How Long Do Leftovers Last? Fridge & Freezer Chart (US, UK, Canada)
Fridge and freezer times for 25 common leftovers, with the US, UK and Canadian rules side by side.
The short answer: the advice depends on where you live. In the US, most cooked leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge (USDA). In the UK, the Food Standards Agency says eat leftovers within 48 hours, and cooked rice within 24 hours. In Canada, Health Canada says within 2 to 3 days. Whichever you follow, refrigerate leftovers within two hours, reheat them only once, and heat them until steaming hot — 165 °F (74 °C).
When should I eat it by?
Leftovers chart
| Food | Fridge — US 40 °F / 4 °C or below |
Freezer — US quality, 0 °F / −18 °C |
UK (FSA) | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday | ||||
| Roast turkey, stuffing and gravy | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Eggnog, homemade | 2 to 4 days | Do not freeze | — | — |
| Meat and poultry | ||||
| Cooked meat or poultry (roast chicken, steak, pulled pork) | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Cooked poultry dishes (chicken curry, chicken casserole) | 3 to 4 days | 4 to 6 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Meat in gravy or broth | 3 to 4 days | 6 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Chicken nuggets or patties, cooked | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 3 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Ham, fully cooked, sliced or spiral cut | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months | — | — |
| Deli meat, opened or sliced | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months | — | — |
| Fish | ||||
| Cooked fish | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Cooked shellfish (prawns, shrimp, crab) | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 3 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Meals | ||||
| Leftovers with meat, fish, poultry or egg (stir-fries, pasta bakes) | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Leftovers without meat (cooked vegetables, potatoes) | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Soups and stews | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Casseroles | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months (with egg) | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Pizza | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Rice, pasta and grains | ||||
| Cooked rice | 4 to 6 days | 6 months | Within 24 hours of cooking | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Cooked pasta | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Cooked quinoa | 6 to 7 days | 6 to 12 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Eggs and salads | ||||
| Hard-boiled eggs | 1 week | Do not freeze | — | — |
| Egg, chicken, tuna, ham or macaroni salad | 3 to 4 days | Does not freeze well | — | — |
| Quiche | 3 to 5 days | 2 to 3 months | Within 48 hours | Within 2 to 3 days |
| Dips | ||||
| Guacamole | 3 to 4 days | 3 to 4 months | — | — |
| Hummus, homemade (no preservatives) | 7 days | Not recommended | — | — |
| Desserts | ||||
| Pumpkin or pecan pie | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months | — | — |
| Custard or chiffon pie | 3 to 4 days | Do not freeze | — | — |
US times: FoodSafety.gov Cold Food Storage Chart and USDA FoodKeeper (and the USDA turkey guide for Thanksgiving leftovers). A dash means the UK and Canadian leftover rules do not cover that food; follow the pack or the US time. Freezer times are for best quality — food kept frozen at 0 °F stays safe, but it dries out and loses flavour.
How long can leftovers sit out?
No more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90 °F (32 °C), says the USDA. The UK FSA says to cool cooked food and get it into the fridge within one to two hours. Split big batches into shallow containers so they cool quickly.
How should I reheat leftovers?
Reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through: 165 °F (74 °C) in the middle. The FSA advises against reheating more than once because every cooling and reheating gives bacteria another chance to grow.
Why is cooked rice different?
Rice can carry spores of Bacillus cereus that survive cooking. If cooked rice sits warm, they grow and make toxins that reheating does not destroy. That is why the UK FSA says to eat cooked rice within 24 hours, chill it quickly, and reheat it only once. US guidance allows 4 to 6 days in the fridge, but only if it went into the fridge promptly.
What temperature should my fridge be?
40 °F (4 °C) or below in the US; between 0 and 5 °C in the UK. A cheap fridge thermometer is the only way to know.
Sources
- FoodSafety.gov — Cold Food Storage Chart
- USDA FoodKeeper data
- USDA FSIS — Let’s Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey
- Food Standards Agency — How to chill, freeze and defrost food safely
- Food Standards Agency — Cooking your food
- Food Standards Agency — Student guide to food safety and hygiene
- Health Canada — Food safety tips for leftovers
Checked against the sources on 16 October 2026. Food-safety advice can change; the source pages are the final word.