Food for Thought: Help!! Refrigerator Overload

After everyone has feasted on roast turkey and stuffing (or dressing), gumbo and pumpkin pie, there is often a general feeling of sluggishness among the guests. Overeating is hard work and it takes a lot of energy for your body to digest all that food.

Some people tend to lounge around or even take a nap following a holiday meal. Well, someone has to refrigerate all those leftovers. It is easier to do if there is room in the refrigerator.

Many will discover that their refrigerator just won't hold all the leftovers from dinner. To avoid this dilemma, plan ahead. Clean out the refrigerator a couple of days before the holiday. Get rid of all the old food.

Proper use of containers and wrapping will ensure delicious leftovers. Be sure to stock-up on zip-closure freezer bags, aluminum foil and/or plastic wrap. All food should be covered before refrigerating.

Turkey and most other meats can be frozen to save refrigerator space. Carve the meat from the bones and place it in small shallow containers or in aluminum foil. Freeze the bones for making soup later.

Due to the high salt content, leftover ham and other cured meats do not freeze well. Freeze sliced ham tightly wrapped, for no more than one month. Store leftover ham in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

If turkey will be used in sandwiches, freeze turkey slices with two pieces of waxed paper between the slices. That way the slices will separate easily and you won't have to thaw the hole package at one time.

Turkey that will be used in casseroles or tacos can be frozen in slices or chunks. Pack turkey in a freezer container and cover it with the pan juices or gravy, leaving one-half inch of headspace for expansion of the juice.

Gravy, dressing, vegetables and casseroles should be refrigerated or frozen in small containers 1 quart or less. This will ensure that the temperature in the center of the container drops low enough and fast enough to prevent bacteria growth.

For instance, a large pot of gumbo or other soup should be broken down to smaller containers, instead of putting the whole pot in the refrigerator. A large pot or container takes longer to cool. By the time the center of the pot has cooled, bacteria growth may have already reached dangerous levels even in the refrigerator.

Gravy will keep for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Turkey and dressing or stuffing will stay safe for 3-4 days. Pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie belong in the refrigerator too. The filling has a high proportion of eggs and milk which makes it highly perishable. Store for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Fruit pies will keep at room temperature for 2 days, after that the fruit may mold or ferment.

In some families it is traditional to leave the holiday food out on the table, or in the oven for hours after the meal. People drop in and fix a plate or nibble and the food stays out. This is a dangerous practice. The bacteria that causes food poisoning does not cause food spoilage. So people get sick from food that tasted just fine.

Also many people think about the last meal they ate when it come to foodborne illness. Some forms of bacteria can cause illness 2-7 days later. Few people can remember what they ate 2-7 days ago. Can you?

Winter 1996
Winter Preparation for Ornamental Plants | Deicing Salt Can Injure Plants | Bug Bites: Woolly Worms | Hort Shorts | Hort Tips | Food Safety: A Procrastinator's Guide to a Safe Holiday Dinner | Food for Thought: Help! Refrigerator Overload! | Healthy Cooking: A Quick Start Breakfast | Health and Household Tips

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