I am always ask these questions, “is this still good?, do you think this has been in here to long?, should I eat the turkey from 2 weeks ago?”. My least favorite is “smell this, do you think it’s okay?”
With the holidays, I imagine that you will have the same questions at your house. Some general rules:
- Don’t trust smell – same goes for appearance and taste.
- If you are not sure, toss it.
- Store food quickly – don’t leave it on the table to cool, this puts food in the “danger zone” for growing bacteria and spores. Danger zone is 40-140 degrees.
- Avoid overloading your fridge. Cool air needs room to circulate.
- Thaw foods in fridge rather than counters.
So how long is it okay to store something in your fridge?
Eggs = 3 weeks
Deli meats = 3-5 days
Ground meats = 1-2 days
Fresh meats = 3-5 days
Fresh chicken = 1-2 days
Hot dogs = 1 week (though we really should not have them in there at all!!)
Mayo based salads = 3 days
Meat leftovers = 3-4 days
Soup leftovers = 3-4 days
Leftovers in general = 3-4 days
Foodborne illness and food poisoning affects everyone differently. The most susceptible are young children, pregnant women, older people and those with a weakened immune system. Use the guidelines above to keep your whole family safe from foodborne illnesses!
Safe eating!
Amy Carmeli, MS, RD, LD
Mon, Dec 7, 2009
Lap Band, Nutrition