by Product Specialist
What is Thanksgiving without the leftovers? As much as you might look forward to eating them, the turkey, pie, and other holiday goodies can go bad if you don't take care to keep them tasting great. Once you're sure that no one wants a second or third helping of turkey, gravy, or sauce, put these things in the refrigerator within two hours. However, avoid doing this until it is at least room temperature. When hot food is refrigerated, it can form condensation that affects its taste.
What to Do When You Have an Abundance of Meat
Perhaps you had a few no-shows or people didn't eat as much turkey as you expected. When you have a lot of meat, it is best to wrap the leftovers in aluminum foil and then place them in a tightly sealed container. This preserves the flavor until you can get around to eating the turkey. You can even freeze turkey breast meat for up to four months.
Storing Those Extra Vegetables
Squash, carrots, and other cooked vegetables are not as prone to spoilage as meat, but it is still important to store them properly. To preserve flavor as long as possible, be sure to put them in a storage container and seal the lid tightly. If you want to avoid the flavor of your vegetables mixing with other leftovers, be sure to store them in their own container.
Skip Refrigerating the Pies
If you place them in a pie safe and keep them out of reach of curious pets, you don't have to put leftover pie in the refrigerator. The leftovers taste much better when you don't serve them cold.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
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