Quick Answer
If your pizza has been kept at room temperature for any longer than 2 hours, then unfortunately it means that you’re going to have to throw it away. This is because the USDA official recommendation states that any perishable food left at room temperature for this long should be thrown away.
So, if you want to make sure that you can save your leftover pizza for a later date, then there is one easy way to make sure that your pizza is safe to eat, and that’s to put it into the refrigerator!
There’s always something great about ordering that extra large pizza from your local pizza place, sitting in front of your television, and watching a movie or a game along with your friends.
However, what happens when you have some pizza left over that you just can’t finish?
A lot of people will say to just put your leftovers in the pizza in the fridge, but how long will your pizza last in the refrigerator, and is it safe to eat once you’ve kept it in your fridge?
So, if you want to enjoy your leftover pizza a few days after it was ordered, then read through our guide to learn how to store any leftover pizza you might have, as well as how to tell if your pizza is safe to eat!
How Long Can You Store Pizza In The Refrigerator?
If you plan on keeping your leftover pizza in the refrigerator to eat later, you should know how long your pizza will last before you go ahead and reheat it!
Thankfully, leftover pizza will stay safe to eat for up to 4 days when you store it in the refrigerator, which is based upon the recommendation from the USDA, but you should try to make sure that your pizza is placed into the refrigerator within 2 hours of receiving it.
You should also make sure that your pizza is covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil when placing it into the refrigerator, or you can place them into an airtight container to keep them stored properly too!
Unfortunately then, if your pizza has been forgotten about, and has sat in your refrigerator for a week or more, then you’re going to have to throw it away, no matter how hungry you are for a slice!
You may think that the slice of pizza looks safe to eat, and it might be, but really you don’t want to risk making yourself ill over a simple slice of pizza.
You should also be aware of what toppings are on your pizza, as this can have an effect on how long your pizza will stay safe when stored in the fridge.
So if you’re unsure about whether or not you can reheat a certain topping on your pizza, just remove them to be safe.
How To Store Your Leftover Properly
If you’re wondering what the best way to store your pizza is, then simply read on to learn all of the tips and tricks to ensure that your pizza is safe to eat when it comes to eating it a few days after you had it delivered!
Firstly, you should definitely let your pizza cool down before you go ahead and place it in your refrigerator, otherwise, you might cause bacteria growth.
Once your pizza has cooled down, simply place it into a freezer bag or airtight container and then into the fridge.
Alternatively, you can freeze your leftover pizza slices too!
It’s tempting to just leave your pizza lying on the countertop, but you only have 2 hours before you should throw them away according to the USDA!
Ensuring that your pizza is kept in an airtight container or sealable bag is what keeps your pizza safe to eat, it will also protect your pizza from any bacteria and smells that might be present in your fridge.
If four days just isn’t enough, you can always put your pizza into the freezer!
All you need to do is keep them wrapped up into some plastic wrap and then put them into freezer bags and finally into the freezer.
Once there, you can keep your leftover pizza there for 3 months before you’ll need to throw it away.
Once you’re ready to eat your leftover pizza, just thaw them out by placing them into your refrigerator overnight, and then reheat them!
How To Tell If Your Leftover Pizza Has Gone Bad
If you notice any of these signs, then you should throw the pizza away:
Mold/Fuzziness
Any signs of mold or fuzziness is an immediate sign that there is bacterial growth on your pizza, and you should throw them away if you spot this.
Smell
If your pizza has a distinctly bad smell, then you should stay on the safe side and throw it away.
Time In The Fridge
If you’ve forgotten about your pizza leftovers, then unfortunately it’s absolutely time to put your pizza in the trash, otherwise you might make yourself ill!
This guide to telling if your pizza has gone bad is pretty simple, so you should have no issues making sure that your pizza is completely safe before you go ahead and reheat it.
Speaking of reheating pizza, if you’ve never had to reheat pizza before, then read below to learn exactly how to reheat your leftover pizza!
Reheating Your Leftover Pizza
There are quite a few different ways of reheating your pizza, so just pick one and go for it:
Microwave
A super easy way to reheat your pizza is by using a microwave, simply placing your pizza into the microwave and blasting it for between 15-30 seconds, and checking the temperature of the pizza after each short blast.
Placing a glass of water in your microwave will also ensure your pizza doesn’t go soggy!
Oven
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and cook it for 15 minutes, check it’s hot all the way through before you eat it, but this is a great way to reheat your pizza.
Stovetop
Another great way to reheat your pizza is to use a non-stick frying pan and using a lid!
This lid will help to warm the top of your pizza quicker, as well as preventing the bottom of the pizza from burning too quickly too!
Summary
So to summarise, you should be cautious when it comes to storing and reheating your pizza, but as long as you follow these rules, you should have no issues!
Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.
I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!
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