Kids Food Safety and Leftovers

Refrigerate or freeze leftover foods promptly. Bacteria can grow quickly at room temperature, so chill leftovers if they won't be eaten within four hours. If you have a large amount of leftovers, divide them into several shallow containers so they can chill more quickly. Leftovers kept in the refrigerator should be eaten within one or two days.

When cooking and preparing leftover foods, you can take the same precautions that you would preparing any other foods. However, reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. This is especially important for kids' food safety.