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Cold Storage Chart
Refrigerating and freezing food for later use
Select a food category to view the USDA's recommended refrigerator and freezer storage time limits. The listed time limits will help keep refrigerated food (40°F) from spoiling and provide safe food protection. Because freezing 0°F) keeps food safe for long periods of time, the recommended storage times for the freezer are for quality only.
Bacon and Sausage
Beverages, Fruit
Dairy
Deli & Vacuum-packed Products
Dough
Eggs
Ham, Corned Beef
Hamburger, Ground and Stew Meat
Hot Dogs and Luncheon Meats
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Mayonnaise, Commercial
Meat (Beef, Veal, Lamb & Pork)
Meat Leftovers
Pizza
Poultry, Cooked
Poultry, Fresh
Seafood, Fish
Seafood, Shellfish
Soups and Stews
Stuffing
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Bacon and sausage |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer(0°F) |
| Bacon |
7 days |
1 month |
| Sausage, raw from pork, beef, chicken or turkey |
1-2 days |
1-2 months |
| Smoked breakfast links, patties |
7 days |
1-2 months |
| Hard sausage - pepperoni,jerky sticks |
2-3 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Summer sausage labeled "Keep Refrigerated" - unopened |
3 months |
1-2 months |
| Summer sausage labeled "Keep Refrigerated" - opened |
3 weeks |
1-2 months |
Beverages, fruit
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Juices in cartons, fruit drinks, punch - unopened |
3 weeks |
8-12 months |
| Juices in cartons, fruit drinks, punch - opened |
7-10 days |
8-12 months |
Dairy
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Butter |
1-3 months |
6-9 months |
| Buttermilk |
7-14 days |
3 months |
| Cheese, hard (such as Cheddar, Swiss) - unopened |
6 months |
6 months |
| Cheese, hard - opened |
3-4 weeks |
6 months |
| Cheese, soft (such as 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 - whipped, ultrapasteurized |
1 month |
Doesn't freeze |
| Cream - whipped, sweetened |
1 day |
1-2 months |
| Cream - aerosol can, real whipped cream |
3-4 weeks |
Doesn't freeze |
| Cream - aerosol can, non-dairy topping |
3 months |
Doesn't freeze |
| Cream, Half and Half |
3-4 days |
4 months |
| Eggnog, commercial |
3-5 days |
6 months |
| Margarine |
4-5 months |
12 months |
| Milk |
7 days |
3 months |
| Pudding |
Package date or 2 days after opening |
Doesn't freeze |
| Sour cream |
7-21 days |
Doesn't freeze |
| Yogurt |
7-14 days |
1-2 months |
Deli & vacuum-packed products
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads |
3-5 days |
Doesn't freeze well |
Dough
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Tube cans of rolls, biscuits, pizza dough, etc. |
Use By Date |
Don't freeze |
| Ready-to-bake pie crust |
Use By Date |
2 months |
| Cookie dough |
Use By Date |
2 months |
Eggs
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Fresh, in shell |
3-5 weeks |
Don't freeze |
| Raw yolks, whites |
2-4 days |
1 year |
| Hardcooked |
1 week |
Doesn't freeze well |
| Liquid pasteurized eggs or substitutes - unopened |
10 days |
1 year |
| Liquid pasteurized eggs or substitutes - opened |
3 days |
Doesn't freeze well |
Ham, corned beef
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Corned beef in pouch with pickling juices |
5-7 days |
drained,1 month |
| Ham, canned, labeled "Keep Refrigerated" - unopened |
6-9 months |
Doesn't freeze |
| Ham, canned, labeled "Keep Refrigerated" - opened |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked vacuum sealed at plant, undated, unopened |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked vacuum sealed at plant, dated, unopened |
Use By Date |
1-2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, whole |
7 days |
1-2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, half |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, slices |
3-4 days |
1-2 months |
Hamburger, ground and stew meat
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Hamburger and stew meat |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb and mixtures of them |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
Hot dogs and luncheon meats
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Hot dogs, unopened package |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Hot dogs, opened package |
1 week |
1-2 months |
| Luncheon meats, unopened package |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Luncheon meats, opened package |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
Mayonnaise, commercial
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Refrigerate after opening |
2 months |
Doesn't freeze |
Meat (beef, veal, lamb and pork)
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Steaks |
3-5 days |
6-12 months |
| Chops |
3-5 days |
4-6 months |
| Roasts |
3-5 days |
4-12 months |
| Variety meats (tongue, kidneys, liver, heart, chitterlings) |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Pre-stuffed uncooked pork chops, lamb chops, or chicken breasts stuffed with
dressing |
1 day |
Doesn't freeze well |
Meat leftovers
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Cooked meat and meat casseroles |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Gravy and meat broth |
1-2 days |
2-3 months |
Pizza
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Pizza |
3-4 days |
1-2 months |
Poultry, cooked
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Fried chicken |
3-4 days |
4 months |
| Cooked poultry casseroles |
3-4 days |
4-6 months |
| Pieces, plain |
3-4 days |
4 months |
| Pieces covered with broth, gravy |
1-2 days |
6 months |
| Chicken nuggets, patties |
1-2 days |
1-3 months |
Poultry, fresh
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Chicken or turkey, whole |
1-2 days |
1 year |
| Chicken or turkey, pieces |
1-2 days |
9 months |
| Giblets |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
Seafood, fish
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Lean fish (cod, flounder,haddock, sole, etc) |
1-2 days |
6 months |
| Fatty fish bluefish, mackerel, salmon, etc.) |
1-2 days |
2-3 months |
| Cooked fish |
3-4 days |
4-6 months |
| Smoked fish |
14 days or date on vacuum |
2 months in vacuum package |
Seafood, shellfish
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Shrimp, scallops, crayfish, squid, 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 |
Soups and stews
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Vegetable or meat added |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
Stuffing
To page top |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Cooked stuffing |
3-4 days |
1 month |
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