How long do leftovers last?

Most cooked leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Refrigerate them within 2 hours, or 1 hour if it is above 90°F. Pick a food and the day you cooked it.

Free, no sign-up · Updated November 4, 2026

FoodCooked onHours left out at room temperatureIt was above 90°F (32°C) where the food sat

In the refrigerator, 40°F or below

days

Use by
Throw out after
Freezer, 0°F, for quality

USDA refrigerator times

Cooked leftovers: refrigerator at 40°F, freezer at 0°F
Food	Refrigerator, days
Cooked beef, pork, lamb, veal, including casseroles	3–4
Cooked chicken or turkey pieces, plain or fried	3–4
Cooked poultry casseroles	3–4
Cooked poultry pieces in broth or gravy	3–4
Cooked fish and shellfish	3–4
Casserole, quiche, omelet	3–4
Hard-cooked eggs	7
Soups and stews	3–4
Gravy and meat broth	3–4
Pizza	3–4
Stuffing	3–4
Egg, chicken, ham, macaroni or tuna salad	3–5

Rules that go with the dates

Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Within 1 hour if it is above 90°F.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Food kept at 0°F stays safe. The freezer times are for quality.

How it is calculated

Use by = day cooked + the first number of the range. Throw out after = day cooked + the second number.
Left out too long: more than 2 hours at room temperature, or more than 1 hour above 90°F.

Worked example

Soup cooked on November 27: use it by November 30, and throw it out after December 1.

Sources

USDA FSIS, Leftovers and Food Safety
2 hour and 90°F rule, 3 to 4 days, reheat to 165°F. Read in the archived FSIS fact sheet (web-archive copy, 2011-2012). The live fsis.usda.gov page returns an error to automated fetches, so re-check by hand.
FSIS Keep Food Safe: Food Safety Basics, with Cold Storage Chart (archived copy)
The cold storage chart rows and freezer times were read from this copy. Refrigerator at 40°F or below, freezer at 0°F.

Numbers checked November 4, 2026.

Questions

How long can I keep leftovers in the refrigerator?

USDA says to use most cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days. Hard-cooked eggs keep a week. Store-prepared or homemade egg, chicken, ham, macaroni and tuna salads keep 3 to 5 days.

How soon do I need to refrigerate leftovers?

Within 2 hours of cooking. Within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Food left out longer than that should be thrown out.

Is frozen food safe forever?

Food kept at 0°F stays safe indefinitely. The freezer times on this page are for quality: after them the food is safe but can dry out or lose flavor.

How do I reheat leftovers?

To 165°F, checked with a food thermometer.

When does the clock start?

This calculator counts the day you cooked the food as day 0, and shows the dates 3 and 4 days later.

When in doubt?

Throw it out. You cannot see, smell or taste the bacteria that cause food poisoning.