Why do we need to cover food?

[BirdFromDaNorf]

DH and I are debating (ahem) why he should have to cover food once it's cooked, and why I am so insistent that it should be covered and sealed with a pan lid, or plastic box lid. - I think this is because of flies, and other yuk that could otherwise get it in it. But I'm not sure?? I just think it's what we should be doing.

Similarly, I don't know why, but I'm fairly sure that we should be keeping leftovers in the fridge, with lid on them so that they keep for as long as possible. how long can we keep something like beef chilli for in the fridge, if we cooked it yesterday, left out with a pan lid on overnight and now fridge'd this morning in a plastic box with a lid on it.

I know this is trivial but my instinct says I "need" us to do this. Do we? Do you? How long do you keep things for?

Yep, keep flies off and other possible yukky things like sprays if you clean near.

I wouldn't leave meat out all night and then eat it. Others would.

yes keep food covered as fly's like to sit on dog turds, cow pats, rotting flesh like roadkill or anything else really tasty and then then might land on your nice freshly cooked beef chilli and spread their germs
I would keep cooked food in the fridge for a couple of days and use it up. If you are going to freeze it, it's best to freeze it after cooking and cooling rather than 2 days later.
It is best to refrigerate items quickly onced cooled so not left out overnight but popped in the fridge before you go to bed. It is not a good idea to put hot food in the fridge though as it will raise the temperature of the fridge.
When reheating cooked food make sure it gets really, really hot and heated through thoroughly.

So the cat doesn't lick it

also covering it stops it drying out

covering stop s all sorts of nasties from landing in your food.

I would totally eat a pan of chilli left out all night - as long as it was covered.

People on here are madly precious about things like this - the agonised pondering over whether it's ok to eat twice reheated spag bol is just completely OTT.

BUT all this is predicated on teh fact that you have cooked it properly and ahered to basic hygiene while making it.

Recently boiled food prepared with good hygiene and covered immediately after cooking will not turn to poison overnight.

Poorly cooked food contaminated with a dirty spoon will go off whether covered or not.

Personally in the case of your beef chilli I would freeze it and then heat to boiling when you eat it.

But in answer to your thread title - covering is extremely important - and preferably the food should be covered while still warm.

It's the same principle as tinning and bottling - you destroy all the germs by heating, and then cover it while it's still hot to prevent more germs/nasties. It's then sterile and you can keep it much longer.

Of course in the case of things like chilli you're only covering it with a pan lid or a bit of plastic so it's NOT sterile, but it's much better than food that's not covered at all which will have any passing bit of sneezed bacteria/fly dropping/dust/passing germ landing on it all night.

Sorry lady - cross posted.

I wasn't specifically meaning you - more that there's often a degree of worry that's totally unfounded!

Fair enough - you do what you like and feel comfortable with. Personally I don't think one night well covered is a concern. In the days before fridges people would keep leftovers well covered for a couple of days and we all survived.

Besides which I don't know where you are but it was bloody freezing here last night!

Where in the country are you that you're so lucky to enjoy a warm night ?
It's freezing where I am .