Leftovers

Once cooked, in the fridge2 days

In the freezerabout 3 months

After thawinguse within 1 day

Estimates for quality, not a safety ruling. What the dates mean

Leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge, counted from when you cook them. That's SnapLarder's estimate for leftovers in general. If the packet has a date, go by the packet: it's specific to that product.

Two days is the UK’s advice and the strictest of the countries SnapLarder covers. Ireland’s safefood says 3 days, and the USDA 3 to 4. Put leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours, and reheat them only once, until steaming hot. Holiday guides: Christmas leftovers · Thanksgiving leftovers

Can you eat leftovers after the use-by date?

No. A use-by date is about safety: don’t eat them after it, even if they look and smell fine. If you can’t use them in time, you can freeze them up to the use-by date. If the packet says best before instead, that’s about quality: check them, and they’re often fine for a while after. Use by vs best before

Can you freeze leftovers?

Yes. Leftovers keep for about 3 months in the freezer. Freeze them as soon as they have cooled, defrost them in the fridge, and use them within 1 day of thawing.