A juicy roast turkey is often the centrepiece of households across the UK on Christmas Day.
When there are trimmings left over, many people often save them to enjoy turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day and beyond.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said: “There are many different ways you can reuse and reinvent your Christmas leftovers and make your food go further.
“Freeze any leftovers for future dishes. Freezing acts as a pause button. It is safe to freeze food right up to and including the use-by date.
“You can freeze most food. This includes raw and cooked meats.”
Britons can freeze their cooked turkey, and it’ll be safe to eat for a long time, but quality may decrease after three to six months.
This is known as freezer burn which happens when foods in the freezer are exposed to cold, dry air for lengthy periods of time.
Meats are usually best eaten within two to three months if you have enough leftover turkey.
Make sure to label the meat so you know what you are eating and ensure it has defrosted thoroughly before eating.
Leftover turkey which has been defrosted should be eaten within 24 hours.
If you don’t have to freeze your leftover meat and simply want to keep it in the fridge, keep it in small airtight containers.
It’s important to make sure once the turkey has cooled down, leftovers are placed in the fridge within a couple of hours.
The FSA added: “Splitting leftovers into smaller portions will help cool food quicker.”
Cooked turkey should typically be eaten within four days when kept in the fridge, away from raw meats.
If you have any other leftover food from the Christmas period such as fruit and potatoes, they can also be frozen.
For potatoes, they must be boiled for five minutes before freezing, and fruit can be stored in airtight containers.
Grated cheese, eggs and baked goods can also be kept in the freezer until needed.
