CHARLESTON -- These days many families are buying in bulk and looking for ways to reuse leftover in order to save cash.

West Virginia State University Extension Specialist Bonnie Dunn spends her days teaching people how to keep their family's meals safe. She says the three keys to making food last are time, temperature and oxygen.

"I use plastic wrap to put a seal on the top of the food when I put it in a container so that the surface of the food is not far away from the lid, to keep the flavor longer," Dunn said.

Oxygen can also be a factor when storing vegetables or other items in freezer bags. Dunn says it is best to press all of the air out before closing the seal.

"If you are cooking a roast and you are going to break it down and make a stew it is about packaging, labeling, knowing the dates and getting it into the freezer immediately," Dunn explained.

Temperature is also a factor both in storage and reheating. In both cases the temperature can be monitored using an inexpensive thermometer.

When reheating food Dunn says the key is to make certain the food gets to at least 165 degrees. That temperature can best be measured by placing a thermometer into the center of the food.

Finally, time is essential to food safety and storage. Dunn says when it comes to placing leftovers in the refrigerator, four days is the magic number.

"It is good to have a marker or piece of tape to date the item so that you know," Dunn said. "We lead busy lives and we forget."

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