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Is It Safe To Eat The Leftovers?

Is it safe to eat the leftovers in the fridge? It’s been four days since Thanksgiving, and lots of people STILL have leftovers in the fridge. In a new poll, 7%…

Thanksgiving dinner place setting with turkey, Thanksgiving sides and pumpkin soup, overhead shot
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Is it safe to eat the leftovers in the fridge?

It's been four days since Thanksgiving, and lots of people STILL have leftovers in the fridge.

In a new poll, 7% of people say they're STILL eating leftovers . . . but food scientists say you should wrap it up TODAY.

Put together one last meal, or pack it up in the freezer . . . but everything else should be tossed after today.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends throwing out refrigerated leftovers after three to four days.  If they're kept in the freezer, they can stay good for three to four months.

There IS some flexibility, depending on the type of food.  But be careful.  The "smell-test" isn't 100% reliable, and you shouldn't push anything with meat and dairy.  Also, Thanksgiving dishes may spoil faster than other leftovers because the food sits out longer than a typical meal.

Experts say today's the day Thanksgiving leftovers are no longer edible.  Is it safe to eat the leftovers in the fridge? But who needs experts to decide if food's spoiled when you got the smell test?  Or anything else from today's list of the . . . Top 5 Questions to Ask before Eating Thanksgiving Leftovers Other than "Does It Pass the Smell Test?".

Does it have the look of guacamole . . . and the texture of guacamole . . . without actually being guacamole?

Does it have a tiny layer of fuzz on it like Justin Bieber's upper lip?

Has it congealed to the point Ghostbusters would classify it as ectoplasm?

When you stick a fork in it, does it whimper?

Does it appear on the USDA's "Most Wanted" list?

Before you eat it, does your refrigerator make you sign a waiver?

When you open the container, does air hiss out like a mummy's tomb?

Does it make your dog say, "Thanks, but I'll just stick to eating my poop"?

Would it pass for edible at Chipotle?

Hey It’s Ryan, let me start off by saying…YES, I was born and raised in Wixom, Michigan although a lot of listeners like to joke that I am from Arizona. WCSX has always been my radio home, I have been at the station since I was a 23-year-old intern, co-host of Big Jim’s House, married with kids. Family and radio are what I love, but don’t get me started on golf! Like some, I have become obsessed with golf and you can hear all about that on “The Ball Washer Pod” right here on WCSX. One of my other passions is helping out the Vets. Since coming to WCSX I have been apart of raising hundreds of thousands for local vet groups. Other than that, I am a goofy guy, loving life, my family and talking to you on the radio. Ryan writes about golf, family and what happens on “Big Jim’s House.”