Cook food and store it properly this Thanksgiving. Jason Taylor with Washington County Environmental Health recommends putting leftovers in shallow dishes so the heat leaves them more quickly, “Residential refrigerators aren’t built to take the heat out of everything. So, remember that the cooling process starts at 135 degrees. So if you have something that is boiling, don’t throw it right into the fridge, wait until the temperature comes down to 135 degrees and then start your process.” Also, when putting items in your refrigerator, he reminds people to put ready to eat foods toward the top and raw items like meat at the bottom.

If dishes are fully cooked and then stored properly, the leftovers need to be eaten within seven days to avoid food borne illnesses. Taylor says if it gets past a week, then throw it out.