How long does it keep?
Every food below has its own page: the USDA storage windows for pantry, fridge, and freezer, how to tell when it’s gone bad, and whether it’s worth freezing. 661 foods and counting — or start typing on the homepage search.
Baby Food
Baked Goods
- Almond extract
- Amaranth (flour, meal)
- Bagel (commercially frozen)
- Bagel (fresh baked)
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Barley (flour, meal)
- Biscuit or pancake mix
- Biscuits (refrigerated)
- Bread (homemade)
- Buckwheat (flour, meal)
- Butter flavor
- Cake, brownie, bread mixes
- Cheesecake
- Chiffon pies (chocolate, lemon)
- Chili powder
- Chocolate (unsweetened and semi-sweet, solid)
- Cinnamon extract
- Cinnamon rolls (baked)
- Cinnamon rolls (unbaked, tube)
- Cocoa and cocoa mixes
- Coconut flavor
- Coconut flour
- Commercial bread products (including pan breads, flat breads, rolls, and buns)
- Commercial cakes and muffins
- Cookie dough
- Cookies (crispy)
- Cookies (soft)
- Cornmeal (regular, degerminated)
- Cornmeal (stone ground or blue)
- Cornstarch
- Cream pies (banana cream, coconut cream, butterscotch)
- Dairy filled eclairs
- Doughnuts
- Farro (flour, meal)
- Flavored or herb mixes
- Flour (white)
- Flour (whole wheat)
- Frosting or icing
- Fruit cake
- Fruit pies (apple, peach, blueberry, apricot, cherry, blackberry)
- Garam masala
- Garlic (chopped, commercial jars)
- Gelatin (flavored)
- Gelatin (unflavored)
- Herbs (dried)
- Lemon extract
- Macaroons (french)
- Millet (flour, meal)
- Muffin (commercially packaged)
- Muffin (homemade - including bran, blueberry, banana, corn, chocolate chip)
- Muffin (mix, dry, commercially packaged)
- Nut oils
- Oats (flour, meal)
- Oils (olive or vegetable)
- Pastries, danish
- Pie crust (refrigerated)
- Pies (mincemeat)
- Pies (pecan)
- Pies (pumpkin)
- Puff pastry
- Pure vanilla extract
- Quiche
- Ready-to-bake pie crust
- Rye (flour, meal)
- Seasoning blends
- Shortening (solid)
- Sorghum (flour, meal)
- Spelt (flour, meal)
- Spice/spices (ground)
- Spice/spices (whole)
- Sugar (brown)
- Sugar (confectioners)
- Sugar (granulated)
- Sugar substitutes
- Tamarind paste
- Tapiocas
- Teff (flour, meal)
- Tube cans (of biscuits, rolls, pizza dough, etc.)
- Vegetable oil sprays
- Whole wheat flour
- Yeast (packaged)
Beverages
- Apple cider (fresh)
- Apple juice (fresh squeezed)
- Carrot juice (fresh squeezed)
- Coconut water
- Coffee (commercial ground, non-vacuum)
- Coffee (home ground, non-vacuum)
- Coffee (instant)
- Coffee (whole beans)
- Cream liquors (unopened)
- Diet powder mixes and drink mixes
- Fruit Juice in cartons, fruit drinks, punch
- Hard liquors
- Juice, boxes
- Lemon juice
- Lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
- Lime juice
- Nectar (papaya, mango, guava, or guavabana)
- Nutrition supplement drinks (canned)
- Orange juice (commercially frozen concentrate)
- Orange juice (commercially packaged carton)
- Orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- Red wine
- Soda (carbonated cola drinks, mixers, diet sodas; bottles or cans)
- Soy or rice beverage
- Tea (bags)
- Tea (instant)
- Tea (loose)
- Vegetable juice (commercial, sold refrigerated)
- Vegetable juice (homemade)
- Vegetable juice (shelf-stable)
- Water (commercially bottled)
- White wine
- Yuzu (fruit, fresh)
- Yuzu juice
Condiments, Sauces & Canned Goods
- Aioli (homemade)
- Anchovies (canned)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Bacon grease
- Balsamic vinegar
- Barbecue sauce (bottled)
- Barbecue Sauce (homemade, canned)
- Beef broth/stock/consommé (commercially produced)
- Black bean sauce
- Broth (homemade)
- Chicken broth/stock/consommé (commercially produced)
- Chutney
- Cooking wine
- Cranberry sauce (canned)
- Cranberry sauce (homemade)
- Cream sauces, milk solids
- Dry gravy mixes
- Duck fat
- Frying oil (re-used)
- Gravy (jars and cans)
- Hoisin sauce
- Honey
- Horseradish (in jar)
- Hot sauce
- Jams, jellies, and preserves
- Ketchup, cocktail, or chili sauce
- Marinades
- Mayonnaise (commercial)
- Mustard
- Olives (black and green)
- Oyster sauce
- Pesto (jarred)
- Pickles
- Relish
- Salad dressing (creamy)
- Salad dressing (dry,packaged)
- Salad dressing (homemade)
- Salad dressing (vinaigrette)
- Salad dressing (vinaigrette,homemade)
- Salad dressings (commercial, bottled)
- Salsa (homemade, canned)
- Salsa (picante and taco sauces)
- Sauce mixes (nondairy (spaghetti, taco, etc.))
- Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce
- Spaghetti sauce (in jars)
- Tahini
- Thai red curry paste
- Tomato Sauce (homemade, canned)
- Tomato sauce (spaghetti, pizza)
- Vegetable stock/broth (commercially produced)
- Vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
Dairy Products & Eggs
- Almond milk
- Butter
- Buttermilk
- Cheese Curds (fresh, unaged)
- Cheese (hard such as cheddar, swiss, block parmesan)
- Cheese (parmesan; shredded or grated)
- Cheese (processed slices)
- Cheese (shredded; cheddar, mozzarella, etc.)
- Cheese (soft such as brie, bel paese, goat)
- Coconut milk
- Coffee creamer (liquid refrigerated)
- Coffee creamer (powdered)
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese
- Cream (half and half)
- Cream (heavy)
- Cream (light)
- Cream (whipped, sweetened)
- Cream (whipping, ultrapasteurized)
- Dips (sour cream based)
- Egg dishes
- Egg substitutes (liquid)
- Eggnog (commercial)
- Eggs (hard boiled cooked)
- Eggs (in shell)
- Eggs (raw whites, yolks)
- Ghee
- Kefir (fermented milk)
- Margarine
- Milk (lactose-free)
- Milk (plain or flavored)
- Nacho cheese (store bought)
- Pimento cheese (packaged)
- Powdered milk
- Pudding
- Quark (fresh cheese)
- Rice milk
- Ricotta
- Sour cream
- Soy milk
- String Cheese
- Vegan Cheddar Cheese
- Whipped cream (aerosol can)
- Whipped topping (aerosol can)
- Whipped topping (tub)
- Yogurt
Food Purchased Frozen
- Dough (commercial (bread or cookie))
- Edamame (frozen)
- Egg substitutes
- Fish (breaded)
- Fish (raw but headed and gutted)
- Frozen entrees (prepared meals)
- Frozen potato products (fries, hashbrowns, tater tots)
- Frozen pretzels
- Fruits (such as berries, melons)
- Ice cream
- Ice pops
- Juice concentrates
- Kugel (commercial)
- Lobster tails
- Pancakes, waffles
- Pizza (frozen)
- Polenta (frozen)
- Sausages (precooked)
- Sausages (uncooked)
- Sherbet, sorbet
- Shrimp, shellfish
- Soy crumbles and hot dogs
- Soy meat substitutes
- Tempeh
- Vegetables
Grains, Beans & Pasta
- Amaranth (whole grain)
- Barley (whole grain)
- Beans (dried)
- Buckwheat (whole grain)
- Bulgur
- Dry egg noodles
- Farro (whole grain)
- Fresh pasta
- Lentils (dried)
- Millet (whole grain)
- Mung bean (dry, food-grade bags)
- Mung bean (dry, vacuum-sealed)
- Mung bean (sprouts)
- Oats (whole grain)
- Pasta (dry, without eggs)
- Peanuts (boiled, shelled)
- Peas (dried split)
- Quinoa (cooked)
- Quinoa (uncooked)
- Refried beans
- Rice (brown)
- Rice (white or wild)
- Rye (whole grain)
- Sorghum (whole grain)
- Spelt (whole grain)
- Teff (whole grain)
- Tortillas (corn)
- Tortillas (flour)
- Whole wheat bread (commercially baked & pre-sliced)
