The Correct Times We Can Store Food in the Refrigerator

We go the grocery store and come home with bags overflowing with a vast array of our favorite foods and then we proceed to put away this delicious assortment of fresh food; fish, meats, poultry, vegetables, eggs, dairy products and fruits.

But do you ever wonder just how long we can store food in the refrigerator and keep our food at the desired freshness to maintain a healthy diet?

A lot depends on how fresh the food was when we purchased it, expiration dates are there for a reason, so pay close attention to them.

And always keep the temperature in the refrigerator between 34 and 40℉ (2 to 4℃), this will keep foods fresher for much longer.

The following food storage times are from the Office of Environmental Health; hopefully they are useful and allow you to enjoy a healthier diet while saving money by avoiding food waste:

Meat

Raw ground meat: 1-2 days.

Steaks: 2-5 days.

Chops: 2-5 days.

Fresh pork: 3 days.

Raw roasts: 1-2 days.

Smoked ham: 1 week.

Stew meat: 1-2 days.

Raw livers, raw heart, raw kidneys and other variety meats: 1-2 days.

Broiled, fried or roasted meat and gravies made with meat stock: 2-3 days.

Frozen packaged meats: 2-3 days.

Cold cuts, opened: 3-5 days. Unopened, 4-7 days.

Meat pies, cooked stews, casseroles containing meat, meat salads: 2-3 days.

Sliced bacon, unopened: 2 weeks. Opened: 5-7 days.

Fish and Seafood

Frozen fish: use immediately.

Cooked fish: 3-4 days.

Fresh fish: 1-2 days.

Smoked salmon, etc: 1-2 days.

Lox: 3 days.

Kippered cod, smoked whiting: 6-7 days.

Fish salads and sandwich fillings: 1 day.

Bisques, broth, chowders, stews: 1-2 days.

Shrimp, fresh (uncooked): 1 day.

Crab, in shell: 2 days.

Scallops: 1 day.

Lobster tails, in shell: 2 days.

Clams, in shell: 2 days. Shucked: 1 day.

Oysters: 1 day.

Dried or pickled fish: 1 week.

Poultry

Poultry, frozen: 2 days after defrosting.

Fresh whole poultry: 1-2 days.

Fresh poultry cut in pieces: 1-2 days.

Cooked poultry: 2-3 days.

Duck: 2 days.

Poultry stuffing: 1 day.

Poultry Salads: 1 day.

Poultry pies, stews, creamed dishes, and gravies made with poultry stock: 1 day.

Dairy

Milk, homogenized or skimmed: 1 week.

Pasteurized fresh whole or skimmed milk, sweet cream, flavored milk drinks: 10-14 days from sell by date on carton.

Sour cream, buttermilk, cultured milk: 2 weeks.

Sweetened & condensed milk (opened): 1 week.

Evaporated milk (opened): 1 week.

Whipped topping, aerosol can: 3 months. Prepared from mix: 3 days. Frozen: 2 weeks (once thawed).

Yogurt: 7-10 days.

Soft custards, milk puddings, cream and custard fillings for cakes and pies: 5-6 days.

Natural hard cheese, semi-hard cheese, processed cheeses (cheddar, swiss, parmesan, bleu, etc.): 1 month. Mold on the outside of a cheese block may be trimmed off.

Soft cheeses (cream, cottage, limburger, camembert): 1 week.

Cheese spreads: 1 month.

Fruit

Grapes: 3-5 days.

Peaches, apricots, pears, avocados, nectarines, plums: 3-5 days.

Melons: 1 week.

Apples: 1 month.

Citrus: 2 weeks.

Berries, cherries: 1-2 days.

Cranberries: 1 week.

Pineapples, whole: 1 week. Cut: 2-3 days.

Vegetables

Brussels sprouts, broccoli, dried peas, summer squash: 3-5 days.

Cabbage, carrots, radishes, celery, parsnips, beets: 1-2 weeks.

Head of lettuce (unwashed): 5-7 days. Washed: 3-5 days.

Bib lettuce: 1-2 days.

Mustard greens, spinach, kale, beet turnip, chard, collard: 3-5 days.

Asparagus: 1-2 days.

Peppers, cucumbers: 1 week.

Tomatoes: 1-2 days.

Cauliflower, eggplants, snap beans: 1 week.

Corn, in husk: 1-2 days.

Mushrooms: 1-2 days.

Beans, lima, green, waxed: 3-5 days.

Rhubarb: 3-5 days.