Looking for a cheat sheet to know when your food will go bad? Take a look at these handy food expiration dates charts.
We could all use a little guidance when our refrigerators and freezers go from organized chaos to mass food gravesite. We’ve all been there — you open your fridge to reveal questionable leftovers and unidentifiable produce. How long has that lasagna lingered, and is it safe to eat? The freezer offers questions of its own — is it safe to freeze parmesan cheese? Can I thaw and eat those burgers from three months ago? Keep these food expiration dates guidelines charts handy to know when to toss and when to keep those leftovers.
You’ll master the basics for temperature-controlled and shelf-stable foods to ensure that you minimize food waste while keeping your family healthy and happy. Our chart on food product dating terminology will also get you up to speed on the “use by” and “sell by” dates.
Temperature-Controlled Foods Chart
| Food | How Long to Keep in the Fridge(from date of purchase) | How Long to Keep in the Freezer(from date of purchase) |
| Ready-to-eat food/leftovers | 3-4 days | 3-4 months, don’t store in the Styrofoam take-home containers |
| Dairy & Eggs | ||
| Eggs | 3-5 weeks from the date you purchased them (in the shell). The sell-by date will likely have passed within this time frame. If it smells bad raw or cooked, don’t eat it. Hardboiled: 1 week. Cooked in a dish like a frittata or a quiche, toss after 3-4 days. | (not recommended) |
| Butter | 1-2 months | 6-9 months |
| Milk | Follow package “use-by” date | 3 months |
| Cottage Cheese (and other soft cheeses) | 2 weeks (1 week after opening) | (not recommended) |
| Parmesan (and other hard cheeses) | 12 months | (not recommended) |
| Yogurt | 1-2 weeks | 1-2 months |
| Meats & Vegetarian Proteins | ||
| Deli Meats | Up to 2 weeks if unopened, or within 3-5 days if opened. Deli meats without preservatives will only last 2-3 days from opening. | Up to two months |
| Chicken Breasts | 2-3 days after “sell by” date; if thawed from the fridge, up to 2 days after thawed | Up to 9 months |
| Ground Meat | 2 days after the “sell by” date | Up to 4 months |
| Fresh Fish | 1-2 after “sell by” date | 3-8 months |
| Fresh Shellfish | 1-2 days after “sell by” date | 3-12 months |
| Tofu | Once opened, 3-4 days. Use expiration on the package. | 5 months |
Table Sources: (1-3, 6, 7)
As a general rule, if something has visible mold or if it smells “off,” throw it away! None of us want to waste food, but our health is extremely important and precious. If you aren’t sure about something in the freezer, use four months as a cut-off. Although freezing inactivates microbes in food, the quality of food tends to suffer after four months. (4)
Shelf-Stable Foods Chart
Many shelf-stable foods have a longer life when they remain sealed in the manufacturers packaging. Once you open them, their shelf life diminishes. Here are food expiration dates for popular shelf-stable foods.
| Food | Unopened Shelf Stable(from date of purchase) | How Long to Keep Temp-Controlled(from date of purchase or after opening) |
| Condiments | ||
| Mayonnaise | 3-6 months | 2 months in the fridge after opening |
| Salsa | 1 year | 1 month in the fridge after opening |
| Honey | 2 years (kept in a storage place that undergoes changes in temperature, then the honey may only last two years). Otherwise, a sealed jar of honey can last for decades. | (not recommended) |
| Hot sauce | 6 months | >6 months in the fridge |
| Jam/jelly | 6-18 months | 6-12 months in the fridge after opening (check for mold, refer to best by date) |
| Ketchup | 1 year | 6 months in the fridge after opening |
| Mustard | 1-2 years | 1 year in the fridge after opening |
| Pickles | 1 year | 3 months in the fridge after opening (if sealed tightly after opening and properly stored -until best by date, smell test) |
| Soy sauce | 3 years | after opening, several months at room temperature or 6-8 months in the refrigerator (check smell and taste) |
| Pasta sauce | (package “use-by” date) | 3-5 days in the fridge after opening |
| Grains | ||
| Lentils (dry) | 1 year | (not recommended) |
| Oats (dry) | 4 months | 8 months frozen |
| Quinoa (dry) | 2-3 years | 4 to 6 months in pantry or 8 -10 months in the freezer |
| Brown rice (dry) | 1 year | 6 months in the fridge after opening or in a cool pantry |
| White rice (dry) | 2 years (1 year after opening) | 6 months in the fridge after opening in a cool pantry |
| Tortillas (corn) | 25-45 days (store in fridge) | 60-90 days in the fridge (check for mold) |
| Tortillas (flour) | 3 months (store in fridge) | 3 months in the fridge after opening; 6 months in the freezer (check for mold) |
| Nuts & Seeds | ||
| Almond Butter | 1 year | (not necessary) |
| Almonds | 4 months | 8 months in the fridge after purchase; 10 months in the freezer |
| Cashews | 2-4 weeks | 6 months in the fridge after purchase; 12 months in the freezer |
| Flaxseeds | 2 years (whole) | 12 months in the fridge or freezer (ground) |
| Peanuts | 4 weeks | 12 months in the fridge or 24 months frozen |
| Baking Ingredients | ||
| Flour, white | 6-12 months (6-8 months after opening) | 1 year in the fridge after opening |
| Flour, whole wheat | 3-6 months | 6-8 months in the fridge after opening (better stored in the freezer) |
| Sugar, white | 2 years | (not necessary) |
| Sugar, brown | 2 years (unopened), 18-24 months after opening | (not necessary) |
| Sugar, confectioners | 2 years (unopened), 18-24 months after opening | (not necessary) |
| Other | ||
| Canned goods, high acid (e.g., fruit, tomato soup, etc.) | 12-18 months (without opening) | 5-7 days in the fridge after opening (transfer to a glass or plastic container) |
| Canned goods, low acid (e.g., meat, corn, beans, peas) | 2-5 years (without opening) – store under 85°F | 3-4 days in the fridge after opening (transfer to a glass or plastic container) |
Table Source: (2)
Terminology for Food Quality Labels and Dates
Despite what you may believe or have heard, product dating is not required by the federal government. Because of this, there are no universal definitions for the phrases used on packaging. The Food Safety and Inspection Service at the USDA has recommended definitions:
| Phrase for Date | Meaning |
| “Best If Used By/Before” | “…indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.” |
| “Sell-By” | “…tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It is not a safety date.” |
| “Use-By” | “…the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula.” |
| “Freeze-By” | “…indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.” |
Table Source: (5)
As you can see, none of these phrases are an indication of safety, only quality. In these cases, our noses and eyes become the best detectors of food spoilage.
Are you interested in learning more? Check out our article When to Toss it? Food Expiration Guidelines. For a helpful tool on your phone, we recommend downloading the USDA’s FoodKeeper app.
References
- https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/leftovers-and-food-safety/ct_index Accessed 3/23/2020
- FoodKeeper App from FSIS at USDA: https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/foodkeeper-app
- https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-you-keep-dairy-products-like-yogurt-milk-and-cheese-in-the-refrigerator Accessed 3/23/2020
- https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/freezing-and-food-safety/ct_index/!ut/p/a1/jVLBbsIwDP2aHtOYlSHYrao0QTfKENoovaDQpE2kklSJoRtfv8AubION5BDH7z3ZfgktaE4LzfaqZqiMZs3xXgzWMIdBb5RAOhv1HmGSvc1nT0kCw8W9J6z-IGTRjforK4b_9OkNBe7sNJnWtGgZSqJ0ZWheCyRMu05YR_PKGE4cqwR-kIqVSJwUAj1wzJETKpnmjdK1J1shDj7yck7OlDQvca00F-90SYvvXUHP70kWLfrjNItg1v9JuGDbF-G6L37wujGb0xutYr2Jhn5CKyphhQ131qclYvsQQABd14WVUy7cOc7C2ux9qnUBtMYiawI4YgGgaVXpz3M3BN-Vp6_gYcFKSQxKb1kA3HS6MYyTLUNhFWvcpTakcUjzX- Vpu33ND8_xGNTLdjl08SeTEkFi/#19 Accessed 3/23/2020
- https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/food-product-dating/food-product-dating
- https://food.unl.edu/cracking-date-code-egg-cartons Accessed 3/23/2020
- https://extension.oregonstate.edu/food/safety-storage/should-we-eat-expired-tofu Accessed 3/23/2020
- https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/grain-month-calendar/quinoa-%E2%80%93-march-grain-month Accessed 3/24/2020
