Leftovers storage guide
How long will it keep?
Fridge and freezer times for leftovers and everyday groceries, from the USDA's FoodKeeper. Further down, a date helper works out when to eat things by.
Fridge and freezer times
| Food | Fridge, 40 °F (4 °C) or colder | Freezer, 0 °F (−18 °C) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked food & leftovers | ||
| Leftovers with meat, fish, poultry or egg | 3–4 days | 2–3 months |
| Leftovers without meat, fish, poultry or egg (such as cooked vegetables or potatoes) | 3–4 days | 1–2 months |
| Cooked rice | 4–6 days | 6 months |
| Cooked pasta | 3–5 days | 1–2 months |
| Cooked quinoa | 6–7 days | 6–12 months |
| Soups and stews | 3–4 days | 2–3 months |
| Homemade vegetable soup | 3–4 days | 3 months |
| Casseroles | 3–4 days | No FoodKeeper time |
| Pizza | 3–4 days | 1–2 months |
| Cooked poultry dishes | 3–4 days | 4–6 months |
| Fried chicken | 3–4 days | 4 months |
| Chicken or turkey pieces in gravy or broth | 3–4 days | 1–2 months |
| Meat in gravy or broth | 3–4 days | 6 months |
| Egg dishes | 3–4 days | 2–3 months |
| Rotisserie chicken (shop-bought) (counted from the day you buy it) | 3–4 days | 4 months |
| Ready meals and main dishes from the deli, hot or chilled (counted from the day you buy it) | 3–4 days | 2–3 months |
| Salads, dips & deli | ||
| Chicken salad | 3–4 days | Freezing not recommended |
| Egg salad | 3–4 days | Freezing not recommended |
| Tuna, prawn or other seafood salad | 3–4 days | Freezing not recommended |
| Pasta salad | 3–5 days | Freezing not recommended |
| Potato salad | 3–5 days | Freezing not recommended |
| Homemade coleslaw | 3–5 days | No FoodKeeper time |
| Guacamole | 3–4 days | 3–4 months |
| Hummus without preservatives (homemade style) | 7 days | Freezing not recommended |
| Fresh homemade salsa | 5–7 days | 12 months |
| Deli meat sliced at the counter (counted from the day you buy it) | 3–5 days | 1–2 months |
| Pre-packed deli meat (counted from the day you buy it) | 2 weeks unopened, 3–5 days opened | 1–2 months |
| Raw meat & poultry | ||
| Minced (ground) beef, pork, lamb or veal (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 days | 3–4 months |
| Minced (ground) chicken or turkey (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 days | 3–4 months |
| Beef, pork or lamb steaks and chops (counted from the day you buy it) | 3–5 days | 4–12 months |
| Beef, pork or lamb roasts (counted from the day you buy it) | 3–5 days | 4–12 months |
| Stewing beef or lamb (counted from the day you buy it) | 3–5 days | 4–12 months |
| Whole chicken or turkey (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 days | 12 months |
| Chicken pieces (breasts, legs, thighs) (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 days | 9 months |
| Raw sausages (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 days | 1–2 months |
| Bacon (counted from the day you buy it) | 1 week | 1 month |
| Hot dogs (counted from the day you buy it) | 2 weeks unopened, 1 week opened | 1–2 months |
| Fully cooked ham, sliced or spiral-cut (counted from the day you buy it) | 3–4 days | 1–2 months |
| Fish & seafood | ||
| Cooked fish | 3–4 days | 1–2 months |
| Cooked shellfish | 3–4 days | 1–3 months |
| Lean fish (cod, haddock, sole and similar) (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 days | 6–8 months |
| Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel and similar) (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 days | 2–3 months |
| Raw prawns (shrimp) (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–3 days | 6–18 months |
| Scallops (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–3 days | 6–18 months |
| Dairy & eggs | ||
| Eggs in the shell (counted from the day you buy it) | 3–5 weeks | Freezing not recommended |
| Raw egg whites or yolks | 2–4 days | 12 months |
| Hard-boiled eggs | 1 week | Freezing not recommended |
| Milk | Use by the date on the pack | 3 months |
| Butter (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 months | 6–9 months |
| Hard cheese (cheddar, Swiss, block Parmesan) (counted from the day you buy it) | 6 months unopened, 3–4 weeks opened | 6 months |
| Soft cheese (brie, goat's cheese) (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 weeks | 6 months |
| Shredded cheese (counted from the day you buy it) | 1 month | 3–4 months |
| Cream cheese (counted from the day you buy it) | 2 weeks | Freezing not recommended |
| Ricotta (counted from the day you buy it) | 2 weeks unopened, 1 week opened | Freezing not recommended |
| Yogurt (counted from the day you buy it) | 1–2 weeks | 1–2 months |
| Sour cream | Use by the date on the pack | Freezing not recommended |
| Heavy (double) cream (counted from the day you buy it) | 10 days | 3–4 months |
| Tofu, pasta & more | ||
| Tofu (counted from the day you buy it) | 1 week | 5 months |
| Fresh pasta, uncooked | 1–2 days | 2 months |
| Soy, almond or rice milk, opened | 7–10 days | No FoodKeeper time |
Nothing in the guide matches that. Try a broader word, such as "chicken" or "cheese".
Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen at 0 °F (−18 °C) stays safe, but it slowly loses flavour and texture.
Eat-by date helper
Choose the day it was cooked to see when to eat it by.
The 2-hour rule
Get cooked food into the fridge within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when it's over 90 °F (32 °C), such as at a summer picnic. Perishable food left out longer than that should be thrown away. Germs grow fastest between 40 °F and 140 °F (4 °C and 60 °C).
To cool food quickly, split big batches into shallow containers and cut large roasts into smaller pieces. Hot food can go straight into the fridge. Keep the fridge at 40 °F (4 °C) or colder, and reheat leftovers until they reach 165 °F (73.9 °C), bringing sauces, soups and gravies to a rolling boil.
Using the helper
Pick the food and the day it was cooked (or bought, for raw meat and fish). The helper counts the fridge time from that day and gives the last day to eat it. When the guide gives a range, such as 3 to 4 days, it shows both ends: aim for the earlier one. If something looks or smells wrong, throw it out whatever the date says.
Sources
Keeping times: USDA FoodKeeper (FSIS data, version 128). The 2-hour rule, cooling and reheating advice: USDA FSIS, Leftovers and Food Safety.
Questions
Can I freeze leftovers I've already reheated?
USDA says food left over after reheating previously frozen leftovers to 165 °F can be frozen again. Expect the texture to suffer each time.
Why does cooked rice keep longer than other leftovers here?
FoodKeeper lists cooked rice separately at 4 to 6 days in the fridge. Cool it quickly and keep it cold; when in doubt, use the shorter time.