Store Turkey Leftovers So You Don't Get Food Poisoning

When it’s my turn to cook the turkey for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, I almost always cook a larger bird than I need so that I have lots of leftovers. There are so many things you can do with turkey leftovers, but before you get out your favourite recipes, be sure to follow these safety tips:

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• Carve all the turkey off the carcass. It’s better to store your leftover turkey completely de-boned, but do not throw out the carcass, do this instead.

• Separate all your leftovers into containers. I know it’s tempting to over-stuff whatever containers you have available, but it’s best to use shallow containers that you don't stuff to the brim. This leaves room to let air circulate so that the refrigerator can do its job and cool those leftovers quickly and evenly.
• Refrigerate your leftovers within 2 hours. I know that cleaning off the turkey carcass seems like messy work, but it usually happens after everyone is done eating and when dishes are just about to get started, so find some helpful volunteers to start the dishes and get busy on the leftovers.
• Make a plan for your leftovers, as refrigerated leftovers should be used within 2 to 3 days.
• Remember, leftovers should only be re-heated once, so if you’re serving turkey dinner leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day, be sure to only re-heat by the plateful so you’re not wasting any of those delicious leftovers.

PS: Visit Health Canada for more helpful tips on storing your leftover turkey safely.

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