How Long Food Actually Lasts in the Refrigerator: A Category-by-Category Guide

Refrigerated food shelf life is more concrete than most households realize. The USDA publishes guidance for safe storage times at 37°F, and the numbers are surprisingly specific. Knowing the actual shelf life for each food category reduces guesswork, prevents waste, and improves food safety.

This guide is a category-by-category reference. The numbers are USDA-sourced and reflect storage at the proper 37°F fresh-food temperature. If your fridge runs warmer (often the case if you haven't verified the actual temperature), reduce these timelines.

Meat, poultry, and seafood

The highest-risk category. Times measured from purchase date.

Chicken or turkey, raw: 1 to 2 days.

Beef, pork, or lamb (raw steaks, chops, roasts): 3 to 5 days.

Ground meat, raw (beef, pork, chicken, turkey): 1 to 2 days. The grinding process exposes more surface area, accelerating spoilage.

Fish or seafood, raw: 1 to 2 days. Some fatty fish (salmon, tuna) up to 3 days. Always store on ice if possible.

Cooked meat or poultry leftovers: 3 to 4 days.

Cooked fish or seafood: 3 to 4 days.

Deli meats (sliced): 3 to 5 days from purchase, 3 days from opening for vacuum-sealed packages.

Bacon (raw, vacuum-sealed): 1 to 2 weeks before opening; 7 days after opening.

Sausage (raw): 1 to 2 days. Sausage (cooked): 3 to 4 days.

For raw meat, the back of the bottom shelf is the right storage zone. See Refrigerator Zones Explained for the placement strategy.

Dairy

Times from opening unless noted.

Milk (whole, 2%, skim): 5 to 7 days from opening. Up to "best by" date if unopened.

Heavy cream: 7 to 10 days from opening.

Half-and-half: 7 to 10 days from opening.

Yogurt: 7 to 14 days from opening.

Cottage cheese: 7 to 14 days from opening.

Sour cream: 7 to 14 days from opening.

Hard cheese (cheddar, parmesan, gouda): 3 to 6 weeks from opening, wrapped properly.

Soft cheese (brie, camembert, fresh mozzarella): 1 to 2 weeks from opening.

Butter (salted): 1 to 3 months refrigerated.

Eggs: 3 to 5 weeks from purchase in their original carton.

Dairy should be stored on the middle or bottom shelf, not the door. The temperature difference adds days of shelf life.

Produce and vegetables

Times from purchase. Produce shelf life varies enormously by variety and condition at purchase.

Lettuce (head): 1 to 2 weeks.

Lettuce (bagged): 5 to 7 days.

Spinach, kale, other leafy greens: 5 to 7 days.

Carrots (whole): 3 to 4 weeks. Carrots (baby): 2 to 3 weeks.

Broccoli, cauliflower: 7 to 10 days.

Cucumbers: 1 to 2 weeks.

Bell peppers: 1 to 2 weeks.

Tomatoes: 5 to 7 days refrigerated. Counter-top storage is actually better for flavor (1 to 5 days).

Berries: 3 to 7 days. Don't wash until ready to eat.

Apples: 4 to 6 weeks refrigerated.

Citrus (oranges, lemons, limes): 2 to 4 weeks.

Grapes: 5 to 7 days.

Most produce belongs in the crisper drawer (high humidity) rather than open shelves.

Cooked leftovers

The most common shelf-life confusion. USDA guidance is clear and conservative.

Most cooked dishes: 3 to 4 days. Casseroles, pasta, stir-fries, prepared mains.

Soups and stews: 3 to 4 days (some longer life if very acidic).

Rice and grains: 3 to 5 days.

Cooked vegetables: 3 to 5 days.

Cooked beans and legumes: 3 to 4 days.

Hummus and other prepared dips: 7 to 10 days from opening for store-bought; 3 to 4 days for homemade.

Pizza (delivered or homemade): 3 to 4 days.

Salads (with dressing): 1 to 2 days. Salads without dressing: 3 to 4 days.

The 3 to 4 day rule covers almost all cooked food categories. If you won't eat leftovers within 4 days, freeze them. See What You Can and Can't Freeze for freezing guidance.

Condiments and sauces

Generally long shelf life due to acid, salt, or sugar preservation.

