The Way You're Storing Leftover Pizza Is Actually Dangerous (2024)

FAQs

The Way You're Storing Leftover Pizza Is Actually Dangerous? ›

Sorry to break the news, but pizza should absolutely not be stored at room temperature overnight. In fact, it shouldn't even spend more than a few hours on the counter. The temperature range of 40-140°F is widely known as the temperature danger zone—a.k.a. the climate where bacteria can thrive.

So your safest bet for storing pizza is transferring your slices into an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Make sure to label your container with the day you first ate it, then keep it in the refrigerator for no longer than four days.

The USDA reports that bacteria can start taking over your leftovers in as little as 20 minutes. And after two hours, it's deemed unsafe to eat left-out pizza at all. In mild to moderate cases, getting food-borne illnesses from room temperature food means stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever.

In general, she says all cooked foods and leftovers can be kept in the fridge for no more than three or four days. After that, they could start to spoil and contain bacteria. Jeremy White, editor-in-chief of Pizza Today, shares the same sentiments as Carothers. In fact, he says four days could be pushing it.

The USDA's food safety guidelines state that leftover pizza will last in the refrigerator for up to four days — provided the two-hour rule was followed beforehand. To properly refrigerate your leftover pizza, wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container.

So, if it sat out overnight, toss that pizza in the trash or compost bin, and spare yourself the risk of foodborne illness. Better yet, refrigerate the leftovers within two hours and you can reheat them the next day (or eat cold pizza if that's your style).

According to the USDA, if the pizza has been refrigerated at a temperature below 40 degrees, its only safe to eat for up to 4 days. The USDA says that after 4 days, you run the risk of getting a food-borne illness, such as Salmonella, norovirus, or other diseases with horrifying Latin names.

Bacteria thrive in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees and can double every 20 minutes in that “danger zone.” Based on that growth, scientists pinpointed two hours to be the maximum amount of time consumers can safely leave perishable food at room temperature.

You can cook and eat thawed but still cold food mixtures like casseroles, pot pies, frozen dinners or pizzas but do not refreeze them. Learn how to keep food safe during a power outage.

As pizza starts to near the end of its life, it begins to look dry and unappealing. It may even start to smell and have visible mold. In both cases, this leftover pizza should not come near your pie hole.

Is it okay to eat cold pizza from the fridge? ›

In short, if you're craving a piece of cold pizza, just make sure you're grabbing it from the fridge or freezer — not your kitchen counter or the end table in your hotel room. Your taste buds, and stomach, will thank you later.

Thawed frozen pizza is safe if kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Check for bad odors, mold, or odd textures to ensure it hasn't spoiled.

To freeze your pizza, you can toss your slices into a plastic bag, pack them into a reusable, freezer-safe container, or even wrap each piece up individually. Whenever you're ready to grab a slice, simply thaw one out and reheat it.

Stack and wrap

Keep stacking, alternating pizza and paper until all the slices are on the plate. Wrap the whole thing tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. That's it! It's not as easy as just throwing the box in the fridge, but you'll end up with tastier leftover pizza to reheat.

It's safe to reheat pizza the next day, as long as you're heating to a temperature that would kill any bacteria off. An oven, air fryer, frying pan, and microwave are all viable options, but some methods work better than others. So don't just whack your pizza in there and hope for the best!

Heat up your oven

If you're reheating multiple slices of leftover pizza, warming them up in the oven is the way to go. Think about when you've picked up pizza from a slice shop — usually they'll reheat the slices in their own wood-fired or brick oven, which you can also do at home.

The Bottom Line

It is OK to store hot foods in the fridge. You do not have to wait for the foods to cool before you put them away. In fact, it's better to store them right away while they're still hot than to forget them and leave them sitting at room temperature for too long.