How long are leftover meatballs good for? If you have leftovers staring at you from inside your refrigerator and you don’t know whether to toss or eat.. read on!
Stored properly in an airtight container, meatballs will be safe to eat after 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Start checking for signs they’re gone bad at day 3. Chicken or turkey meatballs won’t last as long as beef. Refrigerate and store for only two days.
What To Do With Leftover Meatballs
If you have leftovers on your hands and you need inspiration about how to use them, here are a few leftover meatball recipes:
- Create a meatball sub sandwich out of them. Add some flavorful tomato sauce to make it extra delicious.
- Sandwich them between small buns to create meatball sliders.
- Chop them up and add to your next pasta dish.
- Throw them onto your next pizza, along with your favorite pizza sauce or pasta sauce.
- Toss them together with bbq sauce and eat cooked meatballs as a main meal.
- Simmer with broth, vegetables and pasta to create a meatball soup.
Extend The Shelf Life Of Meatballs
Follow the guidelines below to make meatballs last longer!
- Refrigerate them – How long meatballs last depends largely on food storage and refrigeration. Secure the lid tightly on the airtight container and store cooked meatballs in the fridge at all times.
- Keep them out of the door – Food items stored in the refrigerator door are subjected to warmer temps, especially with frequent openings. This can decrease the shelf life. Instead, store on a shelf and push it toward the back of the fridge so it stays fresh a little longer.
- Keep at the same temp – Moisture can collect inside the container when temperature change occurs. Keep the temp of the entire container as consistent as possible to keep meatballs safe from spoilage.
- Go glass – Use a glass container for the best quality and to add a little bit of time to its life.
- Avoid cross contamination – Always be sure to use clean utensils when transferring meatballs into other containers in order to avoid cross-contamination.
Ask the Test Kitchen: How Long Will Meat Last in the Fridge?
FAQ
Can you keep uncooked meatballs in the fridge?
Can you refrigerate meatballs before baking?
Can I eat 7 day old meatballs?
How long can ground beef stay in fridge?
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Food
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Type
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Refrigerator [40°F (4°C) or below]
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Hamburger, ground meats and ground poultry
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Hamburger, ground beef, turkey, chicken, other poultry, veal, pork, lamb, and mixtures of them
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1 to 2 days
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Fresh beef, veal, lamb, and pork
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Steaks
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3 to 5 days
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Chops
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3 to 5 days
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Roasts
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3 to 5 days
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How long do meatballs last in the fridge?
Simply put, uncooked meatballs can last up to two days in the fridge. However, cooked meatballs can be stored in the fridge for three to four days. The shelf life of both can be extended by placing them in the freezer in airtight freezer-safe containers.
Can you freeze cooked meatballs?
It is advisable to cook meatballs before storing them, whether freezing or refrigerating. Cooked meatballs stored in the fridge will last for 4 – 5 days. The reason is because the bacterial responsible for meat spoilage doesn’t do very well (doesn’t grow faster) under low temperature.
Can meatballs go bad if frozen?
When you defrost frozen meatballs in the refrigerator, you can store them refrigerated for up to four days. If the meatballs are in your refrigerator longer than four days, you will want to toss them, even though they appear safe for eating. By the way, if you’re interested in Can Jam Go Bad, check out my article on that. How to Freeze Meatballs?
How do you store frozen meatballs?
Store in the Freezer: Place the labeled and sealed meatballs in the freezer. Store them in a single layer, if possible, to prevent them from sticking together. Frozen meatballs can typically be stored for up to 3-4 months in the freezer, but for the best quality, try to use them within the first 1-2 months.