| Bacon & Sausage |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Bacon |
7 days |
1 month |
Sausage, raw
chicken, turkey, pork, beef |
1 - 2 days |
1 - 2 months |
| Smoked breakfast links or patties |
7 days |
1 - 2 months |
Hard sausage
pepperoni or jerky sticks |
2 - 3 weeks |
1 - 2 months |
Summer sausage - opened
labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
3 weeks |
1 - 2 months |
Summer sausage - unopened
labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
3 months |
1 - 2 months |
| Beverages (Fruit) |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Juices in cartons - opened
fruit drinks, punches |
7 - 10 days |
8 - 12 months |
Juices in cartons - unopened
fruit drinks, punches |
3 weeks |
8 - 12 months |
| Dairy |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Butter |
1 - 3 months |
6 - 9 months |
| Buttermilk |
7 - 14 days |
3 months |
Hard Cheese - opened
Cheddar, Swiss, etc |
3 - 4 weeks |
6 months |
Hard Cheese - unopened
Cheddar, Swiss, etc |
6 months |
6 months |
Soft Cheese
Brie, Bel Paese, etc |
1 week |
6 months |
Cottage Cheese
Ricotta |
1 week |
Don't freeze |
| Cream Cheese |
2 weeks |
Don't freeze |
Cream - whipped
ultrapasteurized |
1 month |
Don't freeze |
Cream - whipped
sweetened |
1 day |
1 - 2 months |
Cream - aerosol can
real whipped cream |
3 - 4 weeks |
Don't freeze |
Cream - aerosol can
non-dairy topping |
3 months |
Don't freeze |
| Cream - Half and Half |
3 - 4 days |
4 months |
| Eggnog - commercial |
3 - 5 days |
6 months |
| Margarine |
4 - 5 months |
12 months |
| Milk |
7 days |
3 months |
| Pudding |
package date
2 days after opening |
Don't freeze |
| Sour Cream |
7 - 21 days |
Don't freeze |
| Yogurt |
7 - 14 days |
1 - 2 months |
| Dough |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Tube cans
rolls, biscuits, pizza dough, etc |
"use by" date |
Don't freeze |
| Ready-to-bake pie crust |
"use by" date |
2 months |
| Cookie Dough |
"use by" date |
2 months |
| Eggs |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Fresh - in shell |
3 - 5 weeks |
Don't freeze |
Raw yolks
Raw white |
2 - 4 days |
1 year |
| Hardcooked |
1 week |
Don't freeze |
Liquid pasteurized eggs - opened
Egg substitutes - opened |
3 days |
Don't freeze |
Liquid pasteurized eggs - unopened
Egg substitutes - unopened |
10 days |
1 year |
| Fish |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Lean fish
cod, flounder, haddock, sole, etc |
1 - 2 days |
6 months |
Fatty fish
bluefish, mackerel, salmon, etc |
1 - 2 days |
2 - 3 months |
| Cooked fish |
3 - 4 days |
4 - 6 months |
| Smoked fish |
14 days
date on vacuum package |
2 months in a
vacuum package |
| Ham and Corned Beef |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Corned beef
in pickling juice packaged in pouches |
5 - 7 days |
Drained: 1 month |
Ham - canned - opened
labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
3 - 5 days |
1 - 2 months |
Ham - canned - unopened
labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
6 - 9 months |
Don't freeze |
Ham - unopened and not dated
fully cooked, vacuum sealed at plant |
2 weeks |
1 - 2 months |
Ham - unopened and dated
fully cooked, vacuum sealed at plant |
"use by" date |
1 - 2 months |
Ham - fully cooked
whole |
7 days |
1 - 2 months |
Ham - fully cooked
half |
3 - 5 days |
1 - 2 months |
Ham - fully cooked
slices |
3 - 4 days |
1 - 2 months |
| Ground Hamburger &
Stew Meat |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Ground meat
turkey, veal, pork, lamb, & mixtures |
1 - 2 days |
3 - 4 months |
| Hamburger |
1 - 2 days |
3 - 4 months |
| Stew meat |
1 - 2 days |
3 - 4 months |
| Hot Dogs & Luncheon
Meats |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Hot dogs - opened |
1 week |
1 - 2 months |
| Hot dogs - unopened |
2 weeks |
1 - 2 months |
| Luncheon meats - opened |
3 - 5 days |
1 - 2 months |
| Luncheon meats - unopened |
2 weeks |
1 - 2 months |
| Mayonnaise |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Commercial
refrigerate after opening |
2 months |
Don't freeze |
Fresh Meat
Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Steaks |
3 - 5 days |
6 - 12 months |
| Chops |
3 - 5 days |
4 - 6 months |
| Roasts |
3 - 5 days |
4 - 12 months |
Variety meats: tongue, liver, heart,
kidneys, chitterlings |
1 - 2 days |
3 - 4 months |
Prestuffed with dressing - uncooked
pork chops, lamb chops,
chicken breast |
1 day |
Don't freeze |
| Meat Leftovers |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Cooked meat |
3 - 4 days |
2 - 3 months |
| Gravy and meat broth |
1 - 2 days |
2 - 3 months |
| Meat casseroles |
3 - 4 days |
2 - 3 months |
| Pizza |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Pizza |
3 - 4 days |
1 - 2 months |
| Poultry |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Fresh Chicken or Turkey
whole |
1 - 2 days |
1 year |
Fresh Chicken or Turkey
pieces |
1 - 2 days |
9 months |
| Giblets |
1 - 2 days |
3 - 4 months |
| Fried chicken |
3 - 4 days |
4 months |
| Cooked poultry casseroles |
3 - 4 days |
4 - 6 months |
Cooked pieces
plain |
3 - 4 days |
4 months |
Cooked pieces
in gravy or broth |
1 - 2 days |
6 months |
| Chicken nuggets or patties |
1 - 2 days |
1 - 3 months |
Salads
Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Store-prepared or homemade salads
egg, chicken, ham, tuna, macaroni |
3 - 5 days |
Don't freeze |
| Shellfish |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
Shrimp, scallops, crayfish, squid
Shucked clams, mussels, and oysters |
1 - 2 days |
3 - 6 months |
Live clams, mussels, crab, lobster,
and oysters |
2 - 3 days |
2 - 3 months |
| Cooked shellfish |
3 - 4 days |
3 months |
| Soups & Stews |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Vegetable or meat added |
3 - 4 days |
2 - 3 months |
| Meat broth |
1 - 2 days |
2 - 3 months |
| Stuffing |
Refrigerator (40°F) |
Freezer (0°F) |
| Stuffing - cooked |
3 - 4 days |
1 month |
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