For Easter you are probably planning on making a traditional meal with ham, maybe a rack of lamb, potatoes and your famous deviled eggs recipe.
Once the feast is over, you may have some leftovers you are planning on saving for later. Even though storing food is not exactly rocket science, I am going to let you in on some tricks and tips you may not have known so your food stays safe and delicious.
Your ham, lamb, potatoes and other cooked dishes need to be refrigerated within two hours of serving. Before you store it, carve the meat off any bones.
Also make sure you divide the leftovers into smaller containers. The shallower containers will help the food cool quicker.
For your ham, make sure you sliced it into smaller pieces before storing. You can refrigerate it for 3-4 days, it can can stay in the freezer for up to 4 months.
If you have cooked a rack of lamb, it can also stay in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you want to put it in the freezer make sure you put it in airtight freezer bags or tightly wrap with heavy duty aluminum foil.
Your famous deviled eggs will do perfectly well in a sealed container for 3-5 days but they do not do so well in the freezer.
Whole baked potatoes also do not freeze well, they can stay in the fridge for 3-5 days. Mashed and scalloped can stay in the fridge for up to 5 day but unlike whole potatoes, they do very well in the freezer. In fact, you can keep them frozen for 10-12 months.
If you made a rhubarb pie, it can stay in a pantry for 2 days, after that it will need to be refrigerated. It can stay in the fridge for 2-3 more days. It can also be frozen, but make sure it is tightly covered with heavy aluminum foil. Cookies can stay in a pantry for 2-3 weeks but if they have frosting or any dairy/egg in them, they need to be refrigerated.
Any soft breads can stay in the pantry for up to a week. Hard-crusted breads will keep fresh for only a day or two. You want to avoid putting breads in the refrigerator since this will cause them to dry out and become stale much faster. For extended storage, put the bread in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Also Read:
Pack an Easter Egg Hunt in a Lunch Box for Kids
Healthy Easter Basket Stuffers for All Ages