Use a new, clean platter on a buffet table rather than adding fresh food to a used dish. Cooked fish should be opaque and flaky. However, hamburgers are made with ground beef, meaning that any germs present may have been distributed throughout the meat. Serve hot foods hot. Use chafing dishes, crock pots or warming trays to keep them at least 140 degrees or warmer.
Most cooked dishes can keep for up to three or four days in the refigerator.
A shallow container is preferable when storing such leftovers, since its contents will chill more rapidly. Defrost dishes in the refrigerator, not at room temperature, Mrs. Carter advised. Also, defrost meats and seafood in a pan, so juices cannot drip on other foods. At the grocery, check expiration dates on the labels. Make sure frozen foods are solid, not soft.