4-Day Throw Away

Protecting you from bad leftovers!

When standing in front of the refrigerator and looking at all those containers, remember that leftovers that still look good may not be safe to eat. Temperature and time help bacteria to grow, which can lead to foodborne illnesses — and look, smell and taste can not accurately tell you if a leftover is OK to eat.

That’s why the 4-day rule is a great guideline to follow for determining what is and isn’t safe to eat. Some food leftovers are safe for longer amounts of time, while some are safe for shorter amounts of time. This application gives you a convenient reference guide at your fingertips. Quickly look up storage times for room temperature, the refrigerator and the freezer; as well as reheating instructions and related foodborne illnesses and symptoms.

The 4-Day Throw Away application is part of the 4-Day Throw Away campaign from Iowa State University Extension and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. The campaign is funded through a United States Department of Agriculture grant. For more information, visit www.4daythrowaway.org, or find 4-Day Throw Away on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.