When Is The Last Day New Yorkers Can Safely Eat Thanksgiving Leftovers?

Everyone loves some Thanksgiving leftovers but they don't last forever. So when it the last safe day to consume them?

No one wants to waste food, especially when it comes to expensive holiday meals. We've come up with some pretty creative ways to eat Thanksgiving leftovers in particular.

Turkey sandwiches, turkey casserole, turkey soup, and my personal favorite - thanksgiving sliders. Trust me, use the extra rolls as buns and dip them in gravy and thank me later.

Storing those leftovers is very important so that you don't end up with an unwanted sickness.

Not only is storing them important but consuming them in a timely manner is also important. How long can you actually eat these for after the big dinner?

3-4 Days

According to Foodsafety.gov that is you window to eat them.

Not enough consumers know that food can become unsafe in the refrigerator after four days. In fact, 31 percent of participants in our recent research indicated they would eat leftovers kept longer than four days in the refrigerator. After four days, spoilage bacteria can cause food to develop a bad smell or taste.

The smell test is always my go-to when it comes to making sure that food in the fridge is good or bad. If it fails that it's time for the trash. What's scary about this is that the smell might not be there on day four and that's when you risk eating harmful bacteria. Basically, Monday after Thanksgiving is the last possible day you have.

Leftovers should be placed in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible, even if they still have steam or heat coming off of them.

However, if you have frozen those leftovers they can last a bit longer. Don't thaw them out. Instead cook them from frozen slowly because thawing will lead to the bacteria developing.