How long does turkey last in the fridge, can you freeze cooked turkey and how to store leftovers safely

• It’s important to think about hygiene when storing and defrosting your leftovers.
• The last thing you want this Christmas is to get food poisoning.
• There are an estimated 2.4 million cases of food poisoning in the UK every year.
• The Food Standard Agency have issued guidance on how to avoid getting sick over the holidays.

Christmas dinner is one of the most important parts of Christmas Day, when you gather with family and friends to tuck into a turkey feast, chances are you’ll be stuck with plenty of leftovers and it’s important that you store them safely.

The Food Standard Agency (FSA) estimate that there are 2.4 million cases of food poisoning in the UK every year, with Christmas the last time you want to end up with an upset stomach.

Leftovers can go towards a tasty lunch on Boxing Day, with many opting to freeze what’s left of their cooked turkey to make it last longer, however eating unsafe cooked turkey and meats can cause food poisoning which causes nasty symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea.

It’s important to think about food hygiene and safety when storing your turkey leftovers this Christmas, if you have turkey in your fridge and want to know if it’s safe to eat this is everything you need to know.

How long does turkey last in the fridge?

Leftover cooked turkey can be enjoyed after Christmas Day, if you have any cooked turkey leftover from your Christmas dinner you can safely store it in your fridge for two days. It’s recommended it is kept in an airtight container and that is stored away from raw meat.

Can you freeze cooked turkey?

If you have cooked turkey left over from the big day and want to make it last longer, you can freeze it for use in any future meals. It’s safe to freeze cooked turkey, other cooked meats and meals made from previously cooked and frozen meat.

Frozen turkey will be safe to eat for some time, with meats best eaten within two to three months as after three to six months the quality of the meat will be affected.

This is called freezer burn and is when foods in the freezer are exposed to cold, dry air, causing them to dehydrate and form ice crystals, affecting the overall quality, rather than the safety of the food.

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How to store leftovers safely

It’s important that you store any leftovers safely in order to avoid getting food poisoning as that’s the last thing you want over the festive period.

Let cooked fool cool quickly at room temperature before putting it in the fridge within one to two hours where it will be safe to eat for two days.

For freezing, let cooked food cool at room temperature and freeze within one to two hours, splitting leftovers into smaller portions or containers can help the food cool quicker. When adding to the freezer, don’t forget to label and date the items so you’re not left guessing later on.

When you want to tuck into your frozen turkey, defrost slowly and safely in the fridge or in a microwave on the defrost setting. The FSA advise you do not defrost at room temperature.

Before cooking, make sure the food has defrosted thoroughly as partially defrosted meat may not cook evenly leaving harmful bacteria that could make you unwell able to survive the cooking process. Once your food has been defrosted it must be eaten within 24 hours, do not refreeze food that you have already defrosted.

You can find out more about how to safely defrost and cook your turkey at Food Standard’s Agency.