How Long Can Pizza Stay In The Fridge?

You don’t usually order pizza by the slice. Pizza is best enjoyed when shared around with friends, and with pints of beer to take the edge off on a weekend night. With many pizza flavors available, it could be difficult to choose just one or two, so you end up ordering all! If you do order more than what you can finish, it’s not sensible to throw away what’s left. So, you might be wondering how long can pizza stay in the fridge? Read on to find out and learn a few helpful tips along the way.

Cool and Safety Tips on How Long Can Pizza Stay in the Fridge

Here are some cool tips on how long can pizza stay in the fridge. Remember, food safety is a must.

At room temperature, pizza can sit out for only two hours. You run the risk of suffering foodborne illnesses if your pizza stays at room temperature longer than two hours. Before your pizza hits the two-hour mark, be sure to adhere to food safety standards and whisk it into the refrigerator. 

This same ‘room temperature’ rule applies to all kinds of food, whether it’s meat or cooked vegetables. Always be on the safe side. 

Food safety standards also dictate that pizza can be refrigerated for three to four days. That’s how long can pizza stay in the fridge. Always ensure that you keep your pizza dry in the fridge; otherwise, bacteria will form. Discard the pizza even if it stays in the fridge after four days, especially if it gives off a foul odor or an awkward stale taste. 

Pizza can be frozen for three to four days as well, even though freezing can extend your pie’s shelf life. Pizza kept in the freezer can last for two months. However, pizza frozen for too long will lose the crunch and original freshness it had when you first bought it. Still, freezing temperatures like zero degrees Fahrenheit help lengthen your pizza for more than two months. Just don’t expect your pizza to be as enjoyable.

How about thawing frozen pizza? Thawing frozen pizza in the refrigerator can add some three to four days in its shelf life. On the other hand, after thawing in a microwave oven, pizza has to be consumed right away. The same applies to frozen pizza thawed in cold water before cooking. This too must be cooked or heated immediately after thawing and eaten right away.

Cold Pizza? No Problem

Even if you are left with cold pizza, you can still jazz it up and enjoy it while it is safe to eat, well within the three to four day refrigerating rule. Here are a few ways you can try: 

• Reheat pizza the right way. And the right way is to use a skillet, not the microwave oven. Heat pizza on a skillet on high heat to crisp the crust. Then take the heated pizza and run it through the flame on a grill for an extra smokey taste. Of course, this is optional. 
• Reheat on a skillet, and finish off in the oven. Slide pizza slices onto a skillet, heat until the crust turns crisp. Then finish off the heating in an oven – not the microwave – and wait till the cheese is melted. 
• Add more cheese. Follow the reheating tip above. The skillet first, then in the oven. Don’t forget to top the leftover pizza with more cheese before putting it into the oven. You’ll end up with deliciously rich slices of pizza with a blanket of cheese, thicker than any store can give you. 
• Make breakfast pizza. To make pizza palatable early in the morning, top it with your usual savory breakfast staples, like an egg. Reheat pizza on a skillet, then crack an egg – a quail’s egg would be best for its size – plop it in the oven till the egg is cooked, then have a great morning! 

But if you do not have all the time in the world, the microwave is your trusty kitchen appliance for your pizza. Although many observe that reheating frozen pizza in the microwave gives them a wilting dough triangle, there is a trick to help you avoid that. The trick is a mug of water! How? Just take note of these steps to be sure that you are not left with pizza that’s far from flavorful. 

1. Line a plate with a sheet of parchment.
2. Place the pizza on top of the lined plate. The moisture from frozen pizza can be absorbed by parchment. This way, you can revive your pizza and enjoy a crust that’s crisp. 
3. Pour water on a mug. Let the water fill two-thirds of the mug. 
4. Let your pizza plate sit on top of the mug of water. 
5. Stick this mug and plate assembly into the microwave oven. 
6. Heat on 50 percent power, ensuring that you have a minute in between each heating until your pizza is as hot as you like it. 

Conclusion

Now that you already know how long can pizza stay in the fridge, remember this important reminder. Store slices of pizza in an airtight container so this favorite snack of yours will not lose its freshness too soon. You may also use freezer bags or keep your pizza wrapped in aluminum foil. But even if your pizza is stored in these safe containers, remember that keeping it in the freezer for too long would not be good either. So, for safety, stick to the ideal three to four days. That’s how long pizza can stay in the fridge. Know more about pizza storage.