Congregate Meal Leftover Policy for Aster's Senior Centers

Updated July 2026

Purpose: To ensure the safe handling, storage, reuse, and disposal of leftover food served at congregate meal sites while protecting participants' health and complying with food safety regulations.

Definition: "Leftovers" are defined by the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Aging and Adult Services as follows:

• Any portion of a meal served to a participant at a congregate meal site that remains unconsumed. This does not include food that has not been served.

Leftovers Policy

• Participants are allowed to take leftovers from their own meal from the site in their own containers.
• Senior Centers will not provide containers to take leftovers from the congregate meal site.
• Once food items are packaged in the participant's own container at the meal site, the safety of the food is the sole responsibility of the participant.
• Aster Aging is not allowed to store personal leftovers in their refrigerators or freezers due to Maricopa County Health Department regulations.
• Aster Aging and the Area Agency on Aging Region One are not responsible or liable for any foodborne illness that may arise due to consuming leftovers taken from the congregate meal site.

Per directives from Area Agency on Aging Region One, Senior Centers must post this policy at the congregate meal site in an area visible to all participants and provide information to participants about the safe handling of leftovers that follows guidance from the Division of Aging and Adult Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Leftovers and Food Safety

***This information was published from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service website: www.fsis.usda.gov

To ensure that leftovers are safe to eat, make sure the food is cooked to a safe temperature and
refrigerate the leftovers promptly. Not cooking food to a safe temperature and leaving food out at an
unsafe temperature are the two main causes of foodborne illness. Safe handling of leftovers is very
important to reducing foodborne illness. Follow the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's
recommendations for handling leftovers safely.
 

Keep Food out of the Danger Zone
Bacteria grows rapidly between the temperatures of 40° F and 140° F. After food is safely cooked, hot food must be kept hot at 140° F or warmer to prevent bacterial growth. Within 2 hours of cooking food or after it is removed from an appliance keeping it warm, leftovers must be refrigerated. Throw away all perishable foods that have been left in room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is over 90° F, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer). Cold perishable food, such as chicken salad or a platter of deli meats, should be kept at 40° F or below. When serving food at a buffet, keep food hot in chafing dishes, slow cookers, or warming trays. Keep food cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice or use small serving trays and replace them often. Discard any cold leftovers that have been left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
 

Cool Food Rapidly
To prevent bacterial growth, it's important to cool food rapidly so it reaches as fast as possible the safe refrigerator-storage temperature of 40° F or below. To do this, divide large amounts of food into shallow containers. A big pot of soup, for example, will take a long time to cool, inviting bacteria to multiply and increasing the danger of foodborne illness.
 

Wrap Leftovers Well
Cover leftovers, wrap them in airtight packaging, or seal them in storage containers. These practices help keep bacteria out, retain moisture, and prevent leftovers from picking up odors from other food in the refrigerator. Immediately refrigerate or freeze the wrapped leftovers for rapid cooling.
 

Store Leftovers Safely
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.
 

Reheat Leftovers Safely
When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. Cover leftovers to reheat. This retains moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through. When reheating in the microwave, cover and rotate the food for even heating. Arrange food items evenly in a covered microwave safe glass or ceramic dish and add some liquid if needed. Be sure the covering is microwave safe also and vent the lid or wrap to let the steam escape. The moist heat that is created will help destroy harmful bacteria and will ensure uniform cooking. Also, because microwaves have cold spots, check the temperature of the food in several places with a food thermometer and allow a resting time before checking the internal temperature of the food with a food thermometer. Cooking continues for a longer time in dense foods such as a whole turkey or beef roast than in less dense foods like breads, small vegetables and fruits.