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Gunther Heller

How Long Does Food Last? Fridge, Freezer & Pantry

Free storage times for 754 foods — counter, fridge and freezer — sourced from USDA FoodKeeper.

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US Fridge · 40°F
Storage times
eggscooked riceraw chickenmilkhard cheesebreadground beefpizza
01 / Why Gunther Heller

Why Check Food Storage Here

Three answers, one look

Counter, fridge and freezer times side by side, so you never guess.

USDA-sourced

Numbers come from USDA FoodKeeper, with a last-verified date on every page.

Opened vs. unopened

Shelf life changes the moment the seal breaks. We show both.

Answer first

No pop-ups and no recipe-blog scrolling. The answer is at the top.

Signs it's gone bad

Smell, texture and colour cues for each food so you can decide fast.

Left-out rules

The 2-hour / 1-hour rule applied to each food, with the exact cutoff.

Freezing guidance

Whether it freezes well, how to wrap it, and how long quality holds.

Date labels decoded

Best-by, use-by and sell-by explained, so a printed date never fools you.

Similar foods

Every page links to related foods, so you can check the whole fridge.

02 / Browse by category

Every Food, Sorted

Dairy & Eggs

54 foods

Meat

93 foods

Poultry

30 foods

Seafood

45 foods

Leftovers & Deli

38 foods

Fruits

51 foods

Vegetables

79 foods

Grains, Beans & Pasta

30 foods

Bread & Baking

92 foods

Condiments & Sauces

52 foods

Pantry Staples

117 foods

Drinks

35 foods
03 / In practice

Built for Real Kitchens

Meal preppers

Know exactly how many days your Sunday batch is safe to eat, and what to freeze on day three. Leftover calculator →

Parents

Formula, breast milk, purées and pouches, each with its own clock.

Students

Is that week-old takeout still fine? Get a yes or no in seconds.

Home cooks

Raw, cooked, cured or frozen: how long each one keeps.

Power cuts & coolers

Food left out overnight? The 2-hour rule, food by food.

Bulk buyers

Big packs and what to freeze first so nothing goes to waste.

Explore Storage Tools

Leftover calculatorFreezer time calculatorThaw time calculatorLeft-out overnight checkerBest-by date decoderAll storage toolsCan you freeze it?Does it go bad?Food left out overnightAll foods A–ZHow we verify

FAQ

Quick answers before you open the fridge

Where do the storage times come from?
The USDA FoodKeeper database and FSIS food-safety guidance. Each page shows its source and the date we last verified it.
Is this food safety advice?
It is general guidance based on public food-safety data. If food smells, looks or feels wrong, discard it regardless of the number on the page.
What does "left out" mean?
Time at room temperature (above 40°F / 4°C). Perishable food left out longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C, should be discarded.
Do freezer times mean food becomes unsafe?
No. Food kept frozen at 0°F / -18°C stays safe indefinitely. Freezer times are about quality: texture and taste decline after that point.
Why do opened and unopened times differ so much?
Sealing keeps out oxygen and microbes. Once opened, most foods follow the shorter "opened" clock even if the printed date is months away.
What do best-by, use-by and sell-by actually mean?
Best-by and sell-by describe quality and stock rotation, not safety. Use-by is the one federally required safety date, and only for infant formula.
How often are the numbers updated?
We check every page against the current USDA FoodKeeper release and update the "last verified" date shown on it.
Can I use this data on my own site or app?
The underlying USDA data is public domain. Our write-ups and tables are ours; link to the page rather than copying it.
How do I report a wrong number?
Use the "Report a wrong number" link at the bottom of any food page. Corrections are checked against the source within a few days.

Got another question? Email hello@guntherheller.com – a person replies within one business day.