The NHS has urged Brits to dispose of leftover turkey by a specific date after Christmas Day to avoid serious food poisoning – and it’s sooner than you might think
The NHS has pinpointed the exact date when you should bin your Christmas Day turkey leftovers. With festive feasts leaving households across the UK with surplus turkey for days, many will be using this leftover meat to whip up sandwiches laden with stuffing and cranberry sauce, or perhaps a turkey curry.
Some might even venture into lesser-known recipes like leftover turkey soup. However, if you’re planning on keeping your turkey in the fridge post-Christmas, bear in mind that it won’t stay fresh indefinitely.
In fact, health authorities warn that you have just a few days to consume it all before it’s deemed unfit for consumption. The NHS and the Food Standards Agency advise that turkey should only be stored in the fridge for up to two days post- cooking.
This implies that any turkey not eaten by Saturday, (December 27) should be discarded. That said, some may choose to freeze their cooked turkey for future use, which is safe provided the turkey wasn’t previously frozen prior to cooking.
When storing your leftover turkey in the fridge, allow it to rest for one to two hours before covering and refrigerating it. It should also be placed on the bottom shelf of the fridge to prevent potential contamination of other foods through dripping, reports the Express.
If you find yourself with a surplus of turkey following Christmas Day, it can be frozen no later than two days after cooking. It’s advisable to portion it out so you can defrost only what you need, rather than the whole lot at once.
Once thawed, the turkey should be eaten within 24 hours or discarded thereafter. When reheating your leftover Christmas turkey, ensure it’s thoroughly hot throughout before tucking in.
NHS Shetland Health Protection Nurse Chloe Umphray warned: “Storing food incorrectly and for longer than recommended can increase the risk of bacterial growth, which can lead to food poisoning.”
Your Christmas turkey leftovers can be transformed into a variety of tasty dishes, including homemade pizza, turkey stew, turkey salads and chilli.
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