| Food | Pantry (Room Temperature) | Refrigerator (33°F to 40°F) | Freezer (0°F) |
| Bread and Cereal Products |
| Baked quick breads | 4-5 days | 1-2 weeks | 2-3 months |
| Bread | 5-7 days | 1-2 weeks | 3 months |
| Bread crumbs and croutons | 6 months | | |
| Bread rolls, unbaked | | 2-3 weeks | 1 month |
| Cereals, ready-to-eat | 1 year
2-3 months* | | |
| Cereals, ready-to-cook | 6 months | | |
| Corn meal | 1 year | 18 months | 2 years |
| Doughnuts | 4-5 days | | 3 months |
| Flour, all-purpose, white | 6-8 months | 1 year | 1-2 years |
| Flour, whole wheat | | 6-8 months | 1-2 years |
| Pasta | 2 years | | |
| Pies and pastries | | 3 days | 4-6 months |
| Pies and pastries, baked | | | 1-2 months |
| Pies and pastries, cream filled | | 2-3 days | 3 months |
| Pizza | | 3-4 days | 1-2 months |
| Rice, brown | 6 months | | |
| Rice, white | 1 year | 6-7 days+ | 6 months+ |
| Tacos, enchiladas, and burritos (frozen) | | 2 weeks | 1 year |
| Waffles | | 4-5 days | 1 month |
| Packaged Foods and Mixes |
| Biscuit, brownie, and muffin mixes | 9 months | | |
| Cakes, prepared | 2-4 days | | 2-3 months |
| Cake mixes | 6-9 months | | |
| Casserole mix | 9-12 months | | |
| Chili powder | 6 months | | |
| Cookies, packaged | 2 months | | 8-12 months |
| Crackers, pretzels | 3 months | | |
| Frosting, canned | 3 months | | |
| Frosting, mix | 8 months | | |
| Fruit cake | | 2-3 months | 1 year |
| Hot roll mix | 18 months | | |
| Instant breakfast products | 6 months | | |
| Pancake and piecrust mix | 6 months | | |
| Pancake waffle batter | | 1-2 days | 3 months |
| Toaster pastries | 3 months | | |
| Sauce and gravy mixes | 6 months | | |
| Soup mixes | 1 year | | |
| Spices, Herbs, Condiments, Extracts |
| Catsup, chili, and cocktail sauce | 1 year
1 month* |
6 months | |
| Herbs | 6 months | | 1-2 years |
| Herb/spice blends | 2 years
1 year * | | 1-2 years |
| Mustard | 2 years | 6-8 months* | 8-12 months |
| Spices, ground | 6 months | | 1-2 years |
| Spices, whole | 1-2 years | | 2-3 years |
| Vanilla extract | 2 years
1 year* | | |
| Other extracts | 1 year | | |
| Other Food Staples |
| Bacon bits | 4 months | | |
| Baking powder | 18 months | | |
| Baking soda | 2 years | | |
| Bouillon products | 1 year | | |
| Carbonated soft drinks (12 oz. cans) | 6-9 months | | |
| Carbonated soft drinks, diet (12 oz. cans) | 3-4 months | | |
| Chocolate, premelted | 1 year | | |
| Chocolate syrup | 2 years | 6 months* | |
| Chocolate, semisweet | 2 years | | |
| Chocolate, unsweetened | 18 months | | |
| Cocoa mixes | 8 months | | |
| Coconut, shredded | 1 year
6 months* | 8 months | 1 year |
| |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Cornstarch | 18 months | | 2 years |
| Gelatin | 18 months | | |
| Honey, jams, jellies, and syrup | 1 year | 6-8 months* | |
| Marshmallows | 2-3 months | | |
| Marshmallow cream | 3-4 months | | |
| Mayonnaise | 2-3 months | 12 months
2 months* | |
| Molasses | 2 years | | |
| Nuts, shelled | 4 months | 6 months | |
| Nuts, unshelled | 6 months | | |
| Nuts, salted | | | 6-8 months |
| Nuts, unsalted | | | 9-12 months |
| Oil, salad | 3 months^
2 months* | | |
| Parmesan grated cheese | 10 months
2 months* | | |
| Pasteurized process cheese spread | 3 months | 3-4 weeks* | 4 months |
| Peanut butter | 6-9 months
2-3 months* | 4-6 months | |
| Popcorn | 1-2 years | 2 years | 2-3 years |
| Pectin | 1 year | | |
| Salad dressings, bottled | 1 year^ | 3 months* | |
| Soft drinks | 3 months | | |
| Artificial sweetener | 2 years | | |
| Sugar, brown | 4 months | | |
