The Texas Leftover Secret: Are You Breaking the 4-Day Rule

With everything being bigger in Texas, there's the chance that someone's eyes may have been bigger than their plate. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because Texans can take their leftover food and place it in the fridge, or home, if they're out at a restaurant, sometimes to snack on later in the day.

Eating In Texas, With Big Portions

The Lone Star State is no stranger to making sure everyone weighs a little bit more after eating. Some of the portions in this state can be over the top it feels like too. But, to get those portions to the customer or a family member, they have to be cooked.

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The prep for certain items takes different amounts of time, but its important for those handling raw food to make sure everything is in the right place and doesn't cause problems. Carolina Zertuche, APH Health Officer told KXAN:

“Simple precautions like keeping raw and cooked foods separate, washing hands often and refrigerating leftovers promptly help prevent these illnesses and keep holiday celebrations enjoyable for everyone.”

How Quickly Should You Eat Leftovers After Being Refrigerated?

First things first, putting the rest of the food in the fridge should happen relatively quickly. Around the time of two hours after being put in front of hungry individuals, they should make their way to the fridge. Then, you have a little more time to enjoy them before they go bad.

APH told KXAN that all of the refrigerated leftovers should be eaten three or four days after being placed there. If not, it's probably best to throw them out if they eclipse that time, because they'll be bad. So remember to eat holiday leftovers!