Christmas dinner is all about eating a lot of food, but it rarely all gets polished off in one day.
It's just as much a tradition to make meals out of leftover Christmas turkey as it is eating it on the festive day.
From turkey sandwiches to bubble & squeak, there's plenty you can do with leftover turkey.
READ MORE: The ultimate guide to Christmas events for kids in Manchester 2021
But how long does it actually last in the fridge or freezer?
After all, you don't want to ruin the run-up to the new year by making your friends and family queasy.
You may be surprised how long turkey actually lasts in the fridge or freezer - it may not be as long as you think.
According to the Food Standards Agency, it is safe to freeze food right up until the use-by date.
Therefore, it's important you check the date on the packaging of the turkey before you prepare it.
To ensure your leftover turkey lasts as long as possible, make sure to cool and cover it in the fridge or freezer within an hour or two.
If you choose to freeze your cooked turkey, once it's defrosted you must eat the food within 24 hours.
You can also use previously cooked and frozen turkey to create a new meal.
The new meal you have cooked up can then be frozen too, but make sure you only reheat it once to avoid the growth of bacteria.
The NHS also provides advice for those choosing to refrigerate their cooked leftover.
Its website states that leftover food should ideally be used within a 48-hour period.
So, following this advice, you have just two days post-Christmas Day to munch through all your turkey leftovers or make them into another delicious meal.
