How long can you keep leftovers? How often can they safely be reheated? An illustrated user’s guide

By Andee Tagle and Malaka Gharib

With all the cooking, feasting and leftover-keeping that comes with the holidays, it can be hard to know how to keep food safe.

Sometimes we just do what our families did growing up (like storing rice in the rice cooker all day). Sometimes we follow what feels like common sense (if it looks and smells alright, it should be OK to eat, right?). But experts urge a little more caution.

Francine Shaw, a food safety specialist, and Namandjé Bumpus, principal deputy commissioner at the Food and Drug Administration, answer six honest questions about food prep and safe food handling. If you want to avoid giving your guests (and yourself) food poisoning this season, follow their advice.

Malaka Gharib is a Filipino Egyptian American journalist and cartoonist. She is the author of the graphic memoirs I Was Their American Dream and It Won’t Always Be Like This. http://malakagharib.com

The comic was illustrated and written by Malaka Gharib and reported by Andee Tagle.

Credit: NPR