- Whole wheat bread (homemade)
Meat
- Bacon
- Bacon (fully cooked)
- Bacon (uncured)
- Beef (chuck roast, brisket)
- Beef (ground)
- Beef (rib roast, bone-in)
- Beef (rib roast; boneless, rolled)
- Beef (round or rump roast)
- Beef (short ribs)
- Beef (steaks)
- Beef (stew, cubes)
- Beef (tenderloin, half)
- Beef (tenderloin, whole)
- Bison (ground)
- Bison (whole)
- Bratwurst (fresh)
- Bratwurst (smoked and processed)
- Chorizo (fresh)
- Chorizo (smoked and processed, cooked)
- Chorizo (smoked and processed, uncooked)
- Corned beef (in pouch with pickling juices)
- Goat (ground)
- Goat (less tender whole cuts (stew meat, riblets, shanks))
- Goat (tender whole cuts (legs, ribs, shoulder, loin))
- Ham (canned (“keep refrigerated” label))
- Ham (country ham (whole or half))
- Ham (fresh, cook-before-eating, arm picnic shoulder, boneless)
- Ham (fresh, cook-before-eating, bone-in, half)
- Ham (fresh, cook-before-eating, bone-in, whole)
- Ham (fresh, cook-before-eating, shank or butt portion, bone-in)
- Ham (fresh, cook-before-eating, shoulder roll (butt), boneless)
- Ham (fresh, uncooked, half leg, bone-in)
- Ham (fresh, uncooked, whole leg, bone-in)
- Ham (fresh, uncooked, whole leg, boneless)
- Ham (fully cooked, arm picnic shoulder, boneless)
- Ham (fully cooked, bone-in, half)
- Ham (fully cooked, bone-in, whole)
- Ham (fully cooked, canned, boneless (refrigerated))
- Ham (fully cooked, slices, half, or spiral cut)
- Ham (fully cooked, vacuum packed, boneless)
- Ham (shelf-stable cans)
- Ham (uncured, fresh, cooked)
- Ham (uncured, fresh, uncooked)
- Hot dogs
- Jerky (commercially dried)
- Jerky (homemade)
- Lamb (breast, rolled)
- Lamb (chops, ribs, or loin)
- Lamb (crown roast)
- Lamb (cubes for kabobs)
- Lamb (ground)
- Lamb (leg, bone-in - large)
- Lamb (leg, bone-in - small)
- Lamb (leg; boneless, rolled)
- Lamb (leg steaks)
- Lamb (shanks)
- Lamb (shoulder roast or shank leg half)
- Lamb (stew meat, pieces)
- Meat products (canned)
- Pastrami
- Pate (meat)
- Pork (crown roast - large)
- Pork (crown roast - small)
- Pork (ground)
- Pork (loin, cubes)
- Pork (loin chops, bone-in)
- Pork (loin chops, boneless)
- Pork (loin roast, bone-in)
- Pork (loin roast, boneless)
- Pork (ribs)
- Pork roll
- Pork (shoulder)
- Pork (tenderloin)
- Pork (tenderloin medallions or loin cubes)
- Prosciutto
- Rabbit (whole, fresh)
- Raw kabobs with vegetables
- Retort pouches or boxes
- Sausage (fully cooked smoked links, kielbasa)
- Sausage (hard, dry (pepperoni), sliced)
- Sausage (raw bulk type or patties)
- Stuffed, raw pork chops
- Variety meats (liver, tongue, chitterlings, etc.)
