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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. |
| 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 (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 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 | |
| Egg, substitutes, liquid | |||
| unopened | 10 days | Manufacturer says "Do not freeze" | |
| opened | 3 days | Manufacturer says "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 (after home cooking) |
3-4 days | 2-3 months | |
| Meat, smoked or processed | |||
| Bacon | 7 days | 1 month | |
|
Corned beef, in pouch with pickling 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 use-by date on package |
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 | |
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