Here's How Long You Can Stash Leftover Pizza In The Freezer
The best part of ordering pizza is obviously getting to eat pizza, but the second best part is knowing you'll probably be eating leftover pizza the next day. While we may not be on the "leftover pizza is better than fresh" team, it is still really satisfying — and far better than most frozen pizzas. You get options too, as it can be eaten cold for a quick convenience meal or reheated for something close to its original state. Cheese, sauce, and bread are such a perfect combination that it will hold up in almost any condition to the benefit of harried eaters everywhere.
Now, we know this may be silly to ask, but what if you don't want to eat pizza three meals in a row? Or maybe, more realistically, your eyes were bigger than your stomach and you just ordered way too much? The reality is, even if leftover pizza is good, you can't just leave it out on the counter and it deteriorates pretty rapidly in the fridge.
The U.S. The Department of Agriculture suggests only leaving leftovers in the fridge for three to four days, and beyond health concerns, it just doesn't taste as good on that second or third day. After all, this isn't stew we're talking about. That's why you may want to consider freezing your leftover pizza instead: You'll get a much longer timeframe to enjoy it whenever that pizza craving strikes.
Frozen leftover pizza will stay good for months
If you find yourself with the rare too much pizza problem, your freezer can stop it from going to waste. According to Kitchn, properly stored leftover pizza can last up to two months in the freezer — you just need to make sure it's protected from the cold properly to maintain quality. Your leftovers should be cut into separate slices and wrapped with foil or plastic wrap. You can also put all the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe bag or container to further protect them and increase their freezer life. Then simply pop them out one or two slices at a time whenever you want.
So what happens when you do want to pop out a slice? Fine Dining Lovers states that leftover pizza from the freezer should be thawed for a few hours before you reheat it. Once it is defrosted, you should avoid the microwave, which leaves your pizza soggy. Instead, crisp it back up on a stovetop pan or in the oven and enjoy the glory of leftover pizza weeks after you ordered it.
With the ease and convenience of freezing leftover pizza, pretty soon you might be ordering an extra pie just to save it.