How Long Can Rice Stay in the Fridge? Here’s What You Need to Know

When stored and reheated properly, rice makes great leftovers.

Riceis one of the most important crops in the world.

More than half of the worlds population depends on it, per the USDA.

how-long-fridge-rice-GettyImages-503301964

Sunstock/Getty Images

Whats not to like?

Its filling,full of nutrients, and simply delicious.

But, what’s the best way to handle leftovers?

1123COO-tofu Fried Rice

Fred Hardy

Sunstock/Getty Images

How Long Can Cooked Rice Stay in the Fridge?

White rice, also known as milled rice, is the most common key in of rice.

Its beloved for its pleasant taste and texture.

It also tends to be cheaper and more shelf stable than itshigher fibercounterpart, brown rice.

In fact, dry white rice pretty muchnever expires.

Transfer the rice you want to store into one or more containers.

Let cool on the countertop, uncovered, until room temperature, up to 60 minutes.

(Dividing the rice into smaller containers can help it cool faster.)

Then cover and refrigerate.

Rice should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking.

Before you reheat it, assess whether the leftover rice is still safe to eat.

An off or sour smell is typically the first sign that its past its prime.

When in doubt, throw it out!

Alternatively, you canfreeze cooked ricefor up to six months according to the FoodKeeper app.

Reheating riceseems simple, but its more complex than one might think.

Rice is known to contain spores of Bacillus cereus, a bacteria that can lead to food poisoning.

Even after reheating leftover rice, the bacteria may survive.

Whatever method you choose, its important to check that the rice is piping hot before eating it.

You want to achieve that safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since it’s hard to take the temperature of a grain of rice (!

), just verify it’s very, very hot.

Fred Hardy