How long do you keep leftovers?

[snoopy30]

I'm a bit of a food safety freak so I generally don't like eating leftovers after a day. But I feel like that's being wasteful!

How long do you generally keep things like casseroles, spaghetti, etc. before you toss them? I'm thinking 3 days is the max especially if it has meat in it...
Just wondering!

[Jennifer]

Depends on what it is - but 3 days is my MAX to eat anything - and usually it's 1-2 days...DH on the other hand will eat things for several days longer. For me if I make a big pot of soup or spaghetti or something similiar that I think we'll want to eat for longer I freeze part of it right away and then just thaw it out later.

[jennylou]

2-3 days usually. Though, if something smells okay, I have been known to even go further (taco meat, went 4 days once without realizing that it was that long).

[malala]

What about plain brown rice? could I eat it 4/5 days later or do you think I'm pushing the limit?

[PG-rated]

I'm pretty lax about stuff like this. Anything meatless I'll keep for a solid week (as long as it smells OK/isn't growing anything). I try to stick to 4-5 days with meat, but if I'm actually recooking it (as opposed to just warming it up), I'll go a day or two longer. I've never been sick yet!

[thedoorchick]

I keep them probably longer than I should, but it hasn't killed me yet, and I hatehatehate wasting food.

Up to a week has never fazed me.

[laura]

I am not crazy about leftovers, so I don't eat them much, but we will eat things for up to about 4 days. It really depends on what it is and how it looks. Sometimes we cook a bunch of things on Sunday and eat them for dinner and lunches throughout the week, and sometimes that includes eating something on Friday that was prepared on Sunday. Again, just depends on what it is / how it looks.

[Missy2U]

Personally, I won't eat leftovers. But I have food "issues" anyway. My husband, though, does and he usually finishes everything in 3 - 4 days. Beyond that, we pitch it - but that's only because he's so sick of it by that time.

[beakersmom]

I'd say about three days. It generally depends on if I make something tastier! My hub used to never eat leftovers, but has changed his mind since we stick to a fairly stern budget.

[Hattie]

If I cook enough for more than two meals, I freeze the over two meals portion.

If I plan but don't eat the second meal the next night, I will either do lunch with it the third day or bin it.