283
Storage-time lookup
Pick a food and a location — the USDA-recommended storage time appears instantly.
REFERENCE TABLE · FOOD · EVERYDAY
How Long Food Lasts: Fridge, Freezer & Pantry Times
“Is this still good?” is the most-asked question in every kitchen, and the answer isn’t the smell test — it’s the USDA’s FoodKeeper guidance, built on the rule that your fridge stays at or below 40°F and your freezer at 0°F. One idea unlocks the whole chart: fridge times are about safety (bacteria still grow slowly at 40°F, so these limits matter), while freezer times are about quality — food kept at 0°F stays safe indefinitely; it just gets dry and freezer-burned past these windows. Below: the full chart for 25 everyday foods, plus three live checkers — a storage-time lookup, a “still safe?” expiry calculator (precomputed: cooked chicken at 2 days in the fridge has 2 days left), and a fridge/freezer temperature checker.
284
Is it still safe? Expiry checker
How long it’s been stored — get a safe / use-now / toss verdict.
285
Fridge & freezer temperature checker
Your appliance readings — are you in the safe zone?
The full storage-times chart
All times below are the USDA’s guidance: fridge at 40°F or below, freezer at 0°F. Fridge figures are safety limits; freezer figures are quality windows (food kept frozen stays safe past them, but quality fades).
| Food | Refrigerator | Freezer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef, pork, turkey | 1–2 days | 3–4 months | Use fastest — ground meat spoils first |
| Steaks | 3–5 days | 6–12 months | Whole cuts outlast ground, always |
| Chops | 3–5 days | 4–6 months | — |
| Roasts | 3–5 days | 4–12 months | — |
| Whole chicken or turkey | 1–2 days | 1 year | Raw poultry: freeze if not cooking in 2 days |
| Chicken / turkey pieces | 1–2 days | 9 months | — |
| Bacon (unopened) | 7 days | 1 month | Opened bacon: use within 1 week |
| Hot dogs (opened) | 1 week | 1–2 months | Unopened: 2 weeks in the fridge |
| Deli / lunch meat (opened) | 3–5 days | 1–2 months | Listeria risk — when in doubt, toss |
| Cooked meat & poultry dishes | 3–4 days | 2–4 months | Leftovers’ clock starts at cooking |
| Lean fish: cod, tilapia | 1–2 days | 6–8 months | Fatty fish oxidizes faster in the freezer |
| Fatty fish: salmon, tuna | 1–2 days | 2–3 months | — |
| Cooked fish | 3–4 days | 4–6 months | — |
| Shrimp & scallops | 1–2 days | 3–6 months | — |
| Eggs in the shell | 3–5 weeks | — | Never freeze in the shell — it cracks |
| Hard-boiled eggs | 1 week | — | — |
| Milk (opened) | 1 week | — | Freezes poorly; keep refrigerated |
| Butter | 1–3 months | 6–9 months | — |
| Hard cheese (unopened) | 3–4 weeks | 6 months | Parmesan, swiss, cheddar block |
| Soft cheese | 1 week | — | Brie, ricotta, cottage cheese |
| Leftover pizza | 3–4 days | 1–2 months | Reheat to 165°F |
| Cooked rice & pasta | 4–6 days | — | Cool within 1 hour of cooking |
| Canned low-acid foods | — | — | Pantry: 2–5 years (beans, tuna, soup) |
| Canned high-acid foods | — | — | Pantry: 12–18 months (tomatoes, fruit) |
| Peanut butter (opened) | — | — | Pantry: 2–3 months |
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Storage time | USDA FoodKeeper lookup | The recommended window — e.g. chicken pieces in the fridge: 1–2 days. |
| Expiry verdict | days stored vs USDA upper bound | Safe (days left shown), or toss it past the bound. |
| Temperature verdict | fridge ≤ 40°F, freezer ≤ 0°F | Both zones pass or fail — a $5 thermometer answers it. |
Who uses this
- Meal preppers: Sunday cooks checking which containers die by Thursday — and which survive the freezer.
- Bulk buyers: the Costco run only saves money if the second pack doesn’t spoil — ground meat gets 2 days, steaks get 5.
- Parents: school-lunch deli meat has a 3–5-day clock, not a “smells fine” clock.
- Researchers & students: the USDA/FDA storage data is public-domain guidance — cite it with the block below.
Accuracy & limitations
Times assume a refrigerator at 40°F or below and a freezer at 0°F — a cheap appliance thermometer is the only way to know yours qualify. Ranges use the USDA’s upper bound; power outages and frequent door-opening shorten real life. Freezer windows are quality, not safety: food kept at 0°F is safe past them but loses texture and flavor. This is general food-safety guidance, not medical or legal advice — when in doubt with high-risk foods (deli meat, soft cheese), throw it out.
Cite this reference chartBright Side Kit. “How Long Food Lasts: Fridge, Freezer & Pantry Chart.” brightoolbox.com, 2026.
Bright Side Kit. "How Long Food Lasts: Fridge, Freezer & Pantry Chart." https://brightoolbox.com/food-storage-times-chart/ Accessed October 23, 2026.Frequently asked questions
Is food really still safe in the freezer after the chart’s time?
Yes, if it stayed at 0°F. Freezing stops bacterial growth cold — the USDA is explicit that frozen food kept at 0°F is safe indefinitely. The chart’s freezer windows (3–4 months for ground beef, 9 months for chicken pieces) are quality windows: past them the food is safe but dry, tough, and freezer-burned. Past-date frozen food is a taste decision, not a safety one.
Why does ground beef only get 2 days when steaks get 5?
Surface area. Grinding exposes far more of the meat to air and handling, which is where bacteria live — the USDA gives ground meat the shortest fridge clock in the case: 1–2 days, vs 3–5 for whole cuts. The same logic is why chicken pieces and ground turkey share the 2-day limit. Rule of thumb: the more surface, the shorter the clock.
What’s the 2-hour rule?
Perishable food shouldn’t sit in the 40–140°F “danger zone” for more than 2 hours — and above 90°F (a summer picnic), that shrinks to 1 hour. The clock includes shopping, the car ride, and the counter. Get groceries into the fridge fast, and never thaw meat on the counter — thaw in the fridge, in cold water (changed every 30 minutes), or in the microwave.
Can I refreeze meat I thawed?
Yes — if you thawed it in the refrigerator. The USDA says meat thawed in the fridge can go back in the freezer without cooking, though you’ll lose some quality. Meat thawed in cold water or the microwave should be cooked first, then frozen. The one rule that never bends: food left out more than 2 hours is done, thawed or not.
Why can’t I freeze eggs in the shell?
Because the shell cracks — water expands as it freezes, the shell splits, and bacteria walk right in. Freeze beaten eggs or separated whites/yolks instead (add a pinch of salt or sugar to yolks so they don’t gel). Hard-boiled eggs don’t freeze well either — the whites turn rubbery.
Do the times start when I buy it or when I open it?
When you open it — for opened-package items like hot dogs and deli meat, the clock starts at opening, not purchase. For cooked food and leftovers, it starts at cooking. The expiry checker above uses the USDA’s upper bound of each range; treat the first day of the range as the “use it now” signal.