Leftovers gone bad? Food not stored properly? Not sure if your extras should be refrigerated or frozen, wrapped in aluminum or sealed in plastic bags? We’ve all been there. It’s always such a bummer when you open the fridge to warm up some of your favorite leftovers and they’ve gone bad! That’s why we wanted to share some awesome hacks on the best ways to store leftovers.
Bread
When you see one slice of bread get a spot of mold, that means only one thing; it’s time to toss the whole package. You want to keep your bread fresh by storing it in a bread box, where packaged bread can last up 5 to 7 days past the best by date. To extend your bread's shelf life up to 6 months, place it in the freezer! Storing it in a freezer-safe bag or wrapping the loaf tightly in aluminum foil will make it lastway longer!
Casseroles
Unless you’re cooking up a big casserole for a meal prep to last you the next 3 to 4 days, we definitely recommend storing your leftover casserole in the freezer! Another simple way to utilize your food is to cut it into individual portions, place them in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers, and thaw them for an instant meal!
Check out some of our freezer-friendly Nutracelle meals here.
Cheese
Anytime you open a new package of delicious cheese, it’s best to toss out the original packaging and store it in a new container. If you don’t have a container, plastic bags work pretty well too! Soft cheeses last up to about a week in the refrigerator, while hard cheeses can last up to 3 to 4 weeks.
Chicken
If you love poultry proteins, go ahead and pick up an extra rotisserie chicken your next grocery run! Chicken leftovers are good for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, and they can be used in over 100 chicken recipes! It’s easier to pull the meat off the bone when it’s hot, so shred the chicken and store the meat in airtight containers. You can also throw the chicken in the freezer and add it into soups down the road!
Pasta
Whenever possible, it’s always best to store pasta separately from sauce. If not, the starches soak up excess liquid in the fridge, resulting in the grains getting soggy. If you really want to make your leftover pasta taste as delicious as when it was first cooked, eat within three days and reheat the noodles by dropping them into boiling water for a few seconds!
Keto? No problem! Check out our yummy Spaghetti Squash recipe here.
Pizza
When it comes to storing pizza, you have a few choices to choose from. If we’re reheating the pizza in the oven, we’ll wrap each slice tightly in aluminum foil to contain all the heat and flavor. If not, we’ll layer saucy or topping-heavy slices between pieces of parchment paper and wrap the whole batch in plastic wrap. If the pizza is light on toppings, you can skip the parchment part and stack them directly on top of each other in an airtight bag. Pizza is typically good for 3 to 4 days, but it’s usually all gone the next day anyway (;.
Healthy homemade pizza that freezes perfectly? Get it here!
Roasted Vegetables
Anytime you’re cheffing up some yummy veggies, just go ahead and make extra. Roasted vegetables store extremely well in the refrigerator for up 3 to 4 days, and there are endless ways to use them! For example, by tossing them into egg dishes, soups, salads and power bowls for nutrient-dense veggies meals. Airtight containers seem to be the best for roasted vegetables, but you can always store them in a bowl wrapped with plastic wrap.
Regardless of what you are cooking, there are ways to store your leftovers and keep them fresh. There are also endless ways to incorporate your leftovers into new meals! The options are endless, and we hope that a few of these leftover tips help you next time you are unsure on the proper way to store extra food in the fridge.
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