| Sugar, confectioners | 18 months | | |
| Sugar, granulated | 2 years | | |
| | | |
|
| | |
| Vegetable oils | 6 months
1-3 months* | | |
| Vegetable shortening | 3 months | 6-9 months | |
| Vinegar | 2 years
1 year* | | |
| Water, bottled | 1-2 years | | |
| Whipped topping (dry) | 1 year | | |
| Yeast, dry | Pkg. exp. date | | |
| Vegetables |
| Asparagus | | 2-3 days | 8 months |
| Beets | | 2 weeks | |
| Broccoli | | 3-5 days | |
| Brussels sprouts | | 3-5 days | |
| Cabbage | | 1 week | |
| Carrots | | 2 weeks | |
| Cauliflower | | 1 week | |
| Celery | | 1 week | |
| Corn (husks) | | 1-2 days | 8 months |
| Cucumbers | | 1 week | |
| Eggplant | | 1 week | |
| Green beans | | 1-2 days | 8 months |
| Green peas | | 3-5 days | 8 months |
| Lettuce | | 1 week | |
| Lima beans | | 3-5 days | 8 months |
| Mushrooms | | 2 days | |
| Onions | 1 week | 3-5 days | |
| Onion rings (precooked, frozen) | | | 1 year# |
| Peppers | | 1 week | |
| Pickles, canned | 1 year | 1 month* | |
| Frozen potatoes | | | 8 month |
| Sweet potatoes | 2-3 weeks | | |
| White potatoes | 2-3 months | | |
| Potato chips | 1 month | | |
| Radishes | | 2 weeks | |
| Rhubarb | | 3-5 days | |
| Rutabagas | 1 week | | |
| Snap beans | | 1 week | |
| Spinach | | 5-7 days | 8 months |
| Squash, Summer | | 3-5 days | |
| Squash, Winter | 1 week | | |
| Tomatoes | | 1 week | |
| Turnips | | 2 weeks | |
| Commercial baby food, jars | 1-2 years^ | 2-3 days | |
| Canned vegetables | 1 year^ | 3-5 days* | |
| Canned vegetables, pickled | 1 year^ | 1-2 months* | |
| Dried vegetables | 6 months | | |
| Frozen vegetables | | | 8 months |
| Vegetable soup | | 3-4 days | 3 months |
| Fruits |
| Apples | Until ripe | 1 month | |
| Apricots | Until ripe | 5 days | |
| Avocados | Until ripe | 5 days | |
| Bananas | Until ripe | 5 days (fully ripe) | |
| Berries | Until ripe | 3 days | 1 year |
| Canned fruit | 1 year | 2-4 days* | |
| Canned fruit juices | 1 year | 3-4 days* | |
| Cherries | Until ripe | 3 days | |
| Citrus fruit | Until ripe | 2 weeks | |
| Dried fruit | 6 months | 2-4 days+ | |
| Frozen fruit | | | 1 year |
| Fruit juice concentrate | | 6 days | 1 year |
| Fruit pies, baked | | 2-3 days | 8 months |
| Grapes | Until ripe | 5 days | |
| Melons | Until ripe | 5 days | |
| Nectarines | Until ripe | 5 days | |
| Peaches | Until ripe | 5 days | 1 year |
| Pears | Until ripe | 5 days | 1 year |
| Pineapple | Until ripe | 5-7 days | 1 year |
| Plums | Until ripe | 5 days | |
| Dairy Products |
| Butter | | 1-2 months | 9 months |
| Buttermilk | | 2 weeks | |
| Cottage cheese | | 1 week | 3 months |
| Cream cheese | | 2 weeks | |
| Cream-light, heavy, half- and-half | | 3-4 days | 1-4 months |
| Eggnog commercial | | 3-5 days | 6 months |
| Margarine | | 4-5 months | 12 months |
| Condensed, evaporated and dry milk | 12-23 months^ | 8-20 days* | |
| Milk | | 8-20 days | |
| Ice cream and sherbet | | | 2 months |
| Hard natural cheese (e.g. cheddar, swiss) | | 3-6 months
3-4 weeks* | 6 months |
| Processed cheese | | 3-4 weeks | 6-8 months |
| Soft cheese (e.g. brie) | | 1 week | 6 months |
| Pudding | | 1-2 days* | |
| Snack dips | | 1 week* | |
| Sour cream | | 2 weeks | |
| Non-dairy whipped cream, canned | | 3 months | |
| Real whipped cream, canned | | 3-4 weeks | |
| Yogurt | | 2 weeks | 1-2 months |
| Meats, Poultry, Eggs and Fish |
| Meats |
| Fresh beef and bison steaks | | 3-5 days | 6-9 months |
| Fresh beef and bison roasts | | 3-5 days | 9-12 months |
| Fresh pork chops | | 2-3 days | 4-6 months |
