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Tips to keep food fresh longer

Refrigerator Storage Times

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Food Storage Guidelines: How Long Can You Keep Food in the Fridge?

2 min readUpdated Mar. 08, 2024Lyle WeischwillRefrigerator
Food Storage Guidelines: How Long Can You Keep Food in the Fridge?

Stay informed about food safety with our comprehensive food storage guidelines, covering everything from dairy to meat to vegetables. Learn how long you can keep common refrigerated items fresh and get tips on maximizing the shelf life of your groceries. Plus, discover expert advice on organizing your fridge effectively to prevent food loss and ensure optimal freshness throughout the week.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Knowing the refrigerator storage times for various food items helps you determine when it’s time to consume or discard them.
  • Maintaining proper fridge and freezer temperatures, storing foods in appropriate compartments, using airtight containers for leftovers, and avoiding overcrowding ensures optimal air circulation all help keep food fresh longer.
  • By planning ahead for the week and organizing the fridge effectively, individuals can prevent food loss and ensure they consume items before they spoil, reducing waste and saving money.

Wondering if those leftovers are still good? What about that meat? Or milk? Our infographic breaks down the shelf life of common refrigerated items and offers up tips for keeping food fresh.

Because sell-by dates often aren't reliable indicators of when something has gone bad, it can be difficult to know how long is too long when it comes to an item’s shelf life. These need-to-know food storage guidelines will help keep you healthy and your fridge fresh.

Fridge Storage Infographic

Tips to keep food fresh longer

Follow this expert advice to help keep food fresh for longer in your fridge:

  • Keep your fridge temp at or below 40°F, and set your freezer to 0ºF.
  • Don’t slice foods until you’re ready to eat them.
  • Store leafy vegetables with humidity control set on high.
  • Store fruits with humidity controls set on low.
  • Don’t store meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables in the same crisper.
  • Don’t put easily perishable items in the fridge door, where the temp is warmer.
  • Store leftovers in airtight containers.
  • Avoid overcrowding, as this can block cold air circulation and cause warm spots.

Be sure to plan ahead for the week to prevent food loss, and don’t forget to organize your fridge in the most effective way.

Refrigerator Storage Times

How long do those eggs last? Should you toss that hamburger meat? Our fridge storage timeline has the answers.

Dairy

Opened Milk: 3-5 days
Opened Cheese: 2-3 weeks

Eggs

Fresh: 2-5 weeks
Products with eggs: 1-2 days

Deli Meat

Unopened: 2 weeks
Opened: 3-5 days

Meat

Steaks, chops, roasts: 3-5 days
Ground meat: 1-2 days

Poultry

Whole or parts: 1-2 days
Leftover cooked meat and poultry: 3-4 days

Fish

Raw fish and shellfish: 1-2 days
Leftover cooked seafood: 3-4 days

Vegetables

Beans, cucumbers, broccoli, lettuce, peppers: 1 week
Beets, celery, corn on the cob, carrots: 2 weeks

Fruit

Berries: 2-3 days
Avocados: 7-10 days
Citrus: 3 weeks

Always stay safe when handling food. When in doubt, throw it out.

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Glossary Terms

A dual ice maker is a feature in some refrigerators that includes two separate ice makers: one in the fridge compartment and another in the freezer section. This setup doubles the appliance's ice-making capacity.

A French-door refrigerator features two doors that open side-by-side on the top section for the refrigerator compartment, with a bottom freezer drawer, combining style, efficiency, and easy access to both refrigerated and frozen goods.

Refrigerant is a chemical compound used in HVAC systems and refrigerators to absorb heat from the environment by cycling through states of evaporation and condensation, enabling the cooling process through its cycle of evaporation and condensation.

R-12 refrigerant, also known as Freon-12, is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) compound that was once widely used in air conditioning systems, refrigerators, and aerosol propellants before its phase-out due to environmental concerns.

Common Repair Refrigerator Symptoms

The most common reasons your LG refrigerator icemaker reset button is not working are a faulty icemaker, a malfunctioning PCB, or a defective water valve.

The most common reasons your Admiral refrigerator is leaking water are a clogged defrost drain, cracked dispenser water tubing or a damaged evaporator.

The most common reasons your Admiral refrigerator is not cooling are a locked compressor, defective electronic control board or a damaged evaporator.

The most common reasons your Amana refrigerator compressor is not running are a locked compressor, defective electronic control board or a damaged evaporator.

The most common reasons your Amana refrigerator display is not working are a defective electronic control board, bad LED light assembly or an inoperative user interface.

The most common reasons your Amana refrigerator fan is not working are a defective electronic control board, damaged evaporator or a locked compressor.