As mentioned in a comment on my previous post called Thanksgiving Tips, someone mentioned that it was the leftovers that they had to look out for. Well, that got me thinking, how do you deal with the leftovers?
There are many ways to eat away at the leftover dishes. Some people have their own special recipes, some people make turkey sandwiches, others create casseroles, and much more. The big issue is those desserts. Those pumpkin pies, apple pies, Watergate salads, pecan pies, all become snacking targets. I would suggest trying to give away these desserts. If you have a Thanksgiving with many families, send people home with the desserts. If your family still wants to eat them, place other snacks, such as carrots or granola, next to the desserts so instead of grabbing the tempting pie, you’ll grab the healthy alternative. The last resort would be to, unfortunately, throw the dishes away.
Thanksgiving leftovers consist of food that has become lukewarm and breathed on by various amounts of people. This could present a health risk. In order to stay healthy, you must keep your food safe to eat and there is a general rule to go about doing this. Known as the “2-2-4” formula, this concept was developed by William Stallings, MS, RD, clinical dietitian at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. What does it mean?
“2”- Try to store all of the leftovers in the fridge or freezer within two hours of cooking it.
“2”- You should store all of your leftovers in fridge or freezer in dishes that are no more than 2inches deep.
“4”- Eat everything within four days, but if you know that you’re not going to eat it within that time period, store it in the freezer.
Have a great Thanksgiving, and stay healthy!
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Leftovers are the best! Love ’em! 😉
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