Follow the guidelines below for storing food in the refrigerator and freezer. The short time limits for home-refrigerated foods will help keep them from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. The guidelines for freezer storage are for quality only—frozen foods stored continuously at 0 °F or below can be kept indefinitely.
Download Table as PDF| Food | Type | Refrigerator (40 °F or below) |
Freezer (0 °F or below) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salad | Egg, chicken, ham, tuna and macaroni salads | 3 to 4 days | Does not freeze well |
| Hot dogs | Opened package | 1 week | 1 to 2 months |
| Unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months | |
| Luncheon meat | Opened package or deli sliced | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months | |
| Bacon and sausage | Bacon | 1 week | 1 month |
| Sausage, raw, from chicken, turkey, pork, or beef | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 months | |
| Sausage, fully cooked, from chicken, turkey, pork, or beef | 1 week | 1 to 2 months | |
| Hamburger and other ground meats | Hamburger, ground beef, turkey, veal, pork, lamb, and mixtures of them | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Fresh beef, veal, lamb, and pork | Steaks | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months |
| Chops | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months | |
| Roasts | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months | |
| Ham | Fresh, uncured, uncooked | 3 to 5 days | 6 months |
| Fresh, uncured, cooked | 3 to 4 days | 3 to 4 months | |
| Cured, cook-before-eating or uncooked | 5 to 7 days or “use by” date | 3 to 4 months | |
| Fully-cooked, vacuum-sealed at plant, unopened | “Use by” date | 1 to 2 months | |
| Cooked, store-wrapped, whole | 1 week | 1 to 2 months | |
| Cooked, store-wrapped, slices, half, or spiral cut | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months | |
| Country ham, cooked | 1 week | 1 month | |
| Canned, labeled "Keep Refrigerated," unopened | 6 to 9 months | Do not freeze | |
|
Canned, shelf-stable, opened Note: An unopened, shelf-stable, canned ham can be stored at room temperature for 6-9 months. |
5 to 14 days | 1 to 2 months | |
| Prosciutto, Parma or Serrano ham, dry Italian or Spanish type, cut | 2 to 3 months | 1 month | |
| Fresh Poultry | Chicken or turkey, whole | 1 to 2 days | 1 year |
| Chicken or turkey, pieces | 1 to 2 days | 9 months | |
| Eggs | Raw eggs in shell | 3 to 5 weeks | Do not freeze. Beat yolks and whites together, then freeze. |
| Raw egg whites and yolks Note: yolks do not freeze well | 2 to 4 days | 12 months | |
| Raw egg accidentally frozen in shell | Use immediately after thawing | Keep frozen, then refrigerate to thaw |
|
| Hard-cooked eggs | 1 week | Do not freeze | |
| Egg substitutes, liquid Unopened |
1 week | Do not freeze | |
| Egg substitutes, liquid Opened |
3 days | Do not freeze | |
| Egg substitutes, frozen, unopened | After thawing, 1 week or refer to “use by” date | 12 months | |
| Egg substitutes, frozen, opened | After cooking, 3 to 4 days or refer to “use by” date | Do not freeze | |
| Casseroles with eggs | 3 to 4 days | After baking, 2 to 3 months | |
| Eggnog, commercial | 3 to 5 days | 6 months | |
| Eggnog, homemade | 2 to 4 days | Do not freeze | |
| Pies: Pumpkin or pecan | 3 to 4 days | After baking, 1 to 2 months | |
| Pies: Custard and chiffon | 3 to 4 days | Do not freeze | |
| Quiche with filling | 3 to 5 days | After baking, 2 to 3 months | |
| Soups & Stews | Vegetable or meat added | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Leftovers | Cooked meat or poultry | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months |
| Chicken nuggets or patties | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 3 months | |
| Pizza | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
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