Exactly When Does That Leftover Pizza Belong in the Trash?

Pizza is the easiest thing to order and eat.

Whether it's from a night out on the town and those munchies take over at midnight, it was a long day at work and you want the delicious simplicity, or it's a weekly Friday night ritual, pizza is a natural go-to.

Let's be honest though, we've all left pizza out for hours if not overnight and grabbed one of those slices straight out of the box to enjoy.

It probably goes without saying that those two last two slices that sat out aren't healthy to eat even after heating them up in the oven or microwave. According to the Eating Well website, bacteria starts growing on food sitting out within 20 minutes and should be thrown away after sitting out in room temp for two hours.

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According to the Chowhound website, if your pizza sits out for more than two hours, don't even try to salvage it.

It's a myth that reheating it will make it safe to eat again; certain bacteria produce toxins once they're left out for a while, which heat can't kill.

Meanwhile, if you get your pizza in the fridge before that two hour mark, make sure you actually wrap those slices up or put them in an airtight container versus just placing the box in the fridge. I'm so guilty of doing that one.

But you better plan on eating that leftover pizza soon.

Leftovers, including pizza, can be kept in the fridge for three to four days, according to the USDA. You can also freeze pizza—it'll be safe indefinitely but for the best flavor and texture, try to eat it within three months.

Whether you reheat it or love cold pizza, even if you've gone unscathed eating pizza after you shouldn't have, it doesn't mean your luck won't eventually run out with some kind of foodborne illness.

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