• Babies
• Building a Family
• Children
• General Parenting
• Newborns
• Teenagers
• Toddlers
• Pregnancy

Safe Storage Times for Refrigerated or Frozen Foods

Safe Storage Times for Refrigerated or Frozen FoodsProduct Refrigeration (40°F or less) Freezer (0°F)
Baked Goods     Unbaked bread   1 month Baked, unfrosted cake (angel food, chiffon, sponge or cheesecake)   2-3 months Baked, unfrosted chocolate, pound, white or yellow cake   4-6 months Beverages     Citrus fruit and homemade frozen juices 6 days 6 months Fruit juice concentrates   12 months Casseroles     Meat, fish or poultry 3-4 days 2-3 months Condiments     Mayonnaise, commercial, opened 2 months DO NOT FREEZE Hard cheese 2-3 weeks 4 months (thaw in refrigerator) Dairy     Hard cheese 2-3 weeks 4 months (thaw in refrigerator) 4-8 months in FoodSaver bag Soft cheese 5 days DO NOT FREEZE Butter 5 days 6-9 months Cream 5 days 2 months (thaw in refrigerator; heavy cream will not whip after freezing) Fresh eggs in shell 3-5 weeks DO NOT FREEZE Raw egg whites and yolks 2-4 days 12 months Hard-cooked eggs 7 days DO NOT FREEZE Pasteurized egg substitute, unopened 10 days   Pasteurized egg substitute, opened 3 days   Cooked egg dishes 3-4 days 12 months Margarine 4-5 months 1 month (thaw in refrigerator; best if used for cooking and baking) Milk 7 days   Buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt 7 days DO NOT FREEZE Fish     Bluefish, perch, mackerel or salmon 1-2 days 2-3 months Breaded fish 1-2 days 3 months Cod, flounder, haddock or sole 1-2 days 6 months Shellfish, cooked 1-2 days 3 months Shellfish, uncooked 1-2 days 3-6 months Frozen Foods     Ice cream, ice milk, sherbet   2 months TV dinners, frozen casseroles   3-4 months Fruits     Apples 1-3 weeks DO NOT FREEZE Berries, cherries, peaches, pears, pineapple, etc. 1-2 days 12 months Fresh, uncut limes 1 month   Fresh, cut limes (in plastic bag) 5 days   Melons 7 days DO NOT FREEZE Strawberries 3 days 12 months Meat     Ground beef, raw 1-2 days 2-3 months Hot dogs, unopened 2 weeks 1-2 months Hot dogs, opened package 1 week 1-2 months Luncheon meat, unopened 2 weeks 1-2 months Luncheon meat, opened 3-5 days 1-2 months Steaks or chops, uncooked 2-3 days 4-6 months Cooked meat and meat casseroles 3-4 days 2-3 months Poultry     Chicken, whole or cut up, uncooked 1-2 days 3 months Cooked 3-4 days 3-4 months Cooked casseroles 3-4 days 4-6 months Soups/Stews     Vegetable or meat 3-4 days 2-3 months Vegetables     Home frozen   10 months Fresh: asparagus, corn in husks, beans (green or wax), mushrooms, shredded cabbage, leaf and bib lettuce, salad greens, tomatoes (ripe) or cabbage 1-2 days All vegetables: 1-2 years in vacuum-packed FoodSaver bags Head lettuce (washed and drained), unshelled peas, lima beans and or spinach 3-5 days   Beets, cabbage, carrots, celery and radishes 7-14 days   Purchased frozen packages (cartons, plastic bags or boil-in bags)   8 months Other Foods     Gravy, broth 1-2 days   Canned fruits, opened 7 days   Canned vegetables, opened 2-3 days   Puddings or custards, opened 1-2 days   Pizza 3-4 days 1-2 months Stuffing, cooked 3-4 days 1 month Prepared deli salads (chicken, egg, tuna, macaroni or potato) 3-5 days DO NOT FREEZE Unopened vacuum-packed dinners with 2 weeks