Reheating leftovers

I only ever re-heat food the day after it was originally made.

If I know I won't want to eat it the day after it has been made, I freeze it immediately. Otherwise, I re-heat it the day after and put it in the freezer once that is done.

Generally rule for me is two days, and never do I ever reheat anything twice. I am on my own these days, and when making stews, soups, roasts/corned beef etc. I pack three quarters in containers, place in the fridge once cool, then I freeze. It saves a heap on power. I usually plate two meals. One meal same night, and another for the following day, or the next days lunch.

I use my judgement rather than rules. It depends what it is, and how it will be reheated. If it looks and smells ok, and can be heated to piping hot I'll eat it.

We don’t usually have leftover food because we cook what we know we will eat, but if there is anything left over we refrigerate and usually eat within 3 or 4 days, or else freeze it if I know we won’t eat it. You can freeze almost anything, then it’s perfectly safe to eat.

When my freezer broke down it was full of food, mostly meat and fish etc which was defrosting. I panicked first then cooked it all and froze it. We were fine.

I read some years ago that the average amount of food thrown out every week by every family is valued at £20. W ell someone else has my share, we just don’t do it. Never have.

Using a meat thermometer is a good idea to make sure the reheated food has reached a high enough temperature.

Yes, we have just bought a thermometer. I wouldn’t reheat twice.

I happily will eat something that's been kept for up to and including 5 days. 9 ill effects!

After all I say to my OH I bet those fancy sandwiches in the chiller at So-and-So shop were probably made 2 weeks ago 😅

Prue Leith says she serves out if date food all the time and no one notices.

Gr! No I'll effects, not 9!

Leftovers? What are these things of which you speak?!

When I have leftovers I usually eat it for lunch the next day or perhaps the day after. But my rule of thumb is it it smells and tastes ok it's fine. I rarely if ever get an upset stomach from something I have eaten. The only thing I don't do is freeze cooked meat if I had originally frozen it raw.

I rarely have any leftovers, unless I have deliberately cooked enough for two days, or if I have made a batch of something, it is portioned up for the freezer.
Today is an exception. I made a cottage pie yesterday but I filled half my plate with green veg so only ate half the pie. I’ll be eating the rest today. My limit would be two days, though I might eat something without reheating (if suitable) on day 3.

Allira

Using a meat thermometer is a good idea to make sure the reheated food has reached a high enough temperature.

I think I will get one of those.
Better to be on the safe side, for me.

It is still debatable, but I once had severe food poisoning. And I mean severe.
I have been more careful ever since.

I use smell, sight and taste, as my mother and grandmother did. Mould comes off jam, and cheese. If an apple has a bad bruise I cut that out and eat the rest, but, then, I was brought up to "waste not, want not" and I'm pretty sure that my cast iron stomach can be accredited to the food poisoning bug that crept in occasionally, and my system fought off.

Two days is usually plenty for me to eat up the leftovers. DH won't eat leftovers unless in disguise, so I try to make the right amount (or double & freeze).

Unigran4

I use smell, sight and taste, as my mother and grandmother did. Mould comes off jam, and cheese. If an apple has a bad bruise I cut that out and eat the rest, but, then, I was brought up to "waste not, want not" and I'm pretty sure that my cast iron stomach can be accredited to the food poisoning bug that crept in occasionally, and my system fought off.

I once cut off what looked like mould from some cabbage.
I went down with food poisoning.
I thought, if I can get it from cabbage, I can get it from anything.

My DD's cat will eat ANYTHING.

Seriously, though, I would use the "nose and eyes" test. DH has no sense of smell and doesn't care what food looks like so he often attempts to serve up week-old leftovers. This morning he was eating the remains of a carton of yoghurt opened two weeks earlier.

Unless it's a joint of meat (a rare occurrence) i seldom have anything left over for more than a day. A joint I would keep for three or four days. I've done a food hygiene course so anything I cook is cooled quickly and into the fridge. I use a thermometer when reheating.

AuntieE

I only ever re-heat food the day after it was originally made.

If I know I won't want to eat it the day after it has been made, I freeze it immediately. Otherwise, I re-heat it the day after and put it in the freezer once that is done.

How do you eat it then you have already-heated it, so ideally should not be re-heated again. At least I would not.

I remember my son when he was little asking me "Can you make some left overs please Mummy?" (Didn't occur to him not to eat everything on his plate!) because he liked bubble and squeak.
(He also listened to his plate the first time I served it and complained "It not weaking, Mummy!")
Waste not want not people here too.
I am vegetarian and my partner vegan so very little "danger" food here. Often use things past their sell by or even use by date. I have to be his eyes and nose though as he has no sense of smell and is colour blind!

I don’t have any rules if it looks and smells ok I eat it and I m still here

The only food that I am wary about reheating is rice as I understand that there is some toxin than can develop, so I usually just cook the amount that we need.
I apply the "smell" test to everything else, provided it looks OK.

My husband actively looks forward to our "clear the fridge" meals where I try to make something interesting from all our left overs.

I do the same: eat it cold. Its the reheating part that scares me.

cc
You’re not wrong there. I’ve had it twice from eating old rice.
The second time was in China where I was put on a drip.
And it was my birthday 😥

New to me nevet knew there was a rule???? I justput left overs in freezer and label it. Heat up in air fryer