Pizza is one of those foods that we frequently overorder, especially when everyone wants a different topping and we wind up with several different pizzas! You may find yourself wondering how long is pizza good for in the fridge.
According to the USDA, if your pizza has been refrigerated at a temperature lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it is safe to eat up to four days.
We got the more information for you on just how long pizza can last. Continue reading!
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Table of Contents
How Long Does Pizza Last In The Fridge?
The most crucial consideration to make before considering eating leftover pizza when wondering how long you can keep it in the fridge safely is how quickly it was put in there once it reached room temperature.
For pizza leftovers to be safe to reheat, they must be placed in the refrigerator no later than two hours after being received (or made, if homemade).
If you decided to store your freshly made pizza for later after leaving it in the box for several hours, don’t take the chance. Simply throw it away because pizza doesn’t keep well if it’s been left outside.
Therefore, if your pizza was chilled during that time, you can keep it there for up to 3 to 4 days.
If you wait any longer, bacteria could develop and cause food poisoning.
This general rule of thumb applies to most cooked or perishable foods, not just pizza leftovers, in order to prevent the spread of any foodborne bacteria that could cause illness.
We advise using up the leftovers the following day or within 24 hours if your pizza is topped with something very perishable, as some toppings, like shrimp, are more likely to harbor harmful bacteria.
Pizza leftovers typically keep for a couple of days, but after that it’s best to throw them out—especially if you smell rancid pizza, one of the first signs of a bad batch.
Discoloration and mold growth indicators are some additional spoilage indicators. That’s a good indication that it’s time to throw away the extra pizza.
Can Pizza Expire?
Yes, it can. Once the pizza is cooked, it should be eaten within two days. Food poisoning is more likely to occur the longer pizza is left out.
Pizza that has been in the refrigerator for more than two days should not be consumed. Pizza that has been frozen can be kept for up to four days in the refrigerator. Make sure your pizza is thoroughly heated and cooked through before consuming it.
Pizza should be thrown away if you are unsure of its freshness. When it comes to food poisoning, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
How To Store Pizza In The Fridge?
Remove the pizza from the cardboard box and tightly wrap any leftover slices in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep the chilled pizza as fresh as possible.
Alternately, store leftover pizza in an airtight container or plastic bag before cooling.
You might not feel like eating pizza for the next couple of days if you just had a pizza feast. Pizza leftovers can also be frozen if that’s the situation.
How is frozen pizza prepared? You can either wrap your cold pizza in freezer wrap or tuck it into freezer bags. Put it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to two months with little chance of going bad.
How Long It’s Safe To Eat Leftover Pizza?
As a general rule, you can eat leftover pizza from a restaurant for up to 5 days.
However, if it has been in your refrigerator for more than two or three days before you take it out, you should slice and reheat the slices once more.
Furthermore, I advise discarding a whole pie if you’ve had it for more than a week. By this time, it will likely be dryer and less flavorful, and its crust may even have gotten stale! However, if it tastes good, go ahead and eat it at your own risk!
How To Reheat Leftover Pizza?
You probably want to know the best method for reheating your leftover pizza slices now that you have stored them safely. You can use a toaster oven, an air fryer, a conventional oven, or a heavy-bottomed skillet, but not a microwave, to achieve the same texture and flavor in this recipe.
Nobody wants their pizza to become soggy and disgusting in the microwave.
Reheating Refrigerated Pizza
Pizza slices can be heated up in the oven or toaster oven by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and placing the pizza slices on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
It only takes a few minutes to reheat pizza because it has already been cooked.
The quickest way to reheat pizza in 3-6 minutes is by using an air fryer. All you have to do is set the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit, add the parchment paper to the basket, and add the leftover pizza slices. It will heat up fairly quickly, so check the pizza to see if it’s hot after 4 minutes.
The final technique involves reheating pizza in a skillet. Slices should be placed in a skillet that has been preheated on medium-high heat with some olive oil for 3 minutes to crust the bottom. The toppings should then be thoroughly heated after 10 minutes on medium heat with the lid on.
Reheating Frozen Pizza
The oven is the best place to reheat frozen leftover pizza slices because it heats food evenly without burning. The leftover slices should be baked for 15 to 20 minutes until the toppings are hot in an oven preheated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
What’s The Best Method For Reheating Leftover Pizza?
Pizza can be reheated most effectively by placing it on a skillet and holding it over the flame for about a minute, as opposed to using a microwave. Then, put the pizza in the oven and heat it for five to eight minutes at 400 degrees. The delicious pizza you had the night before is still delicious the next day.
Now that you know how long your pizza pie will last after you order it, you can plan accordingly!
Homemade Pizza Ideas
Pizza is a delicious treat to order out, but you can make some delicious pizzas at home for a lot less money.
Our homemade pizza sauce and dough recipes will get you started and point you in the right direction.
The simplest and most straightforward pizzas are this homemade cheese pizza and this puff pastry pepperoni pizza.
This Indian Cauliflower Pizza sounds odd, but it tastes great if you’re looking for something a little different.
These easy-to-make Tortilla Pizzas with Sundried Tomatoes & Spinach are another favorite of ours.
Read More: How To Keep Pizza Warm In Oven?
Conclusion
Your pizza can keep in the fridge for four days with the proper handling. To learn how long you should store it and what will happen if you don’t follow our instructions, you should read this blog post once more.
Pizza reheats well in the oven or microwave, but we strongly advise doing it within 24 hours of when it was originally prepared. But because food safety requirements aren’t always met because of bacterial growth during refrigeration, if left unheated after two days (72 hours), there’s a chance that harmful microbes could develop.
FAQs
Can You Eat Pizza After Five Days?
No, even if it has been properly stored in the refrigerator, you shouldn’t consume leftover chilled pizza after the fourth day, according to USDA guidelines. Even if you could, the pizza would not be edible at this point because it has been sitting out for five days.
Can You Eat Pizza After Six Days?
Yes, provided the refrigerator is still keeping it at the proper temperature. However, after a few days of storage, it won’t taste as good as having hot, fresh pizza.
How To Tell If Pizza Is Bad?
The pizza becomes hard and dry, which is one of the first indications that the leftovers are bad. Once it has completely passed its expiration date, mold symptoms start to appear. The next stage will be characterized by unpleasant odors that you can easily smell coming from bacteria. You ought to have thrown it away at this point.
Does Pizza Go Bad In The Fridge?
Yes, pizza will taste bad after 4 or more days in the fridge. To avoid potential bad tastes, leftover slices with meat on top should ideally be consumed within 3 days at most.
How Long Can Leftover Pizza Stay Well In The Box?
Pizza delivered in a cardboard takeout box shouldn’t be kept there at all because the moisture from the pizza will cause the box to retain moisture, which encourages the growth of bacteria. Transferring the pizza slices to a plate and discarding the box is the best course of action.
