How long it's safe to eat leftover pizza (2024)

The INSIDER Summary:

• Pizza is safe to eat even after it's been sitting out for a while.
• If it's been sitting out for more than two hours at room temperature, pizza is unsafe to eat.
• Pizza that's been sitting in the fridge can stay fresh up to four days.

After a long night out, you may feel insatiable drunchies stronger than your actual level of hunger. You order that extra-large pizza anyway. You fail to finish it, but it's okay, you'll save it for breakfast the next morning (or 2 pm the next day).

Hollis Johnson

If your pizza has been sitting at room temperature...

Sadly, if your pizza has been sitting out for more than two hours it is not safe to eat. According to the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA), all perishable foods, including pizza, are not safe to eat after sitting at room temperature overnight. This rule holds true whether your pizza has meat on it or not. By leaving your pizza out at room temperature, you are increasing your risk of being contaminated by food borne illnesses.

The USDA indicates a "danger zone" for perishable foods stored at temperates between 40 degrees fahrenheit and 140 degrees fahrenheit. The number of food borne illnesses can double every 20 minutes that a food is left out in the "danger zone."

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If your pizza has been sitting in the fridge...

Lucky you. According to the USDA, if your pizza has been refrigerated at a temperature lower than 40 degrees fahrenheit, its safe to eat up to four days. If you want to eat a slice thats been sitting in the fridge for five days, it's generally okay too—but after four days your risk of getting a food borne illness increases and who wants that? It's much safer to just order another pizza.