Everyone loves Chinese food, and not only for its delicious taste – most of the time, Chinese bistros are also cheap and, most importantly, serve huge portions. And while that is obviously a good thing, it also means that having some leftover Chinese is more than common. Because of that, it may come in handy knowing the answer to this question:
How long is Chinese food good for? When properly stored, Chinese food is good for at least two days, and in most cases, it will even last as long as four days. Nevertheless, in order to be entirely sure that it’s safe to eat, it is simply highly recommended to eat the leftover Chinese within two days.
This was just to put it quickly, though, and a more in-depth look is needed if we really want to understand this topic.
So why are we wasting our precious time? Let’s just get started!
Table of Contents
- Is it safe to eat leftover Chinese food?
- How long does Chinese food last in the freezer?
- How long does Chinese food last in the fridge?
- How long can Chinese food be left out at room temperature?
- Can you leave Chinese food out overnight?
- How to store leftover Chinese food?
- How can you tell if Chinese food is bad?
- What happens if you eat bad Chinese food?
- Summary
- Resources
Is it safe to eat leftover Chinese food?
Yes, it is safe to eat leftover Chinese food, provided you store it correctly. That means you should always keep it in the fridge and eat it within two days if possible. However, in many cases, Chinese food will stay suitable for a bit longer; more about that comes in the following answers:
Is 3-day old Chinese food safe to eat?
As we’ve explained above, you should never keep leftover Chinese for more than two days to ensure it’s safe to eat. With that being said, though, in most cases, even 3-day old Chinese food is safe to eat – just keep in mind that it is a bit risky.
Is 4-day old Chinese food safe to eat?
And that goes double when you’ve had the leftover Chinese at your home for four days now. Even though there is a high possibility 4-day old Chinese food is still safe to eat, eating it comes with a high risk of food poisoning, and we, therefore, recommend you to throw it out.
Is 5-day old Chinese food safe to eat?
And when we’re talking about 5-day old Chinese food, there isn’t even room for arguing – no, 5-day old Chinese food isn’t safe to eat since Chinese food lasts only up to four days at best.
Is week-old Chinese food safe to eat?
In the previous answer, we’ve explained why is eating 5-day old Chinese food dangerous. Due to the same reasons, it isn’t safe to eat week-old Chinese food either.
Leftover Chinese simply doesn’t last more than four days under any circumstances, so if you’ve had some for more than a week now, it is time to throw it out.
How long does Chinese food last in the freezer?
If you, for any reason, need to store some Chinese food for longer than four days, freezing it is your only option. In the freezer, Chinese food lasts for something around three months – after that amount of time, even frozen Chinese food should be thrown out.
How long does Chinese food last in the fridge?
We’ve already explained this one thoroughly above, so just quickly now – Chinese food lasts for something between three and four days in the fridge. However, if you want to be entirely sure that it’s not dangerous to eat, you should consume your Chinese leftovers within two days.
How long can Chinese food be left out at room temperature?
According to the USDA, no perishable food is safe to eat after it sat out unrefrigerated for more than two hours. Hence, Chinese food can be left out at room temperature for only two hours before becoming dangerous to eat.
Can you leave Chinese food out overnight?
No, you cannot leave Chinese food out overnight – the reason for that is that, at least in the opinion of the USDA, perishable food can never sit out for more than two hours to be safe to eat.
So although in some cases this limit might be a bit too strict, leaving Chinese food overnight is still not an option, because that’s simply far too longer than the mentioned two hours.
How to store leftover Chinese food?
The best way to store leftover Chinese food is quite simple – the first thing you have to do is put the leftovers in some airtight container. Then, put the container into the fridge. There, the leftover Chinese will stay suitable for up to four days!
If that isn’t enough for you, you can try freezing it, which will increase its lifespan dramatically – frozen Chinese food lasts for something around three months.
How can you tell if Chinese food is bad?
Just like with pretty much every other food, telling bad Chinese from the good one is a straightforward task – to tell if Chinese food is bad, just carefully check its smell and appearance. If you notice anything weird at all, you should always throw your leftover Chinese out.
What would happen otherwise is explained in the following answer!
What happens if you eat bad Chinese food?
As we hope you all already know, eating bad food is more than likely to make you sick. So if you eat bad Chinese food, be prepared for having a stomach ache or diarrhea. Because of that, you should always throw your leftover Chinese out if you’re not entirely sure it’s still good to go.
Summary
Believe it or not, leftover Chinese food can last for quite some time – when appropriately stored in the fridge, it takes at least four days for the Chinese food to turn bad.
And when you put it into the freezer, you can expect it to last even longer – frozen leftover Chinese can last for up to three months! However, you have to ensure that you don’t let it sit out for too long before putting it into the fridge/freezer because Chinese food starts to turn bad just after more than two hours at room temperature.
Also Read:
- How Long Is Sausage Good For?
- Does Prosecco Go Bad?
- Does Marsala Wine Go Bad?
- Do Baby Carrots Go Bad?
- How Long Does Sushi Last?
Resources
Image credits – Canva
