WASHINGTON — QUESTION: How long can you eat Thanksgiving leftovers for?
ANSWER: 3-4 days, according to the USDA.
SOURCES: USDA, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Patient First Medical Centers
PROCESS: Thanksgiving is over, but that won't stop us from stuffing our faces with leftovers for days to come. We answered your Turkey day cooking questions on Facebook last week, but now a new question is top of mind.
Lots of people have been tweeting "how long do you keep leftovers?" and "so much of my life is spent googling how long leftovers last."
The USDA says unless you want all of your work to go to waste, you need to get leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours of dinnertime.
And when you heat up turkey – it needs to go to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to be safe.
But how long should you keep all that yummy food around for?
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson, Libby Mills told WUSA9:
Fairfax Patient First Medical Director, Minh Tran, say if you don't follow those guidelines and store food properly in airtight containers, cross-contamination can occur and bring along symptoms of foodborne sickness that includes nausea, vomiting, and cramps.
You can find more information on food safety tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics by clicking here.
