Easter is behind us, but leftovers are not. So, if you’re like many people with half-eaten ham or other tasty Easter foods that were too delicious to throw out, please read on.
"Good Morning America" gathered a few important safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine how long you can safely keep and snack on any Easter leftovers.
The two-hour rule for leftovers is a must follow.
"Some foods will quickly become unsafe to eat if not refrigerated or frozen, such as meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, dairy, cut fruit, some vegetables and cooked leftovers," the CDC says. "Throw away any of these perishable foods that have been left out for 2 hours or more."
Also, any foods that sat out in 90 degrees or hotter temperatures at a picnic or outdoor setting, should be tossed out after just one hour.
To safely store and reheat leftovers properly, leftovers passing the two-hour mark can be divided into smaller portions and put in reusable and shallow containers to be refrigerated or frozen. Foods can go in the fridge to be stored at 40 degrees or below as soon as possible.
Leftovers should be reheated to at least 165 F before eating, which includes any leftovers warmed up in the microwave.
Not all leftover foods are the same and stay fresh for very long. Some must be eaten within 3-5 days.
According to FoodSafety.gov , a website containing food safety information provided by government agencies, here are some best practices for how soon you should finish any foods that are popular on the Easter table from quiche to cakes:
Breads, homemade: can be stored in the pantry from the date it was baked and can last for three to five days, which is a shorter shelf life than most commercial bread products due to the lack of preservatives. When refrigerated, homemade breads can keep up to three months.
Cakes: they keep up to 10 days if refrigerated properly
Ham: bone-in ham A bone-in ham that was fresh and cooked before eating can be eaten after refrigerated for up to one week, and is safe to eat one to two months from frozen. For a ham that was purchased canned or fully cooked and has already been opened, it's safe to eat for up to five days from the fridge and up to two months if frozen.is safe to eat one to two months from frozen. For a ham that was purchased canned or fully cooked and has already been opened, it's safe to eat for up to five days from the fridge and up to two months if frozen.
For more tips on how to store and safely eat leftovers, click on the link below.
Source: Good Morning America