Ketchup: 6 months from opening.

Mustard: 12 months from opening.

Mayonnaise: 2 months from opening.

Hot sauce: 1 to 2 years from opening (the high acidity).

Salad dressing (commercial): 1 to 3 months from opening.

Salad dressing (homemade): 1 week from making.

Soy sauce: 1 month at peak quality from opening (longer is safe; flavor declines).

Pickles, olives: 6 months to 1 year from opening.

Salsa (jarred): 1 to 2 months from opening. Salsa (fresh from deli): 5 to 7 days.

Most condiments belong in the door bins; they tolerate the warmer temperature.

Beverages

Times from opening unless noted.

Wine (opened): 1 to 4 days. Red lasts longer than white.

Beer (after opening): 24 hours; goes flat after that.

Orange juice or fruit juice: 7 to 10 days from opening.

Soft drinks (opened): 2 to 4 days for full carbonation; safe to drink longer.

Coffee (brewed): 24 hours at peak quality. Drinkable for 3 to 5 days.

Iced tea: 3 to 5 days.

Beverages mostly belong in the door bins. The temperature swings don't significantly impact quality for the timeline involved.

Eggs

A special case worth its own section.

Whole eggs in shell: 3 to 5 weeks from purchase (typically past the carton's "sell by" date by 1 to 2 weeks).

Cracked or cooked eggs (peeled): 7 days.

Hard-boiled eggs in shell: 1 week.

Egg whites (separated, refrigerated): 4 days.

Egg yolks (separated, refrigerated): 2 days.

To test if an egg is still good: place in a bowl of water. Fresh egg sinks and lies on its side. Older egg stands upright. Spoiled egg floats.

What "best by" dates actually mean

Three date types on food packaging.

"Best by" or "best before": quality date. Manufacturer's estimate of when the food is at peak flavor. Not a safety date. Most foods are safe past this date.

"Use by": closer to a safety date. Manufacturer's recommendation for last day of use. Quality and safety decline after this.

"Sell by": retailer's stock-rotation date. The food is usually safe for 3 to 7 days after this date if properly stored.

The actual storage time matters more than the printed date. A jar of mayo opened on the "best by" date is still good for the open-jar timeline (2 months). The unopened "best by" date passed but the contents are fine.

When food has gone bad

Trust your senses. Three reliable indicators:

Smell. Sour, off, or "wrong" smells indicate spoilage. Trust this; humans evolved to detect food spoilage.

Visual. Mold, discoloration, slimy texture all indicate degradation.

Texture. Soft when it should be firm, or sticky when it should be smooth, indicates problems.

If any of these are present, discard. Food safety is worth the cost of a few discarded items.

For meat specifically: visible color changes (gray, green), slimy surface, or sour smell mean throw out, even if within the "shelf life" window.

What the shelf life depends on

Three variables that change actual shelf life.

Refrigerator temperature. The full USDA shelf life assumes 37°F. At 40°F, shelf life shortens by 25 percent. At 45°F, by 50 percent. See The Right Refrigerator and Freezer Temperatures.

Storage zone. Door bin storage shortens shelf life for milk, eggs, and other temperature-sensitive items. See Refrigerator Zones Explained.

Storage container. Original packaging is usually best. Sealed containers prevent contamination and odor transfer.

If your refrigerator runs warm or your storage zones are wrong, every shelf life above is shorter than printed.

The freeze-instead rule

If you can't eat something within its shelf life, freeze it.

Most leftovers freeze well (3 to 4 months in freezer at 0°F). Some freeze poorly (fresh salads, dairy-based sauces, hollandaise). See What You Can and Can't Freeze for the full list.

Freezing extends the safe storage time from days to months. For households that batch-cook or buy in bulk, the freezer is the second key tool in food waste reduction.

Bottom line

Most refrigerated foods last 3 to 7 days from purchase or opening. Meat and seafood are shorter (1 to 5 days); condiments and unopened items are longer (months). The shelf life depends on your actual refrigerator temperature (verify it's at 37°F), your storage zone (back of shelf vs. door), and your container. When in doubt, smell and look at the food before eating. The USDA guidelines give you safe windows; your senses confirm whether the food is still good within them.