How Long Will Homemade Chili Last In The Fridge?

Whenever you're making a pot of chili, you've either got to go big or go home. The stew is best enjoyed in large, hearty amounts, which often leaves you with plenty of leftovers. Of course, you can reheat them in the following days, but for how long?

Whether you're making ground beef or venison chili, the USDA says that leftovers should only stay in the fridge for three to four days. Cooked meat is susceptible to bacterial growth, and refrigerating it only staves that off for a few days. Similarly, cooked tofu will keep for three to four days. Once the chili is cooked, it's important to cool it down quickly to prevent it from entering the danger zone. Separate the chili into several airtight containers and place them in the fridge right away.

For dishes like veggie-friendly quinoa chili, their lifespan is slightly longer, although not by much. Cooked vegetables last for three to seven days in the fridge, but cooked beans will only stay for three to five days, so you'll need to eat vegetarian chili fairly quickly. With both meat and plant-based chili, watch out for a sour or pungent smell that indicates it's gone bad. A slimy texture and change in color are other signs of spoilage, and of course, mold growth means the dish should be tossed right away.

If you're not ready to eat chili right away, you may opt to prep the ingredients and cook it at a later date. However, that won't have a longer lifespan in the fridge than the cooked version. Raw ground meat and poultry only last for one to two days in the refrigerator, while uncooked chopped veggies will keep for three to five days. Uncooked, opened tofu in the fridge also lasts for three to five days.

Your best bet to enjoy chili for much longer is to store it in the freezer, where it can last up to four months. Once the chili is cooked, separate it into smaller airtight, freezer-safe containers, and allow it to cool down before freezing. It's best to portion the chili into sizes that will be eaten right away so you don't have to return it to the fridge or freezer.

When reheating frozen chili, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight or put the container in cool water. Once the chili is defrosted, heat it up in a pot; add a small amount of water to prevent the chili from getting dry, or add in some broth to maintain its flavor.