How long has this been in the refrigerator?
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 |
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