How long food lasts in the fridge and freezer
Fridge and freezer times for the foods people most often forget, taken from the USDA cold food storage chart. Pick a food for storage tips and freezing advice.
Poultry
| Food | Fridge (40°F / 4°C) | Freezer (0°F / −18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Raw chicken | 1 to 2 days | 9 months |
| Raw turkey | 1 to 2 days | 1 year |
Meat
| Food | Fridge (40°F / 4°C) | Freezer (0°F / −18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Ground beef and ground meat | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Raw steak and roasts | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months |
| Raw pork chops | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months |
| Sausage | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 months |
Deli and cured meats
| Food | Fridge (40°F / 4°C) | Freezer (0°F / −18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Bacon | 1 week | 1 month |
| Hot dogs | 1 week | 1 to 2 months |
| Deli meat and lunch meat | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Cooked ham | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Prosciutto and dry-cured ham | 2 to 3 months | 1 month |
Fish and seafood
| Food | Fridge (40°F / 4°C) | Freezer (0°F / −18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Raw salmon and fatty fish | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Raw cod and lean white fish | 1 to 3 days | 6 to 8 months |
| Fresh shrimp | 3 to 5 days | 6 to 18 months |
| Crab and lobster | 2 to 4 days | 2 to 4 months |
| Mussels, clams and oysters | 5 to 10 days | Freezing not recommended |
Eggs
| Food | Fridge (40°F / 4°C) | Freezer (0°F / −18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Raw eggs | 3 to 5 weeks | Do not freeze in the shell; beat yolks and whites together, then freeze |
| Hard-boiled eggs | 1 week | Do not freeze |
Leftovers and cooked dishes
| Food | Fridge (40°F / 4°C) | Freezer (0°F / −18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked chicken and meat | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months |
| Leftovers | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months |
| Leftover pizza | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Soup and stew | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Tuna, chicken and egg salad | 3 to 4 days | Does not freeze well |
| Quiche | 3 to 5 days | 2 to 3 months |
Freezer times are about quality, not safety
Food kept continuously frozen at 0°F (−18°C) stays safe indefinitely; the freezer times above are about flavor and texture. Label packages with the date you froze them.
Avoid freezing, thawing and refreezing the same food. Every cycle damages texture and flavor, and food that thawed outside the refrigerator gives bacteria a chance to grow. Raw food thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen, with some loss of quality. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave must be cooked before it goes back in the freezer. Never refreeze food that thawed on the counter or stayed out more than 2 hours. Freeze in small portions so you only thaw what you need.
When in doubt, throw it out
These times assume food was handled safely and refrigerated promptly. If the package shows a use-by date that comes sooner, follow the label. Trust your nose too: if food smells sour, rancid or simply off, or looks slimy or moldy, throw it out, even within these times. The reverse is not true: the bacteria that cause food poisoning usually do not change the smell or appearance, so food that smells fine past these times is not safe either. Never taste food to check whether it is still good.
Never lose track of the date again
The hard part is rarely knowing the rule; it is remembering when you put the food away. FridgeBuddy lets you scan the barcode and printed date, choose how early you want a reminder, and see what to use first across your fridge, freezer and pantry.
Source: USDA cold food storage chart on FoodSafety.gov, last reviewed by the agency on September 19, 2023. This guide is for general information; always follow the label and your local food-safety authority.
Related FridgeBuddy guides
- Food expiration tracker — Get reminded before food in your kitchen expires.
Use your food before it becomes waste.
