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Food Storage & Expiry Guide

How long common foods keep in the fridge and freezer. Search a food to see its times.

Times follow the USDA FoodSafety.gov — Cold Food Storage Chart. Fridge assumes 40°F (4°C) or below; freezer assumes 0°F (−18°C). Freezer times are for quality — food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe indefinitely. When in doubt, throw it out.

Eggs

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Raw eggs in shell	3 to 5 weeks	Do not freeze in shell
Raw egg whites or yolks (out of shell)	2 to 4 days	12 months
Hard-cooked eggs	1 week	Does not freeze well
Egg substitutes, opened	3 days	Do not freeze
Egg substitutes, unopened	10 days	12 months

Deli & prepared

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Store-prepared or homemade egg/chicken/tuna/ham/macaroni salad	3 to 5 days	Does not freeze well

Hot dogs & lunch meat

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Hot dogs, opened package	1 week	1 to 2 months
Hot dogs, unopened package	2 weeks	1 to 2 months
Luncheon meat, opened or deli-sliced	3 to 5 days	1 to 2 months
Luncheon meat, unopened package	2 weeks	1 to 2 months

Bacon & sausage

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Bacon	1 week	1 month
Sausage, raw (chicken, turkey, pork, beef)	1 to 2 days	1 to 2 months

Ground meat

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Hamburger & other ground meats	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months

Fresh beef, veal, lamb, pork

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Steaks	3 to 5 days	6 to 12 months
Chops	3 to 5 days	4 to 6 months
Roasts	3 to 5 days	4 to 12 months

Ham

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Fresh, uncured, uncooked ham	3 to 5 days	6 months
Fully cooked ham, whole	1 week	1 to 2 months
Fully cooked ham, slices	3 to 4 days	1 to 2 months

Fresh poultry

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Chicken or turkey, whole	1 to 2 days	1 year
Chicken or turkey, pieces	1 to 2 days	9 months

Fish & shellfish

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Lean fish (cod, flounder, etc.)	1 to 2 days	6 to 8 months
Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, etc.)	1 to 2 days	2 to 3 months
Shellfish (shrimp, scallops, crayfish)	1 to 2 days	3 to 6 months

Soups & leftovers

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Soups & stews (vegetable or meat added)	3 to 4 days	2 to 3 months
Cooked meat or poultry leftovers	3 to 4 days	2 to 6 months
Chicken nuggets or patties (cooked)	3 to 4 days	1 to 3 months
Pizza (cooked)	3 to 4 days	1 to 2 months
Cooked pasta, rice, vegetables	3 to 4 days	1 to 2 months

This is a lookup of published USDA guidance, not personalized advice. Milk, fresh produce and many packaged goods aren't on the USDA cold-storage chart — follow the package “use by” date and the source for those. Always confirm at the source.