USDA-based · How this page was made · Last reviewed August 31, 2026 · Sources ↓
Leftovers: the 165°F reheat rule (not just the 3–4 day window)
Cook it safely the first time. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking (1 hour if the room is above 90°F). Divide large batches into shallow containers so they reach 40°F fast. Eat refrigerated leftovers in 3 to 4 days, or freeze them. When you reheat, the food must reach 165°F as measured with a food thermometer — sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil. Cover and rotate in the microwave; check more than one spot. Frozen leftovers may be reheated without thawing. After previously frozen leftovers hit 165°F, remaining food may be refrozen.
The 3–4 day fridge window only applies to leftovers that were cooked safely and chilled on time. Reheating has its own rule: 165°F.
Cook it safely the first time
FSIS leftovers guidance starts with safe first cook, measured with a food thermometer:
- Steaks, chops, and roasts (beef, pork, lamb, veal): 145°F, then rest at least 3 minutes.
- Ground beef, pork, lamb, veal: 160°F.
- All poultry: 165°F.
Full cook table: color is not doneness — use a thermometer.
Out of the danger zone, into shallow containers
Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking (or of removing food from a warm hold); 1 hour if the air is above 90°F. If that clock is missed, discard it — do not “just reheat.”
Divide large amounts into shallow containers so food reaches 40°F quickly. A deep pot of soup can stay in the growth range for hours even inside a cold fridge. Habits that break this rule are covered in storage mistakes — this page does not rewrite that guide.
How long leftovers keep
Refrigerated leftovers: 3 to 4 days. Frozen leftovers: quality about 3 to 4 months; frozen leftovers remain safe indefinitely for food-safety purposes, though quality drops (FSIS).
Reheat to 165°F
Leftovers must reach 165°F as measured with a food thermometer. Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil. Cover food when reheating. In the microwave, cover and rotate; check temperature in several places (microwaves have cold spots).
It is safe to reheat frozen leftovers without thawing. After previously frozen leftovers are reheated to 165°F, remaining food may be refrozen.
Safe thawing lives in leftovers + steps-keep-food-safe guidance (and in storage mistakes). There is no separate “safe thawing” FSIS page cited here.
Picnic and buffet
Hot hold at 140°F or warmer; cold hold at 40°F or below. The clock off that hold is 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Sources
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and Food Safety — USDA FSIS, 2026
- USDA FSIS: Keep Food Safe! Food Safety Basics — USDA FSIS, 2024