Food Storage Chart - Food Storage Guidelines Shelf Life of Food - Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart Food Item Room Refrigerator Freezer Comments Temperature (37° to 40° F) (0 °F) (70° F) Breads Dough Tube cans of rolls, Use-by-date Don't biscuits, pizza freeze dough, etc. Ready-to-bake pie Use-by-date 2 months crust Cookie dough Use-by-date 2 months unopened or opened Breads Room Refrigerator Freezer Temperature Comments (37° to 40° F) (0 °F) (70° F) Breads, fresh Store at room Storing in the 3 months Over wrap well to temperature. Use refrigerator prevent drying out; the date as a promotes thaw at room guide or use staling. temperature within 3 to 5 days. Bread and rolls, 1 to 2 days 2 months Sometimes dough unbaked dough doesn't rise as well if frozen Muffins, rolls, 3 days 1 to 2 Wrap individually, pack quick breads months in rigid containers to prevent crushing Pancakes and 2 days 1 to 2 Freeze with waxed waffles months paper between each two. Heat without thawing in a toaster or under broiler Pastries, Danish, Store at room 3 months Doughnuts temperature. Best used within 1 to 3 days Tortillas, corn or 1 week 3 months Wrap well flour Baked Goods Cakes Room Refrigerator Freezer Temperature Comments (37° to 40° F) (0 °F) (70° F) Angel food & 3 days 4 to 6 Wrap well sponge cakes months Cheesecake 3 to 7 days 4 to 6 Wrap well months Fruit cakes 1 year Wrap well Layer cakes Store at room 2 to 4 Wrap well. Butter temperature. months frosting freezes well, Best used fluffy egg white within 3 to 7 frostings don't days Cookies Cookies, baked 4 to 6 Pack in airtight months container Cookies, unbaked 2 to 3 days 6 months Form refrigerator dough dough cookies in rolls; wrap tightly, thaw in refrigerator before slicing or dropping on cookie sheets Pies Chiffon pie, 1 to 2 days 1 month Pumpkin pie Fruit pies, baked 1 to 2 days 1 year Wrap well; thaw at room temperature; heat in 350 degree F. oven about 15 minutes Fruit pies, 8 months Cut holes in upper unbaked crust to vent; bake unthawed Pies, starch- 1 to 2 days Do not Fillings become watery thickened custard freeze and lumpy and pastry becomes soggy Pies, nut, baked 4 to 5 days 6 months Wrap well Pie shells, 1 day 2 months Fit in pie pans; prick unbaked crusts. Stack pie pans with 2 layers freezer paper between. Place in freezer bags. Either bake frozen or thaw in refrigerator Dairy & Eggs Dairy Room Refrigerator Freezer Temperature Comments (37° to 40° F) (0 °F) (70° F) Butter 1 to 3 months 6 to 9 Leave in original months wrapping; overwrap well Buttermilk 7 to 14 days Do not Texture changes freeze Canned Milk, 3 to 5 days N/A opened Cheese, Hard 6 months, 6 months Best used in cooking; (such as Cheddar, unopened will crumble when Swiss) 3 to 4 weeks, sliced; thaw in opened refrigerator to minimize crumbling Cheese, 1 to 2 Repackage in freezer parmesan, grated months bags Cheese Soft (such 1 week 6 months Texture can change as Brie, Bel Paese) Cottage Cheese, 1 week Doesn't Separates, becomes Ricotta freeze well grainy Cream Cheese 2 weeks Doesn't Can be mixed with freeze well other ingredients and frozen; by itself becomes crumbly Cream--Whipped, 1 month Doesn't ultra-pasteurized freeze Cream--Whipped, 1 day 1 to 2 Freeze small mounds Sweetened months of lightly sweetened whipped cream on cookie sheet; then repackage so the mounds won't be crushed; thaw in refrigerator or serve frozen. Cream--Aerosol 3 to 4 weeks Doesn't can, real whipped freeze cream Cream--Aerosol 3 months Doesn't can, non dairy freeze topping Cream, Half and 3 to 4 days 4 months Texture changes Half Eggnog, 3 to 5 days 6 months commercial Ice Creams, Can't 1 to 2 Overwrap to prevent Sorbets Refrigerate months ice crystals, freezer burn Margarine, Spread 4 to 5 months 12 months Leave in original substitutes wrapping; overwrap well Milk 7 days 1 month Allow room for expansion in freezer container; thaw in refrigerator. Freezing affects flavor and appearance; use in cooking and baking. Pudding package date; Doesn't Can separate 2 days after freeze opening Sour cream 7 to 21 days Doesn't Separates when freeze thawed Whipped Butter Doesn't Emulsion will break and and Margarine freeze product will separate. Yogurt 7 to 14 days 1 to 2 Texture changes months Eggs Room Temperature Refrigerator Freezer (70° F) (37° to 40° F) (0 °F) Comments Fresh, in shell 3 to 5 weeks Don't Shells break; eggs lose freeze quality Raw whites 2 to 4 days 1 year Gently stir whites together; freeze in ice cube trays; remove blocks to plastic freezer bag when solid. Each contains about 2 tablespoons. 