- Veal (ground)
- Veal (leg rump or round roast, boneless)
- Veal (loin roast, bone-in)
- Veal (shoulder roast, boneless)
- Venison (round, rump, loin, or rib roast)
Poultry
- Canned chicken
- Capon (whole)
- Chicken nuggets, patties
- Chicken parts (breast halves, bone-in)
- Chicken parts (breast halves, boneless)
- Chicken parts (legs or thighs)
- Chicken (whole)
- Cooked poultry dishes
- Cornish Hens (whole)
- Duckling (domestic or wild, whole)
- Fried chicken
- Giblets
- Goose (domestic or wild, whole)
- Ground turkey or chicken
- Pate (poultry)
- Pheasant (young, whole)
- Quail (whole)
- Raw kabobs with vegetables
- Retort pouches or boxes
- Rotisserie chicken
- Stuffed, raw chicken breasts
- Turducken
- Turkey bacon
- Turkey parts (breast halves, bone-in)
- Turkey parts (breast halves, boneless)
- Turkey parts (legs or thighs)
- Turkey (whole)
Produce
- Apples
- Applesauce (homemade)
- Apricots
- Artichokes, whole
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Baby carrots
- Bagged greens (leaf, spinach, lettuce, etc.)
- Bamboo shoots
- Bananas
- Basil (dried)
- Basil (fresh)
- Bean sprouts
- Beans and peas (green, fava, lima, soybean, wax, snow, sugar snap)
- Beets
- Berries (blackberries, boysenberries, currant)
- Berries (cherries, goose berries, lychee)
- Blueberries
- Bok choy
- Broccoli and broccoli raab (rapini)
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots, parsnips
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Celery root
- Cherimoya
- Cherries
- Cherry tomatoes
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Citrus fruit (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, tangerines, clementines)
- Coconut (shredded)
- Coconuts (fresh)
- Corn on the cob
- Cranberries
- Cucumbers
- Dates
- Edamame (fresh)
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Ginger root
- Grapes
- Greens
- Guava
- Herbs
- Honeydew
- Hot peppers
- Jicama (fresh)
- Kale
- Kimchi
- Kiwi fruit
- Kohlrabi
- Kumquats
- Leeks
- Lemongrass
- Lettuce (iceberg, romaine)
- Lettuce (leaf, spinach)
- Marinated vegetables (in oil)
- Melons
- Mint
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions (spring or green)
- Onions (yellow, white, red, etc.)
- Oregano
- Papaya, mango, feijoa, passionfruit, casaba melon
- Parsley (fresh)
- Peaches, nectarines, plums, pears, sapote
- Peppers
- Pineapple
- Pitaya/dragon fruit
- Plantains
- Pomegranate
- Potatoes
- Prickly pear
- Pumpkins
- Radicchio
- Radishes
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
- Rosemary
- Rutabagas
- Spaghetti squash (cut)
- Spaghetti squash (whole)
- Squash (summer and zucchini)
- Squash (winter)
- Star fruit
- Strawberries
- Swiss chard
- Tamarind
- Taro
- Thyme
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Watermelon
- Yams/sweet potatoes
- Yuca/cassava
- Zucchini (fresh, whole)
Seafood
- Caviar (fresh, in jar)
- Cooked fish (all)
- Cooked shellfish (all)
- Crab legs (king, dungeness, snow)
- Crab meat (fresh)
- Crab meat (pasteurized)
- Fatty fish (bluefish, catfish, mackerel, mullet, salmon, tuna, etc.)
- Fish (cold smoked, air pack)
- Fish (cold smoked, vacuum pack)
- Fish (hot smoked, air pack)
- Fish (hot smoked, vacuum pack)
- Fresh clams, mussels, oysters
- Fresh lobster tails (cooked)
- Fresh whole lobster (frozen)
- Fresh whole lobster (live)
- Herring (glass packed, in wine sauce)
- Lean fish (cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, sole, etc.)
- Lean fish (pollock, ocean perch, rockfish, sea trout.)
- Live clams, mussels, crab, and oysters
- Scallops
- Shrimp, crayfish
- Shucked clams, mussels, and oysters
- Squid
- Surimi seafood
Shelf Stable Foods
- Almond butter
- Almond oil
- Almonds (no shell)
- Almonds (shell)
- Applesauce (commercial)
- Avocado Oil
- Bacon bits (imitation)
- Base (beef, vegetable)
- Beets (pickled)
- Black pepper (cracked, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk)
- Black pepper (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk)
- Breadcrumbs (commercial)
- Cajun seasoning blend (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk)
- Canned goods (high acid (such as juices, fruit, pickles, sauerkraut, tomato soup, and foods in vinegar-based sauce))
- Canned goods (low acid (such as meat, poultry, fish, gravy, stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn, pasta, peas, potatoes, spinach))
- Canola oil
- Capers (in jar)
- Cashew butter
- Cashews (no shell)
- Cereal (cook before eating (oatmeal, etc.))
