Chinese food is a great option for lunch or dinner. With so many Chinese restaurants, it is easy to find the perfect place to grab your favorite meal. Sometimes, we find that there is more on our plate than we can eat in one sitting, so we put our leftovers in the refrigerator. However, we often forget when we put them in the refrigerator, so they sit for a while. When we remember that the food is in the refrigerator, we do not know if it is still safe to eat.
Chinese food can stay good for approximately four days when stored properly in the refrigerator. It can stay good for around four months if properly stored in the freezer. If the food is not stored properly, it will not last for these time periods.
Continue reading to learn more about the shelf life of leftover Chinese food. Also, continue reading to learn more about how to properly store your leftover Chinese food in the refrigerator as well as how to properly store the leftovers in the freezer.
Leftover Chinese food can stay in the refrigerator for approximately four days when it is stored properly. After this four day period, the food will begin to spoil, so it is best to throw the leftover Chinese food away if it has stayed in the refrigerator for longer than four days.
You can also store your leftover Chinese food in the freezer. If stored properly, your leftovers will last for a longer period of time compared to when it is stored in the refrigerator. In the freezer, leftover Chinese food can last for a period of approximately four months.
These time frames are for when the leftovers are properly stored in each area. Improper storage can cause the food to spoil faster rather than allowing for it to stay good longer.
How to Properly Store Your Chinese Food
In order to ensure that your Chinese food stays good when stored in the refrigerator or the freezer, you want to make sure that the food is stored properly. If your food is improperly stored in either the refrigerator or freezer, it will not last for the shelf life in which it is supposed to.
It is often the case that improper storage can cause the food to spoil faster. When it comes to storing your Chinese food, you do not want to just place the food in the refrigerator or the freezer. This can cause damage to the food or cause for bacteria to grow.
Fridge
When it comes to storing your leftover Chinese food in the refrigerator, you do not want to just put the food in the refrigerator. This is not the proper way to store the food.
You want to use an airtight, sealed container to put your food in. You want to ensure that no extra moisture or contaminants get into the food. You also want to make sure that your leftover Chinese food does not come into contact with any other food that you may have in the refrigerator.
This can cause your food to smell like some of the other foods in your refrigerator. If you keep the leftover Chinese food in an airtight container with a lid in the refrigerator, it should stay good for approximately four days before it will need to be thrown out.
It is important that you properly store your Chinese food when you choose to keep it in the freezer. A big risk when it comes to storing food in the freezer is freezer burn. This can ruin the food that you choose to keep in the freezer.
In order to store your leftover Chinese food properly in the freezer, you want to transfer your food to an airtight container that is freezer-safe. This will ensure that no other contaminants get into your food, and a freezer-safe container will keep the food fresh for a longer period of time compared to just putting your food in the freezer.
How to Tell If Your Leftover Chinese Food Has Spoiled?
When you get your Chinese food out of the refrigerator or freezer, you want to check to ensure that the food has not spoiled before you put it in the microwave to reheat the food. There are some obvious signs that you can look for that will indicate that your leftover Chinese food has spoiled and should be thrown away.
Slimy Film
An obvious sign that your Chinese food has spoiled is the presence of a slimy film on the meat and vegetables in your food. This film denotes the presence of bacteria in and on the food, so it should be thrown away if slimy film is present.
Mold
Mold is one of the biggest signs that food has spoiled. Mold reveals the presence of bacteria in your food and should not be eaten. You can become sick if you eat moldy foods. If you notice mold in your Chinese food, you should throw away the entire thing rather than just discarding the part that has the mold.
Odor
If you do not see anything wrong with your Chinese food, a bad odor can be another sign that indicates that your food has gone bad. The odor that your Chinese food will give off once it has spoiled will be rancid and foul. It will not smell like it did when you first got the food. It is best to throw the food away if you notice a strange or bad odor coming from the leftover Chinese food.
Bacteria can cause your food to change colors. If you notice that your leftover Chinese food has discoloration, it is best to throw the food away as bacteria has now made your food its home. You do not want to eat this food as the bacteria can make you sick.
Odd Texture
It is often the case that food that has spoiled will change textures. The food can either develop a slimy texture or more of a hardened texture. It is also possible the spoiled foods can begin to feel rubbery once they start to spoil. If you notice that your leftover Chinese food has developed an odd or different texture, it has spoiled and should be thrown out.
Chinese food can be a great option for lunch or dinner. When you have some leftovers, you can choose to store the food in either the refrigerator or the freezer. When storing your food, you want to transfer the food to an airtight container rather than just placing it in either the refrigerator or the freezer. When kept properly in the refrigerator, Chinese food can stay good for around four days before it begins to spoil. It can last for around four months in the freezer.
