The 2:2:2 Rule Tip & Trick | We Are What We Eat (2024)

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The 2:2:2 Rule Tip & Trick | We Are What We Eat? ›

Non-profit organisation Love Food, Hate Waste recommends the 2:2:2 rule. Two hours to get them in the fridge. Two days to eat them once they're in there. Or freeze them for up to two months.

Remember the 2-2-2 rule

This is the most important thing when it comes to leftovers to ensure they are safe to eat. Make sure you cool them, cover them and get them into the fridge within two hours of cooking. Eat your leftovers within two days. Either eat them cold or heat them until they are piping hot.

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away.

High-risk foods

Food poisoning bacteria can grow and multiply on some types of food more easily than others. High-risk foods include: raw and cooked meat - such as chicken and minced meat, and foods containing these, such as casseroles, curries and lasagne.

Non-profit organisation Love Food, Hate Waste recommends the 2:2:2 rule. Two hours to get them in the fridge. Two days to eat them once they're in there. Or freeze them for up to two months.

The 2-2-4 rule for leftovers: Move the food from the oven to the refrigerator in 2 hours or less. Store in the refridgerator at a shallow depth- about 2 inches- to speed chilling. Eat in 4 days or less (or freeze).

When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. Cover leftovers to reheat. This retains moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through.

Myth: You shouldn't put hot foods in the refrigerator.

If you leave food out to cool and forget about it after 2 hours, throw it away. Bacteria can grow rapidly on food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Leftovers is most often used to describe extra food that gets saved and eaten later.

What is not a correct way to deal with leftovers? ›

Handling leftovers

Keep foods out of the danger zone, between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F) to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Throw away any cooked food left out at room temperature for more than two hours.

Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can't be put back in the fridge. Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.

When it comes to Thanksgiving leftovers, you only need to remember is 2-2-4: 2 means do not leave food out in room temperature for longer than 2 hours. After 2 hours the leftovers need to be refrigerated or frozen.

The practice of eating in moderation to prevent sickness and diseases were also emphasized by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. One interesting fact that I found is the Islamic advice of “1/3 for your food, 1/3 for your liquids and 1/3 for your breath”.

Relationship expert Dr. Laura Berman discusses the romance advice once again going viral: the 2-2-2 date rule. The guidance says committed couples should go on a date once every two weeks, spend a weekend away every two months and take a week-long vacation every two years.