat the leftovers within three days, the alternative is to freeze them, which will keep them for up to three months.

How to reheat the leftovers?

Always remember to reheat your leftovers, as harmful bacteria can grow even in the fridge.

According to the Department of Health of Victoria, to consume the food safely, “you need to reheat food in the oven or microwave until it reaches 75C or hotter in the centre … [and] if reheated food is displayed it must be kept at 60C or hotter.

“Reheat and display food only once and throw it out if not eaten or sold — this will avoid the food being at temperatures that support the growth of harmful bacteria,” the department says.

Experts also warn against reheating rice and pasta more than once, and ensuring they are steaming hot.

For frozen leftovers, defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before reheating.