Why You Should Think Twice Before Eating Leftover Rice

Rice is a staple for many college students and busy parents. It's cheap, easy to cook, easy to store, and easy to reheat for pairing with leftovers. Rice is one of those sides that go great with just about any main dish, like beef stew, and you can use leftover rice to make new dishes, like Cajun Dirty Rice. Rice is also a filling and healthy carb, especially if you choose brown rice instead of white rice, and it aids in digestion.

Rice is a good source of several essential nutrients, including B vitamins, iron, and zinc, and it's gluten-free! What's not to love about this little grain? If you are one of those people who eat a lot of rice, though, you should think twice before you eat it as leftovers. There could be some serious health concerns for reheating and eating rice that's been in the fridge for a few days. 

Leftover rice can be safe to eat if it's stored properly and reheated thoroughly. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid any potential health risks. The primary concern with leftover rice is the risk of bacterial growth. Rice can contain spores of a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which can survive the cooking process. This bacteria can produce toxins that lead to food poisoning. These spores can quickly multiply if cooked rice is stored at room temperature, especially if it's left out for more than a couple of hours.

To reduce the risk of bacterial growth, it's important to store leftover rice in the refrigerator or freezer within 2 hours of cooking. If leftover rice has been left at room temperature for an extended period, it's best to throw it away to avoid the potential for food poisoning. Cooked rice can stay good in the fridge for 3-5 days and in the freezer for 6 months. After those timeframes, you should discard it.

Properly storing leftover rice is only part of the equation, though. You also have to reheat the rice the right way to avoid possibly making yourself sick. Whether you use your microwave or the stove to reheat the rice, you should make sure the reheated rice has an internal temp of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. It's best to reheat leftover rice with about 2 tablespoons of water so that it can regain some of the moisture that will be lost when it's stored in the fridge or freezer.

If you use the microwave, cover the dish with wet paper towels to help keep moisture in and steam the rice. Cook for about 3 minutes, then test the temperature. If it's not at least 165 degrees, you should keep reheating in 1-minute increments until it is. If you use the stove, cover your saucepan with a lid and stir often. Test the internal temperature until it's where it needs to be. You should never reheat rice more than once because that will increase the risk of bacterial growth. If you still have leftover rice after reheating it for another meal, throw it out.