freezing vs. refrigerating leftovers?

[aggie94]

Sunday is my cooking day, where I usually make several dishes to last all week long since I don't have time to cook on weeknights. Usually, it's casseroles, stir-fries, soups, etc. Any main dish-type meal that I can take to work for lunch or reheat in the evening when I get home. I've always just put leftovers in the fridge, but now I'm wondering -- should I be freezing them? Normally, it only ends up being enough to last until Thursday or Friday, so it's usually 4 or 5 days in the fridge. They've always tasted fine to me, but I'm wondering if I should be concerned?

[funnybone]

This is only my view, so it does not mean that it is right. I only leave leftovers in the fridge for one night. If I don't plan on eating it the next day, it would either go in the freezer, or get tossed out. I just have this thing about keeping food in the fridge/freezer too long.

[funnybone]

here's a thread from foodtv.com re: leftovers

Making a Clean Sweep
Is your fridge so full of leftovers, you have no idea what to do? Transform your leftover meat and vegetables into fabulous new dishes with our recipes, just in time for your annual spring cleaning ritual. Herb Chicken Stew? Lenten Pirogi and Bobalki? Who knew you could make that out of leftover rice and potatoes!

Spring cleaning recipes
http://www.foodtv.com/holidays/springcleaningrecipes/0,3798,,00.html

Hope it works.

[BeckyM]

It's funny how different we all are on this! I leave leftovers in the fridge for about a week max, then I start feeling nervous about them and figure it's about time to pitch them. But usually my husband and I have no problems finishing up leftovers well before then.

But I have wondered if I'm leaving things in the fridge too long. I've never had a problem with it (gotten sick or anything), so I figure it must be okay, as long as the food doesn't look or smell funny. But once it gets to be a week or so, even if it doesn't seem bad, I'll usually get rid of it.

I usually only freeze things that I know I won't be able to eat within a week. I really prefer not to freeze food, because it takes so long to thaw!

[valeriek]

I live by the three-day rule. I make dinner (I'm single and live alone) and it usually gives me three day's of lunch. Anything more, I freeze. If I don't eat it within the three days, it gets tossed. I've never had a problem!

[emilycat]

I don't usually have leftovers for longer than two days, since I only make enough for 2 servings most of the time, but I'll eat anything I've kept in there unless it smells or tastes "off." That's never more than 5 days or so, though.

[Luiza]

I've found that cooked food lasts for a week with no problems (including food with cream sauces). I never remember to defrost things, anyway. But uncooked stuff (like an open can of tomatoes, for example) doesn't last very long. Homemade broth lasts almost indefinitely in the fridge if you remember to bring it to a boil every three days.

In general, if it smells and tastes OK, you shouldn't be concerned.

Luiza

[This message has been edited by Luiza (edited 03-28-2001).]

[Luiza]

Oops... duplicate post.

[This message has been edited by Luiza (edited 03-28-2001).]