Safe Storage Times for Refrigerated or Frozen Foods
Find out how long all types of foods can be refrigerated or frozen.
Safe Storage Times for Refrigerated or Frozen Foods
Product | Refrigeration (40°F or less) | Freezer (0°F) |
Baked Goods | ||
Unbaked bread | 1 month | |
Baked, unfrosted cake (angel food, chiffon, sponge or cheesecake) | 2-3 months | |
Baked, unfrosted chocolate, pound, white or yellow cake | 4-6 months | |
Beverages | ||
Citrus fruit and homemade frozen juices | 6 days | 6 months |
Fruit juice concentrates | 12 months | |
Casseroles | ||
Meat, fish or poultry | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
Condiments | ||
Mayonnaise, commercial, opened | 2 months | DO NOT FREEZE |
Hard cheese | 2-3 weeks | 4 months (thaw in refrigerator) |
Dairy | ||
Hard cheese | 2-3 weeks | 4 months (thaw in refrigerator) 4-8 months in FoodSaver bag |
Soft cheese | 5 days | DO NOT FREEZE |
Butter | 5 days | 6-9 months |
Cream | 5 days | 2 months (thaw in refrigerator; heavy cream will not whip after freezing) |
Fresh eggs in shell | 3-5 weeks | DO NOT FREEZE |
Raw egg whites and yolks | 2-4 days | 12 months |
Hard-cooked eggs | 7 days | DO NOT FREEZE |
Pasteurized egg substitute, unopened | 10 days | |
Pasteurized egg substitute, opened | 3 days | |
Cooked egg dishes | 3-4 days | 12 months |
Margarine | 4-5 months | 1 month (thaw in refrigerator; best if used for cooking and baking) |
Milk | 7 days | |
Buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt | 7 days | DO NOT FREEZE |
Fish | ||
Bluefish, perch, mackerel or salmon | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
Breaded fish | 1-2 days | 3 months |
Cod, flounder, haddock or sole | 1-2 days | 6 months |
Shellfish, cooked | 1-2 days | 3 months |
Shellfish, uncooked | 1-2 days | 3-6 months |
Frozen Foods | ||
Ice cream, ice milk, sherbet | 2 months | |
TV dinners, frozen casseroles | 3-4 months | |
Fruits | ||
Apples | 1-3 weeks | DO NOT FREEZE |
Berries, cherries, peaches, pears, pineapple, etc. | 1-2 days | 12 months |
Fresh, uncut limes | 1 month | |
Fresh, cut limes (in plastic bag) | 5 days | |
Melons | 7 days | DO NOT FREEZE |
Strawberries | 3 days | 12 months |
Meat | ||
Ground beef, raw | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
Hot dogs, unopened | 2 weeks | 1-2 months |
Hot dogs, opened package | 1 week | 1-2 months |
Luncheon meat, unopened | 2 weeks | 1-2 months |
Luncheon meat, opened | 3-5 days | 1-2 months |
Steaks or chops, uncooked | 2-3 days | 4-6 months |
Cooked meat and meat casseroles | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
Poultry | ||
Chicken, whole or cut up, uncooked | 1-2 days | 3 months |
Cooked | 3-4 days | 3-4 months |
Cooked casseroles | 3-4 days | 4-6 months |
Soups/Stews | ||
Vegetable or meat | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
Vegetables | ||
Home frozen | 10 months | |
Fresh: asparagus, corn in husks, beans (green or wax), mushrooms, shredded cabbage, leaf and bib lettuce, salad greens, tomatoes (ripe) or cabbage | 1-2 days | All vegetables: 1-2 years in vacuum-packed FoodSaver bags |
Head lettuce (washed and drained), unshelled peas, lima beans and or spinach | 3-5 days | |
Beets, cabbage, carrots, celery and radishes | 7-14 days | |
Purchased frozen packages (cartons, plastic bags or boil-in bags) | 8 months | |
Other Foods | ||
Gravy, broth | 1-2 days | |
Canned fruits, opened | 7 days | |
Canned vegetables, opened | 2-3 days | |
Puddings or custards, opened | 1-2 days | |
Pizza | 3-4 days | 1-2 months |
Stuffing, cooked | 3-4 days | 1 month |
Prepared deli salads (chicken, egg, tuna, macaroni or potato) | 3-5 days | DO NOT FREEZE |
Unopened vacuum-packed dinners with | 2 weeks |