How long can leftover food and rice on Tet holiday be eaten?

January 22, 2023

Cooked and untasteed foods are kept in the refrigerator for at most 3 to 4 days and the longest time in the freezer is not more than half a year.
The 2023 Lunar New Year is approaching, many families have in turn bought the necessary food for Tet and filled the refrigerator outside and inside. But nutritionists say that the refrigerator is not a “time-pausing machine”, which can keep food from spoiling for a long time, whether refrigerated or frozen, it has a shelf life. .

Each type of food has a different shelf life in the refrigerator and freezer
Zhang Yifan, a nutritionist at Taitung Christian Hospital (Taiwan – China), said that the main function of the refrigerator is to cool and freeze food at low temperatures, which can reduce the birth rate. microbial production and prolong the shelf life of food, but it is not possible to keep food fresh forever.

Expert Zhang Yifan said that every food has a shelf life whether it is refrigerated or frozen. For example, raw seafood, chicken, and animal offal should be cooked and eaten within 1 to 2 days of being refrigerated.

Cooked and untasted foods are kept in the refrigerator for at most 3 to 4 days, and the longest in the freezer is no more than half a year.

If fresh meat, the shelf life in the freezer is closely related to the type of meat and the size of the meat, for example a whole steak can be stored in the freezer for 6-12 months, in when shredded beef can only be stored in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.

The smaller the cut of fresh meat, the larger the surface area that can be contaminated with microorganisms and the shorter the storage time in the refrigerator or freezer.

How long can leftovers and rice leftovers be eaten during Tet?
Nutritionist Zhang Yifan said that leftovers and leftover rice on New Year’s Day are cooked foods, if eaten with chopsticks and spoons, it can be stored in the refrigerator for as long as 3 to 4 days.

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However, due to the longer eating time during Tet, the food left outside at normal temperature for longer than usual, easily spoiling the food, experts recommend that we finish eating as soon as possible. As much as possible, leftovers and leftover rice should be reheated thoroughly and only once so as not to affect the taste and quality of the food.

But it is best to eat all the leftovers and leftover rice, do not put them in the refrigerator again.