A lot of people will be eating more Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing over the next few days. Iowa State University Extension is part of a campaign designed to let people know how long they can safely keep leftovers.
Julie Albrecht is an Extension food specialist and says you never want to take a chance with a possible food borne illness. “The general rule is four days, throw it away,” Albrecht said. “That is the message we want to get across, especially now with the holiday season because so many people have leftovers after Thanksgiving, Christmas and then it is going to be the Super Bowl. We want to make sure you keep your family safe and throw those leftovers away if you haven’t eaten them within four days.”
Another option involves the freezer. “If you have turkey leftovers and you are getting tired of them on Saturday and Sunday…you can freeze them, but I wouldn’t recommend keeping them longer than three to six months,” Albrecht said.
The “4-day, Throw Away” campaign is targeted toward younger cooks who may not know just how long food can be safely saved. ISU Extension is spreading the message through a website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Along with a media campaign, a red #4 mascot will visit a number of grocery stores in Cedar Rapids and the Omaha/Council Bluffs area.