Thanksgiving is always great, and the leftovers leave us stuffed for days afterwards, but Thanksgiving can’t last forever, and unless you enjoy food poisoning, any leftovers in your fridge from Thanksgiving should probably be thrown out now. According to StillTasty, a website dedicated to cataloging shelf-life for foods, that leftover turkey has got to go! Here’s a handy chart to let you know how long the rest of it can last:
STORAGE TIME
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Item
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Pantry
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Fridge
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Freezer*
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Tips
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• Turkey — whole, cooked |
3-4 days
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2-3 months
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Cut whole bird into smaller pieces before refrigerating.
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• Gravy — homemade |
1-2 days
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2-3 months
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Bring leftover gravy to a full boil before using.
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• Cranberry sauce |
10-14 days
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1-2 months
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Store leftovers in covered plastic or glass container.
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• Stuffing — cooked |
3-4 days
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1 month
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Remove stuffing from turkey before refrigerating.
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• Mashed potatoes or yams; green bean casserole |
3-5 days
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10-12 months
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Mashed potatoes freeze well; whole baked potatoes don’t.
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• Pumpkin pie — baked |
3-4 days
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1-2 months
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Keep refrigerated. Texture may change after freezing, but taste shouldn’t be affected. | |
• Apple pie — baked |
2 days
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2-3 days after pantry storage
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1-2 months
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To freeze, wrap pie tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place in heavy-duty freezer bag. |
• Wine, red or white — opened bottle |
3-5 days
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1-2 months
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Freeze leftover wine for use in cooked dishes such as sauces and stews. | |
• Bread — soft-crusted |
4 -5 days
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2-3 months
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Refrigerator storage is not recommended, as bread will quickly dry out and become stale — for longer-term storage, freeze bread instead. | |
hard-crusted
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1 -2 days
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2-3 months
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