We love our Thanksgiving leftovers, but food safety experts caution us on food storage best practices to avoid accidental foodborne illness.

From turkey, to mashed potatoes, stuffing and pies, many are ending Thanksgiving with full stomachs and refrigerators.

"Once you put your leftovers in the refrigerator, just remember that you've got four days," said Jesse Garcia, a public affairs specialist for the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service. Cyber Monday is the deadline to decide if the food is headed to the trash or freezer, or making one last go around at the table.

The USDA is warning Americans to be safe when enjoying their leftover Thanksgiving feast.

Now and then I like to write about random thoughts that are too small or personal to make into a column. Holiday weeks are a good time for small bits, so here are some things currently on my mind.

Thanksgiving leftovers are safe to eat for up to four days when stored in your fridge, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, you must have kept your Thanksgiving dishes at the appropriate temperatures as they sat out during your holiday meal or refrigerated the food within two hours of serving to have been safe to keep.