Turkey for Days

One of the best parts of a holiday meal is the leftovers. Whether you like yours to remind you of the meal you just ate or to be totally transformed, our newest turkey recipes have you covered. Our tips on how to safely keep and consume your leftover holiday meal will ensure that the delicious fun continues for days.

Pat's Leftover Turkey Sandwich with Zesty Cranberry-Dijon Relish

Tips for safely storing and serving your holiday leftovers:

Avoid putting steaming hot foods in the fridge. This raises the refrigerator’s temp, causing food to cool more slowly.
Leftovers should be cooled as quickly as possible. To that end, pack and store leftover holiday dishes within 2 hours of serving.
Remove turkey from the carcass and store everything in shallow containers or zip-top food storage bags.
Spread leftovers out in the fridge rather than stacking them. This will allow them to chill completely, quickly and evenly.
The USDA recommends consuming refrigerated leftovers within 3-4 days. You can freeze leftover cooked turkey indefinitely, although it will taste best if eaten within 2-4 months.
When it comes to safely reheating leftovers, warm them to 165° before serving.
As much as possible, try to minimize the number of times you reheat any one dish. Multiple reheatings won't affect the safety of leftovers, but it will diminish the quality of the food. If you are only serving yourself, heat up just a single portion, not the whole dish.