- Cereal or granola bars
- Cereal (ready-to-eat)
- Chia seeds
- Chocolate hazelnut spread
- Chocolate syrup
- Cinnamon (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk)
- Coconut cream (canned)
- Coconut milk (canned)
- Coconut oil
- Corn syrup
- Crackers
- Croutons
- Cumin (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk, opened or unopened)
- Dry stuffing mix (commercially packaged)
- Edamame (salted, dry roasted, out of pod)
- Flaxseed (ground)
- Flaxseed (whole seed)
- Fruit cocktail (canned)
- Fruits, dried (raisins, apricots, mangoes, cranberries, etc.)
- Garlic powder (dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk)
- "Genuine" Maple syrup (unopened, glass)
- "Genuine" Maple syrup (unopened, plastic)
- Graham cracker/animal cracker
- Granola
- Grapeseed oil
- Grits (boxed)
- Gummy (fruit) snacks
- Instant breakfast drinks (bottled)
- Macadamias (no shell)
- Marshmallow crème
- Marshmallows
- Milk (canned evaporated or condensed)
- Milk (shelf-stable)
- Milk (ultra-pasteurized)
- Molasses
- Mushrooms (dried)
- Mustard (dried, ground)
- Nutmeg (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk)
- Nutrition supplement drinks (bottled)
- Nuts (jars or cans)
- Onion powder (dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk)
- Peanut butter (commercial)
- Peanut butter (commercially produced, containing hydrogenated fat or other stabilizers)
- Peanut butter (natural)
- Peanuts (no shell)
- Peanuts (shell)
- Pecans (chopped)
- Pecans (no shell)
- Pecans (shell)
- Pectin
- Pine nuts
- Pistachios (shell or no shell)
- Polenta (shelf-stable)
- Popcorn (commercially popped in bags)
- Popcorn (dry kernels in jar)
- Popcorn (microwave packets)
- Pork rinds
- Potato chips
- Potatoes (instant)
- Pretzels
- Pudding mixes
- Pumpkin seeds (raw, in-shell)
- Pumpkin seeds (raw, no shell)
- Pumpkin seeds (roasted, in-shell)
- Pumpkin seeds (roasted, no-shell)
- Roasted nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds)
- Roasted red peppers (jar)
- Salt (table, plain, or iodized)
- Seafood (canned)
- Sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
- Soup mixes (dry bouillon)
- Sun dried tomatoes (jar)
- Sunflower oil
- Sunflower seeds (raw, unsalted, no shell)
- Sunflower seeds (roasted, no shell)
- Sunflower seeds (roasted, salted, in shell)
- Syrup
- Tapenade
- Toaster pastries
- Tomato paste
- Tuna (canned)
- Tuna (packet)
- Walnuts (shell or no shell)
Vegetarian Proteins
Deli & Prepared Foods
- Canadian bacon (sliced)
- Canadian bacon (whole)
- Casseroles
- Chicken (pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat)
- Chicken salad
- Coleslaw (homemade, prepared)
- Commercial brand vacuum-packed dinners (with USDA seal)
- Cooked pasta
- Cooked rice
- Egg salad
- Fruit, cut
- Guacamole
- Ham (pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat)
- Ham salad
- Hummus (commercial (pasteurized, with preservatives))
- Hummus (traditional (no preservatives, not pasteurized))
- Kugel (homemade)
- Leftovers (pizza)
- Leftovers (with meat, fish, poultry, or egg)
- Leftovers (without meat, fish, poultry, or egg (such as cooked vegetables, rice, or potatoes))
- Luncheon meat or poultry (pre-packaged)
- Luncheon meat or poultry (store-sliced)
- Main dishes or meals (hot or refrigerated)
- Meats (covered with gravy or broth)
- Olives (from olive bar)
- Pasta salad
- Pate
- Potato salad
- Poultry pieces (covered with gravy or broth)
- Salami (pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat)
- Salsa (fresh)
- Salsa (homemade, fresh)
- Seafood salads ((tuna salad, shrimp salad, salmon salad, mixed seafood salad, etc.))
- Soup, stews
- Turkey (pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat)
- Vegetable soup (homemade)