How long has this been in the refrigerator?
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| Refrigerate foods to maintain quality as well as to keep them safe. Some bacteria grow
and multiply, although very slowly, at refrigerated temperatures. There is a limit to the
time various foods will stay fresh and safe in a refrigerator. Food kept continuously frozen at 0° F will always be safe but the quality suffers with
lengthy freezer storage. Food is properly refrigerated at a temperature range between 35-40° F or 2-6° C! Did you check your Refrigerator lately? |
| Product | Refrigerated | Frozen |
| Beverages, fruit | 3 weeks unopened | |
| Juice in cartons, fruit drinks, punch | 7-10 days open | 8-12 months |
| Condiments | ||
| Refrigerated pesto, salsa | Date on carton; 3 days after opening | 1-2 months |
| Sour cream-based dip | 2 weeks | Doesn't freeze well |
| Dairy products | ||
| Butter | 1-3 months | 6-9 months |
| Buttermilk | 7-14 days | 3 months |
| Cheese, hard (Cheddar, Swiss) | 6 months unopened; 3-4 weeks opened | 6 months |
| Cheese, soft (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 whipping, ultrapasteurized | 1 months | Do not freeze |
| Whipped, sweetened | 1 day | 1-2 months |
| Aerosol can, real whipped cream | 3-4 weeks | Do not freeze |
| Aerosol can, non-dairy topping | 3 months | Do not freeze |
| Cream, Half and Half | 3-4 days | 4 months |
| Eggs - Safety | ||
| unopened substitutes, liquid | 10 days | Manufacturer says: |
| opened substitutes, liquid | 3 days | "Do not freeze" |
| Eggnog, commercial | 3-5 days | 6 months |
| Eggs, in shell | 3-5 weeks | Do not freeze |
| Raw whites | 2-4 days | 12 months |
| Raw yolks | 2-4 days | Doesn't freeze well |
| Hard cooked | 1 week | Doesn't freeze well |
| Margarine | 4-5 months | 12 months |
| Milk | 7 days | 3 months |
| Pudding | Package date; 2 days after opening | Do not freeze |
| Sour cream | 7-21 days | Doesn't freeze well |
| Yogurt | 7-14 days | 1-2 months |
| Deli foods | ||
| Entrees, cold or hot | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Store-sliced lunch meats | 3-5 days | 1-2 months |
| Salads | 3-5 days | Do not freeze |
| Dough | ||
| Tube cans of biscuits, rolls, pizza dough, etc. | Use-by date | Do not 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.) | 1-2 days | 6 months |
| Fatty fish (bluefish, mackerel, salmon, etc.) | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| Caviar, non-pasteurized (fresh) | 6 months unopened; 2 days after opening | Do not freeze |
| Caviar, pasteurized, vacuum-packaged | 1 year unopened 2 days after opening | Do not freeze |
| Cooked fish | 3-4 days | 4-6 months |
| Smoked fish | 14 days or date on vacuum pkg. | 2 months in vacuum pkg. |
| Shellfish | ||
| Shrimp, scallops, crayfish, squid | 1-2 days | 3-6 months |
| Shucked clams, mussels and oysters | 1-2 days | 3-6 months |
| Live clams, mussels, crab, lobster and oysters | 2-3 days | 2-3 months |
| Cooked shellfish | 3-4 days | 3 months |
| Meat, fresh | ||
| Beef, lamb, pork, or veal chops; Steaks, roasts | 3-5 days | 4-12 months |
| Ground meat | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
| Variety meats (liver, tongue, chitterlings, etc.) | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
| cooked meats (home cooking) | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Meat, smoked or processed | ||
| Bacon | 7 days | 1 month |
| Corned beef, in pouch with juices | 5-7 days | 1 month |
| Ham, canned ("keep refrig." label) | 6-9 months | Not in can |
| Ham, fully cooked, whole | 7 days | 1-2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, slices or halves | 3-4 days | 1-2 months |
| Ham, cooked before eating | 7 days | 1-2 months |
| Hot dogs, sealed in package | 2 weeks | 1-2 months |
| Hot dogs, after opening | 1 week | 1-2 months |
| Lunch meats, sealed in package | 2 weeks | 1-2 months |
| Lunch meats, after opening | 3-5 days | 1-2 months |
| Sausage, raw, bulk type | 1-2 days | 1-2 months |
| Sausage, smoked links, patties | 7 days | 1-2 months |
| Sausage, hard, dry (pepperoni), sliced | 2-3 weeks | 1-2 months |
| Pasta, fresh | 1-2 days or package date | 2 months |
| Poultry, fresh | ||
| Chicken or turkey, whole | 1-2 days | 12 months |
| Chicken or turkey, parts | 1-2 days | 9 months |
| Duckling or goose, whole | 1-2 days | 6 months |
| Giblets | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
| Poultry, cooked or processed | ||
| Chicken nuggets, patties | 1-2 days | 1-3 months |
| Cooked poultry dishes | 3-4 days | 4-6 months |
| Fried chicken | 3-4 days | 4 months |
| Ground turkey or chicken | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
| Lunch meats, sealed in package | 2 weeks | 1-2 months |
| Lunch meats, after opening | 3-5 days | 1-2 months |
| Pieces covered with broth or gravy | 1-2 days | 6 months |
| Rotisserie chicken | 3-4 days | 4 months |
Storage: main - baked - dry - frozen - produce - refrigerated
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Measurement Help & Conversions |
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