Cold and Frozen Food Storage
Do you know how long you can store dairy products or other food items in the refrigerator or freezer safely?
The following chart contains suggested safe time limits for keeping refrigerated foods from spoiling or becoming unsafe to eat. Because freezing can keep food safe indefinitely, the recommended storage times are for quality only.
Unless otherwise stated, the storage times are from date of purchase.
| Product | Refrigerator (40°F/4.4°C) | Freezer (0°F/-18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Bacon | 7 days | 1 month |
| Beverages - Juices in cartons, fruit drinks, punch | 3 weeks unopened 7 to 10 days opened | 8 - 12 months |
| Cheese - hard (e.g. Swiss) | 3 - 4 weeks | 6 months |
| Cheese - soft (e.g. brie) | 1 week | 6 months |
| Chops | 3 to 5 days | 4 - 6 months |
| Cottage cheese | 1 week | Doesn't freeze well |
| Fish - lean (cod, etc.) | 1 to 2 days | 6 months |
| Fish - fatty (salmon, etc.) | 1 to 2 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Dough - tube cans of rolls, biscuits, pizza dough | Use-by date | Don't freeze |
| Dough – cookie | Use-by date | 2 months |
| Eggs - fresh in shell | 3 to 5 weeks | Don't freeze |
| Eggs - hard cooked | 1 week | Don't freeze well |
| Egg substitutes – opened | 3 days | Don't freeze well |
| Egg substitutes – unopened | 3 days | 1 year |
| Ground hamburger, turkey, pork mixtures; stew meat | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Ham - fully cooked, whole | 7 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Ham - fully cooked, slices | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Hot dogs - opened | 1 week | 1 to 2 months |
| Hot dogs - unopened | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
| Leftovers – all kinds | 3 to 4 days | 2 – 3 months |
| Luncheon meats - opened | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Luncheon meats - unopened | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
| Margarine | 4 - 5 months | 12 months |
| Mayonnaise - commercial/refrigerate after opening | 2 months | Doesn’t freeze well |
| Milk | 7 days | 3 months |
| Poultry - fresh, chicken or turkey | 1 to 2 days | 6 months |
| Sausage, raw | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 months |
| Smoked breakfast sausage | 7 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Steaks, roasts | 3 to 5 days | 6 - 12 months |
| Yogurt | 7 - 14 days | 1 - 2 months |
How NSF Can Help You
Get in touch to find out how we can help you and your business thrive.
What’s New with NSF
NSF Issues First-Ever MSC Certification for an Eel Fishery to Perupez S.A.C. and Sakana del Peru
June 19, 2026Third-party certification plays a key role in independently verifying the sustainability of seafood operations.
iNADO Partners with NSF to Support Members and Athletes
May 27, 2026iNADO is pleased to welcome NSF’s expertise and experience in support of its members and the athletes they serve
NSF Ends UK’s Three-Year Testing Gap with REG 31 Testing Designation
May 20, 2026NSF’s Oakdale laboratory becomes the UK’s sole facility offering comprehensive BS 6920 and REG 31 testing, closing a critical drinking water safety gap.