| Food |
Refrigerator at 4 °C (40 °F) or lower |
Freezer at - 18 °C (0 °F) or lower |
| Fresh meat |
| Beef |
2-4 days |
10 - 12 months |
| Pork |
2-4 days |
8 - 12 months |
| Lamb |
2-4 days |
8 - 12 months |
| Veal |
3-4 days |
8 - 12 months |
| Ground meat |
1-2 days |
2 - 3 months |
| Fresh poultry |
| Chicken/Turkey - whole |
2-3 days |
1 year |
| Chicken/Turkey - pieces |
2-3 days |
6 months |
| Fresh fish |
| Lean fish - cod, flounder etc. |
3-4 days |
6 months |
| Fatty fish - salmon etc. |
3-4 days |
2 months |
| Shellfish - clams, crab, lobster etc. |
12-24 hours |
2-4 months |
| Scallops, shrimp, cooked shellfish |
1-2 days |
2-4 months |
| Ham |
| Canned ham |
6-9 months |
Don't freeze |
| Cooked ham |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Bacon and sausages |
| Bacon |
1 week |
1 month |
| Raw sausage |
1-2 days |
1-2 months |
| Pre-cooked sausage links or patties |
1 week |
1-2 months |
| Hot dogs |
| Un-opened hotdogs |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Opened hotdogs |
1 week |
1-2 months |
| Lunch meat and deli food |
| Un-opened lunch meat |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Opened lunch meat |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
| Deli packaged lunch meat |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Deli or homemade salads |
3-5 days |
Don't freeze |
| Leftovers |
| Cooked meat, stews, egg or vegetable dishes |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Cooked poultry and fish |
3-4 days |
4-6 months |
| Meat broth and gravy |
3-4 days |
4-6 months |
| Soups |
2-3 days |
4 months |
| Frozen dinners |
| Keep frozen until ready to cook |
|
3-4 months |
| Eggs |
| Fresh in shell |
3-4 weeks |
Don't freeze |
| Fresh out of shell |
2-4 days |
4 months |
| Hard-cooked |
1 week |
Doesn't freeze well |
| Egg substitutes un-opened |
10 days |
1 year |
| Egg substitutes opened |
3 days |
Don't freeze |
| Dairy products |
| Un-opened milk |
Best before date |
6 weeks |
| Opened milk |
3 days |
Don't freeze |
| Un-opened cottage cheese |
Best before date |
Doesn't freeze well |
| Opened cottage cheese |
3 days |
Don't freeze |
| Un-opened yogurt |
Best before date |
1-2 months |
| Opened yogurt |
3 days |
Don't freeze |
| Soft cheese |
1 week |
Doesn't freeze well |
| Semi-soft cheese |
2-3 weeks |
8 weeks |
| Firm cheese |
5 weeks |
3 months |
| Hard cheese |
10 months |
1 year |
| Processed cheese |
5 months |
3 months |
| Un-opened salted butter |
8 weeks |
1 year |
| Un-opened unsalted butter |
8 weeks |
3 months |
| Opened butter |
3 weeks |
Don't freeze |
| Vegetables |
| Beans green or waxed |
5 days |
8 months |
| Carrots |
2 weeks |
10-12 months |
| Celery |
2 weeks |
10-12 months |
| Leaf lettuce |
3-7 days |
Don't freeze |
| Iceberg lettuce |
1-2 weeks |
Don't freeze |
| Spinach |
2-4 weeks |
10-12 months |
| Summer squash |
1 week |
10-12 months |
| Winter squash |
2 weeks |
10-12 months |
| Tomatoes |
Don't refrigerate |
2 months |
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