Now that Christmas dinner has been cooked and mostly eaten, how long can you keep the leftovers and importantly how do you reheat them safely.

Concerning figures show that food waste is a huge issue during the Christmas period, with 54 million plates full of food going to waste in the UK.

In a bid to promote a sustainable Christmas and reduce unnecessary food waste this year, Sarah Taylor, food hygiene expert at High Speed Training, has shared her advice for storing and reheating Christmas leftovers.

Whichever way you decide to use your Christmas leftovers, it’s important to ensure you’re reheating whatever remaining dinner delights you may have properly.

Below, Sarah answers some of the most common questions about reheating Christmas food.

How to long refrigerate for and how to reheat it

• Turkey – 2-3 days – Reheat in the oven at 220°C until piping hot
• Chicken – 2-3 days – Reheat in the oven at 220°C until piping hot
• Pork – 2-3 days – Reheat in the oven at 220°C until piping hot
• Veg – 3-5 days – Reheat in the oven for root veg at 160°C or in the microwave for 3 minutes for green veg. These should be stirred halfway through to ensure they have been heated evenly
• Potatoes – 3-5 days – Reheat roasties in the oven at 160°C, and mash in the microwave for 3 minutes. Stir mash halfway through cooking to ensure it has been heated evenly throughout. Cook them for longer if it is not piping hot

How long can Christmas leftovers keep for?

Sarah says: “Ideally, we should all eat food straight after it has been cooked as this is when it is at its freshest, but certain foods can be kept for a number of days after they were first cooked. 

“Leftover meat should be eaten within two or three days of when it was first cooked, and should be kept refrigerated in a sealed container.

“Other leftovers, like potatoes and veg, can be kept for longer, but should still be eaten within a week to ensure they’re still safe to eat, as well as maintaining their original taste.

“Similar to meat, make sure all veg leftovers are kept in a sealed container in the fridge.”

How many times can you reheat leftovers?

Sarah comments: “In terms of food safety, the Food Standards Agency recommends that food is only reheated once, so this guidance should be followed wherever possible. It’s also important to ensure that the core temperature of the food is piping hot for food safety purposes.”

What’s the best way to reheat food?

Sarah answers: “The most efficient and safe way to reheat food is in a preheated oven. Depending on the food type the best heat for this is between 160°C to 220°C for a domestic oven.

“You can also choose to use a microwave for convenience, but this is better for certain foods than others. Microwaves will safely reheat meat like turkey, but can cause it to become dry and less appetising.

“You should only eat the reheated food once it is piping hot and visibly producing steam. If you have a temperature probe, use this to check that the food is at least 75°C.”

Can you reheat chicken or turkey twice?

Sarah explains: “Chicken and turkey are no different from other meats, meaning you can reheat them safely, however it’s recommended to only do so once.

“When you reheat meat it’s extremely important that you properly heat it the whole way through, meaning the meat is steaming in the middle.

“If you are reheating a large portion of meat or chicken, be sure to check the temperature at the core of the meat – this is the thickest part. 

“For ease, if you have a large piece of meat leftover, cut this up into various servings for any leftover meals you plan to make, this way you’re able to only reheat each part of the meat once.”