How long will foods keep in the refrigerator/freezer
December 24, 2007
| Product | Refrigerator | Freezer |
| Eggs | ||
| Fresh, in shell | 3 to 5 weeks | Don’t freeze |
| Raw yolks, whites | 2 to 4 days | 1 year |
| Hardcooked | 1 week | Don’t freeze well |
| Liquid pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes opened/unopened | 3 days/10 days | Don’t freeze well/1yr |
| Mayonnaise | ||
| commercial refrigerate after opening | 2 months | Doesn’t freeze |
| Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products | ||
| Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, ham, tuna, macaroni salads | 3 to 5 days | Doesn’t freeze well |
| Hot dogs & Luncheon Meats | ||
| Hot dogs,opened pkg/unopened pkg | 1 week/2 weeks | 1-2 months both |
| Luncheon meats, opened package/unopened package | 3-5 days/2 wks | 1-2 months both |
| Bacon & Sausage | ||
| Bacon | 7 days | 1 month |
| Sausage, raw from chicken, turkey, pork, beef | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Smoked breakfast links, patties | 7 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Hard sausage–pepperoni, jerky sticks | 2 to 3 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
| Summer sausage–labeled “Keep Refrigerated” opened/unopened |
3 weeks/3 months | 1 to 2 months both |
| Ham, Corned Beef | ||
| Corned beef, in pouch with pickling juices | 5 to 7 days | Drained, 1 month |
| Ham, canned–labeled “Keep Refrigerated” opened/unopened |
3-5 days/6-9 months | 1 to 2 months/Doesn’t freeze |
| Ham, fully cooked vacuum sealed at plant, undated, unopened | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked vacuum sealed at plant, dated, unopened | “use by” date on package | 1 to 2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, whole | 7 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, half | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, slices | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat | ||
| Hamburger & stew meat | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb & mixtures of them | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork | ||
| Steaks | 3 to 5 days | 6 to 12 months |
| Chops | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 6 months |
| Roasts | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months |
| Variety meats–tongue, liver, heart, kidneys, chitterlings | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Pre-stuffed, uncooked pork chops, lamb chops, or chicken breast stuffed with dressing | 1 day | Don’t freeze well |
| Soup & Stews | ||
| Vegetable or meat added | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Meat Leftovers | ||
| Cooked meat and meat casseroles | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Gravy and meat broth | 1 to 2 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Fresh Poultry | ||
| Chicken or turkey, whole | 1 to 2 days | 1 year |
| Chicken or turkey, pieces | 1 to 2 days | 9 months |
| Giblets | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Cooked Poultry | ||
| Fried chicken | 3 to 4 days | 4 months |
| Cooked poultry casseroles | 3 to 4 days | 4 to 6 months |
| Pieces, plain | 3 to 4 days | 4 months |
| Pieces covered with broth, gravy | 1 to 2 days | 6 months |
| Chicken nuggets, patties | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 3 months |
| Pizza | ||
| Pizza | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Stuffing | ||
| Stuffing–cooked | 3 to 4 days | 1 month |
| Beverages, Fruit | ||
| Juices in cartons, fruit drinks, punch | 3 weeks unopened 7-10 days opened |
8 to 12 months |
| Dairy | ||
| Butter | 1 to 3 months | 6 to 9 months |
| Buttermilk | 7 to 14 days | 3 months |
| Cheese, Hard (such as Cheddar, Swiss) | 6 months, unopened 3-4 weeks, opened |
6 months |
| Cheese Soft (such as Brie, Bel Paese) | 1 week | 6 months |
| Cottage Cheese, Ricotta | 1 week | Doesn’t freeze well |
| Cream Cheese | 2 weeks | Doesn’t freeze well |
| Cream–Whipped, ultrapasteurized | 1 month | Doesn’t freeze |
| Cream–Whipped, Sweetened | 1 day | 1 to 2 months |
| Cream–Aerosol can, real whipped cream | 3 to 4 weeks | Doesn’t freeze |
| Cream–Aerosol can, non dairy topping | 3 months | Doesn’t freeze |
| Cream, Half and Half | 3 to 4 days | 4 months |
| Eggnog, commercial | 3 to 5 days | 6 months |
| Margarine | 4 to 5 months | 12 months |
| Milk | 7 days | 3 months |
| Pudding | package date; 2 days after opening | Doesn’t freeze |
| Sour cream | 7 to 21 days | Doesn’t freeze |
| Yogurt | 7 to 14 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Dough | ||
| Tube cans of rolls, biscuits, pizza dough, etc. | Use-by-date | Don’t freeze |
| Ready-to-bake pie crust | Use-by-date | 2 months |
| Cookie dough | Use-by-date unopened or opened | 2 months |
| Fish | ||
| Lean fish (cod, flounder, haddock, sole, etc.) | 1 to 2 days | 6 months |
| Fatty fish (bluefish, mackerel, salmon, etc.) | 1 to 2 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Cooked fish | 3 to 4 days | 4 to 6 months |
| Smoked fish | 14 days or date on vacuum package | 2 months in vacuum package |
| Shellfish | ||
| Shrimp, scallops, crayfish, squid, shucked clams, mussels and oysters | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 6 months |
| Live clams, mussels, crab, lobster and oysters | 2 to 3 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Cooked shellfish | 3 to 4 days | 3 months |
Note: These short but safe time limits will help keep refrigerated foods from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. Because freezing keeps food safe indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only. Storage times are from date of purchase unless specified on chart. It is not important if a date expires after food is frozen.
Sources:
USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service
The Food Keeper, The Food Marketing Institute
See also: How long do herbs and spices last?
Find another good list at http://www.pastrywiz.com/storage/refridgerated.htm
December 27, 2007 at 5:21 am
The guidelines regarding frozen are more for taste than safety in regard to frozen meat. Correct? I’d hate to see people throwing out frozen meat (expensive and wasteful) just because of these guidelines. Just pass the barbeque sauce when served.
December 27, 2007 at 1:52 pm
You are correct to a degree.
The USDA says “because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only.” They go on to say, “First check the odor. Some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long and should be discarded. Some may not look picture perfect or be of high enough quality to serve alone but may be edible; use them to make soups or stews. Cook raw food and if you like the taste and texture, use it.”
Keep in mind that this is the same government agency that allows “cook-only” beef - tainted with E coli - to be sold to consumers. http://fooddemocracy.wordpress.com/2007/11/13/beef-with-e-coli-slips-through-cook-only-loophole/
Personally, I think quality is a key issue but your point is well taken. Thank you.