| Fresh lamb chops | | 3-5 days | 6-8 months |
| Fresh veal | | 1-2 days | 4-6 months |
| Fresh ground meat (e.g. beef, bison, veal, lamb) | | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
| Cooked meat | | 2-3 days | 2-3 months |
| Canned meat | 1 year | 3-4 days* | 3-4 months |
| Ham, whole | | 1 week | 1-2 months |
| Ham, canned | 2 years | 1 week* | 3-4 months |
| Ham, canned "keep refrigerated" | | 6-9 months
3-5 days* |
3-4 months |
| Shelf-stable unopened canned meat (e.g. chili, deviled ham, corn beef) | 1 year | 1week* | |
| Ham, cook before eating | | 1 week | |
| Ham, fully cooked | | 2 weeks
1 week* | |
| Ham, dry-cured | 1 year | 1 month | |
| Ham salad, store prepared or homemade | | 3-5 days | |
| Bacon | | 2 weeks
1 week* | 1 month |
| Corned beef, uncooked | | 5-7 days | 1-2 months |
| Restructured (flaked) meat products | | | 9-12 months |
| Sausage, fresh | | 1-2 days | 1-2 months |
| Smoked breakfast sausage links, patties | | 1 week | 2 months |
| Sausage, smoked (e.g. Mettwurst) | | 1 week | 1-2 months |
| Sausage, semi-dry (e.g. Summer sausage) | | 2-3 weeks* | 6 months |
| Sausage, dry smoked (e.g. Pepperoni, jerky, dry Salami) | 1 year | 1 month* | 6 months |
| Frankfurters, bologna | | 2 weeks
3-7 days* | 1-2 months |
| Luncheon meat | | 2 weeks
3-5 days* | 1 month |
| Meat gravies | | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| TV beef and pork dinners | | | 18 months# |
| Meat based casseroles | | 3-4 days | 4 months |
| Variety meats (giblets, tongue, liver, heart, etc.) | | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
| Vinegar pickled meats (e.g. pickled pigs feet) | 1 year^ | 2 weeks* | |
| Fish |
| Breaded fish | | | 4-6 months |
| Canned fish | 1 year | 1-2 days* | |
| Cooked fish or seafood | | 3-4 days | 3 months |
| Lean fish (e.g. cod, flounder, haddock) | | 1-2 days | 6 months |
| Fatty fish (e.g. bluefish, salmon, mackeral) | | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| Dry pickled fish | | 3-4 weeks | |
| Smoked fish | | 2 weeks | 4-5 weeks |
| Seafood-clams, crab, lobster in shell | | 2 days | 3 months |
| Seafood-oysters and scallops | | 4-5 days | 3-4 months |
| Seafood-shrimp | | 4-5 days | 1 year |
| Seafood-shucked clams | | 4-5 days | 3-6 months |
| Tuna salad, store prepared or homemade | | 3-5 days | |
| Poultry |
| Chicken nuggets or patties | | 1-2 days | |
| Chicken livers | | 1-2 days | 3 months |
| Chicken and poultry TV dinners | | | 6 months |
| Canned poultry^ | 2-5 years | 3-4 days* | 4-6 weeks |
| Cooked poultry | | 2-3 days | 4-6 months |
| Fresh poultry | | 1-2 days | 1 year |
| Frozen poultry parts | | 1-2 days | 6-9 months |
| Canned poultry | | 1 day | 3 months |
| Poultry pies, stews, and gravies | | 1-2 days | 6 months |
| Poultry salads, store prepared or homemade | | 3-5 days | |
| Poultry stuffing, cooked | | 3-4 days | 1 month |
| Eggs |
| Eggs, in shell | | 3-5 weeks | |
| Eggs, hard-boiled | | 1 week | |
| Eggs, pasteurized | | 10 days
3 days* | 1 year |
| Egg substitute | | 10 days
3 days* | 1 year |
| Egg yolks (covered in water) | | 2-4 days | 1 year |
| Egg whites (For each cup of egg yolk add 1 Tbs. of sugar or salt) | | 2-4 days | 1 year |
| Wild Game |
| Frog legs | | 1 day | 6-9 months |
| Game birds | | 2 days | 9 months |
| Small game (rabbit, squirrel, etc.) | | 2 days | 9-12 months |
| Venison ground meat | | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| Venison steaks and roasts | | 3-5 days | 9-12 months |
* Opened
+ Cooked
^ Refrigerate after opening
# After manufacture date |