1 cube - 1 egg white. Raw yolks 1 week Don't Yolks can clump freeze well Hard cooked eggs 1 week Don't Whites become freeze well rubbery; water separates Liquid pasteurized eggs, egg 3 days Doesn't If opened, read label substitutes, 10 days freeze well instructions regarding opened 1 year freezing unopened Freeze if unopened. Mayonnaise, 2 months Doesn't commercial, freeze refrigerate after opening Fruits Fruit, Fresh Room Refrigerator Freezer Temperature Comments (37° to 40° F) (0 °F) (70° F) Commercially 1 year Frozen Canned Fruits unopened - 12 opened - 1 Do not store in opened to 24 months to 2 can. Store in airtight opened - 2 to 3 months container. days Dried fruits cooked 3 to 5 days 4 to 6 uncooked 6 months months 12 months Apples 3 to 5 months Apricots, grapes, 3 to 5 days 6 months See preserving nectarines, instructions for peaches, pears, individual fruits plums Avocados 2 to 3 days after 5 to 10 days ripened Bananas Store at room Freeze whole in skin or temperature peel and mash; great in breads and cakes Berries, cherries 2 to 3 days Freeze individually on cookie sheets; repackage in heavy plastic bags Cranberries 3 to 4 weeks 8 to 12 months Grapefruit 7 days 2 weeks 4 to 6 Wrap cut surfaces to months prevent loss of Vitamin C. Grapes 1 to 2 weeks Guavas, papayas 1 to 2 days Kiwi Fruit 3 to 5 days after 4 to 6 months if ripening unripe. Lemons 1 week 2 to 5 weeks Limes 1 week 2 to 5 weeks Melons 1 week 8 to 12 Wrap cut surfaces to months prevent Vitamin C loss, control odors. Oranges 3 to 4 days 5 to 6 weeks Peaches Ripen at room 2 to 3 days temperature Pineapple 1 to 2 days 3 to 5 days Tangerines 2 to 3 days 1 week Watermelon Uncut 6 to 8 days watermelon can be stored at room temperature for a few days Fruit Beverages Juices in cartons, 3 weeks 8 to 12 fruit drinks, punch unopened months 7 to 10 days opened Meats Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products Room Temperature Refrigerator Freezer (70° F) (37° to 40° F) (0 °F) Comments Store-prepared 3 to 5 days Doesn't (or homemade) freeze well egg, chicken, ham, tuna, macaroni salads Hot dogs & Luncheon Meats Hot dogs, opened package 1 week 1 to 2 Changes texture, flavor unopened 2 weeks months Changes texture, flavor package 1 to 2 months Luncheon meats opened package 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 These lose flavor unopened 2 weeks months quickly; wrap tightly package 1 to 2 These lose flavor months quickly; wrap tightly Bacon & Sausage Bacon and 7 days 1 month Leave unopened in pancetta original wrapping; over wrap well Sausage, fresh; 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 Over wrap packages raw from chicken, months well turkey, pork, beef Smoked breakfast 7 days 1 to 2 Over wrap packages links, patties months well Hard sausage-- 2 to 3 weeks 1 to 2 Keep in original pepperoni, jerky months packaging; over wrap sticks well Summer sausage- -labeled "Keep 3 weeks 1 to 2 Refrigerated" 3 months months opened 1 to 2 unopened months Ham, Corned Beef Corned beef, in 5 to 7 days Drained, 1 pouch with month pickling juices Ham, canned-- labeled "Keep 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 Refrigerated" 6 to 9 months months opened Doesn't unopened freeze Ham, fully cooked 2 weeks 1 to 2 vacuum sealed at months plant, undated, unopened Ham, fully cooked "use by" date 1 to 2 vacuum sealed at on package months plant, dated, unopened Ham, fully cooked, 7 days 1 to 2 whole months Ham, fully cooked, 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 half months Ham, fully cooked, 3 to 4 days 1 to 2 slices months Hamburger, Ground Hamburger, 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 Remove from ground beef months supermarket wrapping; wrap well in freezer plastic wrap; over wrap with heavy-duty aluminum foil Ground turkey, 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 Remove from veal, pork, lamb & months supermarket wrapping; mixtures of them wrap well in freezer plastic wrap; over wrap with heavy-duty aluminum foil Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork Steaks 3 to 5 days 6 to 12 Wrap pieces months individually, then over wrap tightly Chops 3 to 5 days 4 to 6 Wrap pieces months individually, then over wrap tightly Roasts 3 to 5 days 4 to 12 Wrap pieces months individually, then over wrap tightly Variety meats-- 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 tongue, liver, months heart, kidneys, chitterlings Pre-stuffed, 1 day Don't uncooked pork freeze well chops, lamb chops, or chicken breast stuffed with dressing Soup & Stews Chili 4 to 6 All-meat chili freeze months better than those containing beans, which can break down & become mushy Soups, broth- 3 to 4 days 4 months Freeze in usable based amounts or individual servings Soups, cream- 2 days Do not Can curdle and based, such as freeze separate chowders, bisques Stock 3 to 4 days 4 to 6 Freeze in usable months amounts Stews 3 to 4 days 4 to 6 Freeze in usable months amounts Meat Leftovers Cooked meat and 3 to 4 days 2 to 3 meat casseroles months Gravy and meat 1 to 2 days 2 to 3 broth months Fresh Poultry Chicken, turkey, 1 to 2 days 1 year Keep in original or duck, whole packaging Chicken or turkey, 1 to 2 days 9 months Over wrap well pieces Giblets 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months Cooked Poultry Fried chicken 3 to 4 days 4 months Cooked poultry 3 to 4 days 4 to 6 casseroles months Pieces, plain 3 to 4 days 4 months Best frozen in stock, used in soups, casseroles Pieces covered 1 to 2 days 6 months with broth, gravy Chicken nuggets, 1 to 2 days 1 to 3 patties months Pizza Pizza 3 to 4 days 1 to 2 months Stuffing Stuffing, cooked 3 to 4 days 1 month Seafood and Fish Fish Lean fish (cod, 1 to 2 days 6 months remove from light flounder, haddock, supermarket wrap; sole, etc.) wrap well or use ice method below.