#8 Definitely not okay leftovers: Buffet food

This hints back to all we have discussed before, and it boils down to how bacteria grow on food the longer they are left to sit outside at room temperature. And a buffet, which is known to have food out for long periods of time, is the perfect place where you could end up with a ton of dangerous microorganisms in your leftovers!

Of course, the professional catering industry is carefully regulated, and they have to follow strict rules, both for the food left out and the way it is stored. If you love your local buffet, there is no risk in going there to eat again. However, when it comes to home gatherings where you have a buffet setting, you should be mindful of food-borne illnesses.

If you’re hosting one, never add fresh food on top of the one left over in the serving dish; first, discard what’s left (or make sure someone eats it), and then bring in the next batch. If you are attending one, never leave with food if it has been out in the open for more than one hour in warm temperatures and two hours in cold weather. This means that at the next BBQ you attend, you shouldn’t eye that coleslaw that’s been sitting in the sun for the past 3 hours.

And since you should be paying attention to your health, read all about the healthiest sugar substitutes out there!