Cold Storage Chart
These short, but safe, time limits will help keep refrigerated food from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. Because freezing keeps food safe indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only.
These short, but safe, time limits will help keep refrigerated food from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. Because freezing keeps food safe indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only.
| Cold Storage Chart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Refrigerator 40 °F (4.4 ºC) | Freezer 0 °F (-17.7 ºC) | ||
| Eggs | ||||
| Fresh, in shell | 3 to 5 weeks | Do not freeze | ||
| Raw yolks & whites | 2 to 4 days | 1 year | ||
| Hard cooked | 1 week | Does not freeze well | ||
| Liquid pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes | ||||
| Opened | 3 days | Does not freeze well | ||
| Unopened | 10 days | 1 year | ||
| Mayonnaise, Commercial | ||||
Refrigerate after opening | 2 months | Do not freeze | ||
| Frozen Dinners & Entrees | ||||
| Keep frozen until ready to heat | — | 3 to 4 months | ||
| Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products | ||||
| Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, ham, tuna, & macaroni salads | 3 to 5 days | Does not freeze well | ||
| Hot dogs & Luncheon Meats | ||||
| Hot dogs | ||||
| Opened package | 1 week | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Luncheon meat | ||||
| Opened package | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Bacon & Sausage | ||||
| Bacon | 7 days | 1 month | ||
| Sausage, raw — from chicken, turkey, pork, beef | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Smoked breakfast links, patties | 7 days | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Hard sausage — pepperoni, jerky sticks | 2 to 3 weeks | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Summer sausage labeled "Keep Refrigerated" | ||||
| Opened | 3 weeks | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Unopened | 3 months | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Corned Beef | ||||
| Corned beef, in pouch with pickling juices | 5 to 7 days | Drained, 1 month | ||
| Ham, canned labeled "Keep Refrigerated" | ||||
| Opened | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Unopened | 6 to 9 months | Do not freeze | ||
| Ham, fully cooked | ||||
| Vacuum sealed at plant, undated, unopened | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Vacuum sealed at plant, dated, unopened | "Use-By" date on package | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Whole | 7 days | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Half | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Slices | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat | ||||
| Hamburger & stew meat | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months | ||
| Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb, & mixtures of them | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months | ||
| Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork | ||||
| 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 | ||
| Variety meats — tongue, liver, heart, kidneys, chitterlings | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months | ||
| Pre-stuffed, uncooked pork chops, lamb chops, or chicken breasts stuffed with dressing | 1 day | Does not freeze well | ||
| Soups & Stews Vegetable or meat added | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months | ||
| Fresh Poultry | ||||
| Chicken or turkey, whole | 1 to 2 days | 1 year | ||
| Chicken or turkey, pieces | 1 to 2 days | 9 months | ||
| Giblets | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months | ||
| Cooked Meat and Poultry Leftovers | ||||
| Cooked meat & meat casseroles | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months | ||
| Gravy & meat broth | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months | ||
| Fried chicken | 3 to 4 days | 4 months | ||
| Cooked poultry casseroles | 3 to 4 days | 4 to 6 months | ||
| Poultry pieces, plain | 3 to 4 days | 4 months | ||
| Poultry pieces in broth, gravy | 3 to 4 days | 6 months | ||
| Chicken nuggets, patties | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 3 months | ||
| Other Cooked Leftovers | ||||
| Pizza, cooked | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months | ||
| Stuffing, cooked | 3 to 4 days | 1 month | ||
