Most people are unsure how long homemade dishes or cooked ingredients can last.
According to the director and founder of Muldiverset, Birgitte Escherich, this uncertainty often comes from fear.
She explains that we tend to distrust our own judgment when it comes to food safety.
We rely too much on labels and expiration dates instead of our senses. Birgitte Escherich believes that companies sometimes shorten “best before” dates to boost sales.
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General rules for how long food can last
If your fridge is around 4–5 degrees Celsius and you handle food hygienically, your leftovers can last much longer than most people think.
Cooked dishes:
- Meat sauce: 5–6 days
- Soup: up to 7 days
Carbohydrates:
- Cooked rice: 10 days
- Pasta: 5 days
- Potatoes: 6 days
Meat and fish:
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- Fried beef: 5 days
- Boiled fish (like cod): 3 days
Vegetables:
- Cooked asparagus, green beans, or cauliflower: around 6 days
How to store leftovers safely
Food safety depends on more than just dates. Follow these simple steps to keep your leftovers fresh longer.
Don’t let food sit on the table for more than 30–40 minutes before refrigerating it.
Always use clean hands, bowls, and utensils both during cooking and when storing leftovers.
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Avoid placing large pots directly in and out of the fridge multiple times. Instead, take only the portion you need.
Separate cooked dishes from fresh garnishes like herbs. And most importantly, trust your senses. If the food smells, tastes, or looks off, don’t eat it.
Learning to judge food by smell and sight can save both money and waste. With a few simple habits, your leftovers can safely stay fresh much longer than you think.
Source: TV 2.
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