Remember "srevotfel"?  You ate it, but perhaps you didn't love it. No, this isn't an exotic imported dish; it's just "leftovers" spelled backwards to avoid calling a re-warmed meal by an unappealing name. You'll probably have leftovers in your not-too-distant future. After all, you don't want your holiday spread to look skimpy; you know that, when the pickings seem lean, guests take less. But, when you cook too much for the size of the crowd you're entertaining, leftovers are inevitable.  So what, of all this stuff they didn't eat, can be safely reheated, and how can we make srevotfel taste good enough to be devoured with enthusiasm?  In the following Q/As, we have expert answers from our Board scientists and the U.S. government.  Let's begin with safety.

Diane laughs as she recalls carrying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to school every day for some eight years:  “It was the only meal my mother considered safe to consume after being unrefrigerated all morning.” Today, we know that safety doesn’t require such monotony.  However, the challenge remains—how to pack nutritious, delicious meals that will remain uncontaminated even if they spend all morning on a coatroom floor.

Perishable foods (those that need to be kept hot or cold) must not be left in what food scientists call the “danger zone” (40°-140°F; 4°-60°C)  for more than two hours. Bacteria and other pathogens that can contaminate foods and cause illness grow rapidly in that temperature range.  Children’s lunches, if left unrefrigerated for about four hours, must contain only shelf-stable items, or parents must learn a few techniques for keeping hot food hot and cold food cold. (These tips will also come in handy when adults prepare their own portable lunches.)