A Guide To Storing Leftovers Correctly

If you ask us, Christmas leftovers are just as good as Christmas dinner itself. Not only do they taste amazing, but making the most of leftovers can save you quite a bit of cash. Did you know that in the UK alone, we throw out as much as £444 million worth of food? With a figure that high, it seems criminal to chuck even a single sprout in the bin!

But if you store leftovers badly, you and your family could end up with a Christmas present even worse than Santa's coal... food poisoning! That's why we've created this simple guide on how to safely store the most popular Christmas leftovers, so you can enjoy more, waste less and keep the festivities going for longer!

Turkey

The turkey is the centre of every Christmas dinner, and with so much meat on the bone, there's bound to be plenty left over! Ideal for sandwiches, curries, pies and more.

When to store it: As soon as it's cooled. Turkey is one of the fastest meats to spoil, so you want to store it within 2 hours of finishing your meal - so try not to slip into a food coma before then!
Where to store it: You can keep roasted turkey in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for 2-6 months.
How to store it: Before storing, carve all the remaining meat from the turkey carcass. This will make it easier to store and it'll cool faster. Place your sliced turkey portions in airtight sealed tupperware.

Goose

Ebenezer Scrooge's favourite is making a comeback as people look for alternatives to yet another turkey dinner! Use the leftover meat in soups or casseroles, and boil the carcass for tasty stock or broth.

When to store it: Like turkey, you want to store your goose as soon as it's cool.
Where to store it: Goose doesn't freeze well, but you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How to store it: Wrap the carcass in foil or greaseproof paper and pop it in the fridge. Make sure to place it on the bottom shelf so its juices don't spoil your other food.

Pigs in Blankets

The nation's favourite meaty side dish is unbelievably tasty - how can you go wrong with pork wrapped in more pork?! On the other hand, pork leftovers need some finesse to avoid going bad. You need to store them carefully and cook them again in an oven.

When to store it: Within 2 hours, preferably as soon as they're cool. Use a meat thermometer to check their internal temperature.
Where to store it: Pigs in blankets will keep in the fridge, but you have to eat them within 3 days. You can also keep them in the freezer for 3-6 months.
How to store it: Wrap your piggies in cling film before storing them in the fridge. If you're freezing them you'll need to store portions in freezable tupperware.

Roast potatoes

A study once said 95% of Brits love roast potatoes, so you're probably as spud-mad as we are! You can add leftover 'taters to bubble and squeak, mash them into hash browns or potato waffles or sauté them in a frying pan for a quick, delicious side dish.

When to store it: Roast potatoes should be stored with in 2 hours of them going cold.
Where to store it: In the fridge, roast potatoes will keep for 3-4 days. You can store them in the freezer safely for up to a year.
How to store it: The best way to refrigerate roast potatoes is in an airtight container or a casserole dish wrapped in cling film. To avoid them going soggy, rest them on some paper towel, which will suck up moisture. To freeze, place them in a single layer on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Stick that tray in the freezer for 2 hours or until frozen solid, then transfer them to an airtight freezer bag.

Carrots

They might not be everyone's favourite part of Christmas dinner, but leftover carrots are a core ingredient in the almighty bubble and squeak, so we have to save them from the bin!

When to store it: Whether you've boiled or roasted them, store carrots within 2 hours of going cold.
Where to store it: You should only really store them in the fridge, where they'll keep for 3-4 days, occasionally as long as a week. Try to freeze fully cooked carrots, and you'll likely end up with a gross mush!
How to store it: You can refrigerate carrots on a plate or in a dish, but to keep them fresher for longer, an airtight container is best.

Brussel sprouts

With the exception of maybe Marmite, nothing divides the British public like Brussel sprouts! Love them or hate them, it's a shame to throw them away. Sauté them in a frying pan along with some chopped bacon bits, and even the toughest spout doubter will be converted!

When to store it: Just like carrots, store them within 2 hours of going cold.
Where to store it: You can keep them in the fridge for 3-5 days. In contrast to carrots, sprouts freeze well, lasting for up to 6 months when roasted.
How to store it: Sprouts should go in an airtight container for the fridge. In the freezer, they're better frozen in batches and kept in separate freezer bags.

Stuffing

Stuffing is another essential Christmas side dish, but don't actually 'stuff' your stuffing if you want to use it again! Instead, cook it separately and reheat in the oven or in a frying pan.

When to store it: Vegetable and nut stuffing can be left out for two hours after its cooled, but sausage meat stuffing needs to be stored as soon as it's cold.
Where to store it: Meat-free stuffing will last for 3-4 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer. You can keep meaty stuffing in the freezer for a month but eat it within 3 days if you're keeping it in the fridge.
How to store it: As always, airtight containers are your best friend for storing stuffing!

Cranberry sauce

Whether you've bought a jar of it or used a family recipe, cranberry sauce keeps fairly well - and it's super versatile! You can use it as an ingredient in desserts, baking, sweet 'n' sour stir-fries and more.

When to store it: Once you've finished with the sauce, put it back into the fridge as soon as possible. If you've heated it up, let it return to room temperature first.
Where to store it: In the fridge, homemade or open jars of cranberry sauce will last for up to 14 days. Any unopened store-bought jars can be stored in a cupboard for up to a year (always check the sell-by date).
How to store it: You can store homemade cranberry sauce in a mason jar or similar container.

Gravy

Whether you’re team thick or thin, it's safe to say you'll be on the gravy train this Christmas! You can keep this magical sauce if you're careful, and it's great to add flavour in stews.

When to store it: Let the gravy cool, then store it in the fridge as soon as possible.
Where to store it: Gravy will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge, although it will soon develop a skin (don't worry though, you can remove that with a teaspoon!). Gravy will split if frozen, so keep it away from the freezer.
How to store it: A mason jar with a sealed top is the best way to store gravy in the fridge.

Christmas Pudding

Officially OnBuy's favourite festive pud - we've even dedicated a blog to making it! Other than being a rich, decadent, gooey treat, Christmas pudding is amazingly easy to keep.

When to store it: Any unused Christmas pudding should be stored within a few hours.
Where to store it: You can store your pud in the fridge for up to 14 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to store it: If refrigerating, keep your pudding in an airtight container. The best way to freeze a Christmas cake is by cutting it into individual portions and then freezing them separately in freezer bags.

The cheat sheet

That was a lot of fridge and freezer times to digest, so we don't blame you if you've forgotten a few! So let's finish this blog with a quick and easy summary: