Food storage: how long and how
How long can leftovers sit in the fridge, or the freezer? Reference storage times to cut down on food waste.
In the fridge (4°C / 40°F or below)
| Food | Duration |
|---|---|
| Cooked leftovers (meat, vegetables, meals) | 3-4 days |
| Raw meat (beef, pork) | 3-5 days |
| Raw poultry | 1-2 days |
| Raw fish | 1-2 days |
| Eggs | 3-5 weeks |
| Opened dairy products | Check the date, usually 1-2 weeks |
The bacterial "danger zone" is between 4°C/40°F and 60°C/140°F: food should never sit in it for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the ambient temperature is above 32°C/90°F).
In the freezer (-18°C / 0°F)
| Food | Duration (best quality) |
|---|---|
| Ground meat | 3-4 months |
| Meat cuts (beef, pork) | 6-12 months |
| Poultry | 9-12 months |
| Bread | 2-3 months |
| Blanched vegetables | 8-12 months |
| Cooked meals | 2-3 months |
In the freezer, these times are about quality (taste, texture), not safety: food kept continuously at -18°C/0°F stays generally safe well past this, but loses quality.
Signs food is no longer safe to eat
- Sour, ammonia-like or unusual odour.
- Unusually slimy or sticky texture.
- Visible mould (never just "scrape it off" a soft food).
- Bulging packaging (cans, vacuum-sealed): discard without opening.
Pantry storage (room temperature)
| Food | Duration |
|---|---|
| Raw rice, pasta | 1-2 years |
| Flour | 6-12 months |
| Olive oil (opened) | 6 months |
| Unopened canned goods | 1-5 years depending on the product |
| Potatoes, onions (cool, dark place) | Several weeks |
Can you refreeze thawed food?
Food thawed in the refrigerator (slowly) can be safely refrozen, with a slight quality loss. Food thawed at room temperature, or already cooked after thawing, should not be refrozen raw — only after being fully cooked again.
Stock rotation: the FIFO method
FIFO (First In, First Out): placing new purchases behind older ones in the fridge or pantry ensures nothing gets forgotten at the back and spoils unused.
Labelling leftovers with the preparation date (not just the freezing date) makes applying FIFO day to day much easier.
Thanks for the feedback!