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Refrigerated leftovers typically last up to four days if your leftovers are sealed and stored correctly. For most people, covering a plate with foil and tossing it in the fridge is a quick, easy way to store food. However, wrapping your food in a sheet of aluminum foil is also an easy way to put yourself at risk for health hazards.

Much like we need air to breathe, bacteria need air to thrive. Some bacteria like staph and Bacillus cereus, which cause foodborne illnesses, produce toxins that aren’t destroyed by high cooking temperatures. When a hot meal is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, the bacteria grow rapidly.

If you have an abundance of food left over, the smartest thing to do would be to put a portion of it in the refrigerator, and then pack a portion of it really nice in air-tight containers, and put it into the freezer. “And then when you’re ready to eat it, take it out.”