How Long Is Pizza Good for in the Fridge? Get The Correct Answer Here!

There is no denying that pizza is the favorite food of many people. It’s that type of comfort dish that you can serve with your favorite toppings, a healthy amount of cheese, and a delicious sauce.

When you buy more pizza than you can eat, it’s essential to know, “How long is pizza good for in the fridge?” Today, we’ll discuss what you need to know about keeping your leftover pizza in the fridge. Let’s get into the details!

How Long Is Pizza Good for in the Fridge?

How long is pizza good for in your fridge?

If you store your pizza correctly in the refrigerator, you can expect it to stay well for 3 to 4 days. After this period, it is not safe to continue consuming.

The critical point is to consider how quickly you get your pizza into a fridge once it has cooled down to room temperature.

As a general rule, you should refrigerate your Pizza leftovers within two hours of preparing them (if you make them at home) or receive them (if you buy pizza at the store) to keep them safe for your subsequent use.

If you allow your fresh pizza to sit in its box for more than two hours before deciding to refract it for subsequent use, do not risk storing it. 

In this case, we recommend tossing it in the trash instead. Otherwise, you put yourself at risk of food poisoning.

Besides pizza, this general rule is valid for nearly all cooked and perishable foods. So you need to follow it to avoid any foodborne bacteria that could cause you to get a foodborne illness.

If you buy pizza topped with perishable things, such as shrimp susceptible to harmful bacteria, you should serve the leftovers within a day for safety reasons.

While the general rule of thumb says that your leftovers can stay well these three to four, you should discard them at the first signs of spoilage.

How to Store Pizza in the Fridge 

How to store your pizza in the fridge

You’ve got the answer to “How long does pizza last in the fridge?” Next, it’s time to learn how to chill your pizza correctly.

If you want to preserve leftover pizza pieces as well as possible, start by removing them from their cardboard box. After that, wrap them tightly using aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

Also, putting your whole pizza or leftover slices in a plastic bag or airtight container before placing them in the refrigerator is okay.

If you’ve had a pizza party and don’t plan to repeat it within a few days, it’s wise to freeze your leftover pizza.

It is essential to ensure your pizza does not sit out a couple of hours at room temperature. The reason is that bacteria can quickly multiply whenever you leave your pizza from 40℉ to 140℉, which is known as “the danger zone“.

If your pizza has been sitting out for more than two hours, we recommend immediately discarding it, especially any food that contains cheese or meat.

Guide to Reheat Leftover Pizza 

 

How to reheat leftover pizza.

There are many ways available when it comes to reheating your leftover pizza.

Traditional Oven

Using a conventional oven is one of the ways to reheat your leftover pizza. 

Preheat the oven to about 275℉ is ideal for reheating normal pizza preheat. It is crucial as it allows you to reheat the pizza instead of burning it.

While the oven is preheating, you will need to cover its baking sheet using aluminum foil before spraying a thin layer of cooking spray on this foil. Thanks to that, your pizza crust will not stick.

We recommend spraying a light frosting on the pizza’s top, allowing the pizza crust to expand instead of becoming chewy, tough, or too mushy. 

Then, put another aluminum foil loosely over your pizza’s top to keep moisture from escaping and prevent your dish from burning.

Once the oven has been heated, it is time to place your pizza on the lowest rack. Then bake it for 20 minutes to half an hour. Also, you should check it every five minutes until it hits your expected temperature.

Skillet

You can also reheat your pizza slices by placing them in a skillet before heating them on a stovetop.

You’ll also need to start by preheating the pan on medium heat for around three minutes with olive oil or butter (one tablespoon is ideal for two to four slices). 

After that, place your pizza slices so that they fit onto your hot surface’s skillet and reheat until these slices become browned and crispy.

Using a skillet will make your pizzas crispier than most other methods, thanks to your scorching hot pan. As a result, you can expect your pizza’s cheese to melt and get crispy-crunchy, while its crust will become chewy and flaky again!

Also, adding your favorite toppings to these pizza slices is okay before digging in and serving!

Reheating pizza with your pan prevents you from scrubbing the toaster oven pan or crisping tray. Instead, you can easily clean your pan with soapy, warm water.

Toaster Oven

Reheating leftover pizza with a toaster oven is also acceptable as it will preserve the pizza’s signature qualities. 

Before putting your leftover pizza slices inside, you must set your toaster oven on medium power. Then run it one cycle and check out how it is.

It is alright to reheat your pizza for the second cycle to prevent its crust from becoming soft or mushy.

Microwave

If you want to avoid washing your pan/skillet for reheating your leftover pizza, using the microwave is okay. 

All you need to do is place your pizza slices on a microwave-safe plate, then use plastic wrap to cover it. Then you need to poke holes with a skewer or fork to vent out most of the steam.

Reheat the pizza in your microwave for around three minutes per slice. Afterward, repeat this step (if needed) until your pizzas are warm and nice again.

If you don’t have this machine, you’ll need to heat a pot with some water. After that, submerge these pizza slices into your pan once the water has boiled.

It is possible to heat your pizza by putting them on your grill or panini press for around five mins each side (depending on the machine’s strength).

You can also utilize your electric skillet for this project, but moisture may escape each time you open the lid, making the pizza less crisp. Hence, slowly cooking is your best bet!

Can I Freeze Leftover Pizza?

We helped you answer, “How long can pizza last in the fridge?” So what about freezing them? If you want to keep your pizza longer than 5 days, it’s time to consider freezing it.

If you want to store your pizza slices for longer in the freezer, you should wrap each pizza slice separately, then place these each into your Ziploc bags. 

It is okay to wrap up these slices with aluminum foil, which allows you to keep your pizza slices last even longer. Don’t forget to label them before freezing.

If its crust becomes too hard once frozen, you can thaw it on the stovetop or countertop. Then, you can expect it to taste well after heating it again!

FAQs

How Long Does Leftover Pizza Last?

If you refrigerate your pizza, you can expect it to last up to 4 days.

You shouldn’t leave your pizza for more than two hours at room temperature. However, if you refrigerate your pizza, you can expect it to last up to four days. 

If your leftover pizza is stored in the freezer, it can stay up to 3 months.

How to Tell if My Pizza is Bad?

There are a few signs that indicate when your pizza has gone bad?

• Dry and hard texture.
• Bad taste.
• “Off” odor.
• Mold.
• Slimy toppings.

Will I Get Sick if I Consume My Spoiled Pizza?

You can get sick if phục vụ old pizza. While most people will end up with a stomach ache, vomiting, and diarrhea, others may have a worse reaction.

So it is essential to follow storage guidelines and always check out your pizza excess for any signs of spoilage.

Can Pizza Give You Food Poisoning?

The answer is yes. Bad pizza has the possibility of giving you food poisoning.

Conclusion 

Hopefully, through this article, you’ve got the answer to “How long does pizza stay good in the fridge?”

Your leftover pizza can stay well for 3 to 4 days if refrigerated properly. 

However, if you want to keep your pizza longer, consider putting it in the freezer with the expectation that it will last up to 3 months.

It is essential to keep your Pizza leftovers within two hours of preparing them or receiving them to keep them safe for your subsequent use.

source https://www.annisarestaurant.com/how-long-is-pizza-good-for-in-the-fridge/