This Is The Safest Way To Store Leftover French Fries

Picture this: You order a burger and fries from your favorite takeout place. You put on a movie, sink into the couch, eat your dinner, but don't finish your fries. The movie ends, you're in a food coma, and don't want to get up. However tempted you may be to snuggle deeper into the couch to watch an episode of your current show, you need to get up and put those leftover fries away. Not storing food quickly is one of the main mistakes people make with leftovers.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture's Leftovers and Food Safety page, perishable foods, including french fries, need to be refrigerated after two hours (one hour if the room temperature is more than 90 degrees), or else bacteria will begin to grow.

To keep leftover french fries fresh for longer, the goal is to avoid making them soggy. Once the fries are cooled completely (that is, not piping hot out of a fryer), put them in an airtight container or resealable bag with a paper towel (if you're using the bag, remove the excess air from the bag first and then seal it as tightly as possible). Whichever method you use, the fries will keep in the fridge for two to three days.

If you want to keep your fries, but aren't sure if you'll use them within 72 hours, freeze them instead. Just prepare them like you would for the fridge; to prevent them from sticking together, first freeze the fries on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and then put them in either a Ziploc bag with a paper towel or airtight container. In this way, they'll last for up to six months.

When it comes to reheating leftover fries, an air fryer is a game changer. It removes any sogginess that may have developed in the fridge and makes them less greasy. You could also use a toaster oven, but don't use the microwave unless you want a soggy, greasy mess.

My favorite way to eat leftover french fries is for breakfast: I make eggs over easy and slide them on top of heated-up fries before covering it all in salsa, avocado, and some shredded cheese (I don't add salt, because the fries are salted enough). If fries for breakfast isn't your jam and you still don't know what do with leftover French fries, mash them. At the end of the day, fries are still potatoes, and potatoes are one of the most versatile foods. Have fun with them!