Adequate Data: Food Shelf Lives < the Adequate Life: how to be good enough

Grains

Item	Freezer	Refrigerator	Counter/ Pantry
Bread (loaf)	2–3 months	1–2 weeks	5–7 days
Cake (frosted)	1 month	2 weeks	1 week
Cake (unfrosted)	2–3 months	1 week	3–4 days
Cheesecake	2–3 months	1 week	1 day
Cookies (baked)	2–3 months	1 month	1 week
Cookie Dough	6–8 months	2–3 weeks	2–3 days
Macaroni & Cheese (leftover)	1–2 weeks	3–5 days	4–5 hours
Muffins (baked)	6–12 months	2 weeks	2–3 days
Pancakes	3 months	1 week	1 day
Pancake Mix	2 months	2 weeks	6 hours
Pie (fruit, baked)	6–8 months	1 month	1–2 days
Pie (fruit, unbaked)	2–4 months	1 week	1–2 days
Pie (pumpkin or pecan)	1–2 months	1 week	1–2 days
Pizza (leftover)	1–2 weeks	3–4 days	1–2 hours
Rice (cooked)	1 month	3–4 days	1 day
Rolls (baked)	2–3 months	2 weeks	5–7 days
Rolls (dough)	1 month	1–2 weeks	1 day
Sandwich (prepared)	NEVER	1–2 days	2–8 hours
Spaghetti with Meatballs (leftover)	2–3 weeks	1–2 days	2–3 hours
Waffles	1 month	4 days	4 hours

NOTE: Store in clear plastic in a well-lit, dry area (which can even be inside a microwave).

Fruits

Item	Freezer*	Refrigerator	Counter/ Pantry	Best Method
Apples	8–12 months	1–2 months	2–4 weeks	Uncut, unwrapped
Avocados	NEVER	3 days	4 days to ripened	Countertop to ripen, refrigerator when ripe
Avocados (halved)	NEVER	1 day	4 hours	Squeeze lemon juice on its flesh and seal it in plastic wrap
Bananas	2–3 months	5–9 days	2–7 days	Uncut, unwrapped
Bananas (halved)	1 month	1–2 days	1 day	Peel on, flesh wrapped in foil
Berries	8–12 months	3–5 days	1 day	Uncovered, vented container
Citrus	3 months	3 weeks	1–2 weeks	Uncut, unwrapped
Citrus (halved)	NEVER	2–3 days	1 day	Plastic wrap
Coconut	NEVER	2–3 months	1 month	Uncut, unwrapped
Melons	8–12 months	1 week	Until ripened
Grapes	3–5 months	1–2 weeks	3–5 days	Perforated plastic wrap
Kiwifruit	3–4 months	1 week	5 days	Uncut, unwrapped
Lemons	3–4 months	1–2 months	2–4 weeks	Uncut, unwrapped
Mangoes	2–3 months	2 weeks	5 days	Plastic bag
Melons	2–3 months	2 weeks	5 days once ripened	Uncut, unwrapped on a countertop
Melons (halved)	1 month	7–10 days	2–3 days	Plastic wrap
Papaya	2-3 months	2 weeks	4 days	Plastic bag
Peaches	8–12 months	5 days	Until ripe	Countertop to ripen, refrigerator when ripe
Pears	8–12 months	2 weeks	4 days once ripened	Uncut, unwrapped
Pineapples	3–5 months	4–5 days	2–3 days	Uncut, unwrapped
Plums	8–12 months	5 days	Until ripened	Countertop to ripen, refrigerator when ripe
Strawberries	6–8 months	5–7 days	1–2 days	Wrap in a paper towel and seal with plastic wrap
Tomatoes	8–12 months	2 weeks	5–7 days	Uncut, unwrapped, in a dark place outside the refrigerator in a vented container
Watermelon	NEVER	1–2 weeks	3–4 days	Uncut, unwrapped

* Most fruits can be stored in the freezer when they’re puréed.

Vegetables/Spices

Item	Freezer*	Refrigerator	Counter/ Pantry	Best Method
Asparagus	NEVER	3–4 days	1 day	Stems in water, lightly cover the top in a plastic bag
Basil	NEVER	1 week	1 day	Stems in water, fully cover the top in plastic
Beets	NEVER	2 weeks	1 week	Plastic bag
Bell Pepper	NEVER	3–4 days	2 days	Plastic wrap
Broccoli	8–12 months	7–14 days	2 days	Plastic wrap
Cabbage	NEVER	2 weeks	2 days	Plastic wrap
Carrots	8–12 months	3 weeks	0–4 days	Plastic bag
Cauliflower	8–12 months	5 days	2 days	Plastic wrap
Celery	NEVER	2 weeks	2 days	Bottom in water like a flower pot, cover with a plastic bag, ALTERNATELY wrap it in foil
Chili Peppers	8–12 months	2 weeks	4 days	Plastic bag
Chives	NEVER	5 days	1 day	Wrap in a damp paper towel or plastic wrap
Cilantro	NEVER	1 week	2 days	Stems in water, lightly cover top in a plastic bag
Corn	2 months	3–4 days	1 day	Plastic wrap
Cucumbers	8–12 months	1 week	1–3 days	Wrap in a dry paper towel and seal with plastic wrap
Eggplant/Aubergine/Brinjal	NEVER	2 weeks	1 day	Plastic wrap
Garlic	1–2 years	1 month	2 months	Dark place outside refrigerator
Ginger	1 year	1 month	2 weeks	Uncut, unwrapped
Ginger (cut)	6 months	1–2 weeks	2 days	Plastic bag with a dry paper towel
Greens	NEVER	7–10 days	3–4 days	Large plastic container layered with dry paper towels
Green Beans	8–12 months	1 week	0-1 day	Plastic bag with a dry paper towel
Lettuce	NEVER	1 week	0-1 day	Wrap in a dry paper towel and seal with plastic wrap
Mushrooms	NEVER	1 week	3–4 days	Brown paper bag
Onions	NEVER	2 months	2 weeks	Dark place outside refrigerator
Onions (halved)	NEVER	1–2 weeks	2 days	Sealed plastic bag
Parsley	NEVER	1 week	2 days	Stems in water, lightly cover top in a plastic bag
Potatoes	NEVER	2 months	1–2 months	Brown paper bag outside refrigerator
Pumpkin	NEVER	2 months	2 months	Dark place outside refrigerator
Radishes	8–12 months	2 weeks	1 week	Wrap in a dry paper towel and seal with plastic wrap
Rosemary	NEVER	2 weeks	3 days	Plastic wrap
Salad with Dressing (leftover)	1–2 weeks	3–5 days	2–3 hours
Spices & Herbs (ground and dried)	12 months	10 months	6–9 months
Spinach	NEVER	2 weeks	3 days	Unwrapped
Summer Squash	NEVER	5 days	5 days	Plastic bag
Sweet Potatoes/Yams	NEVER	2 weeks	2 weeks	Brown paper bag outside refrigerator
Thyme	NEVER	2 weeks	3 days	Plastic wrap
Vegetable Soup	2–3 months	1–2 weeks	2 hours
Winter Squash	NEVER	2 weeks	1 month	Dark place outside refrigerator
Zucchini	NEVER	1 week	2 days	Wrap in a dry paper towel and seal with plastic wrap

* Most high-fiber vegetables can be stored in the freezer when they’re puréed.

Meats/Nuts

Item	Freezer	Refrigerator	Counter/ Pantry	Best Method
Bacon (opened)	4 months	1 week	2 hours
Bacon (unopened)	4 months	2 weeks	2 hours	Sealed bag with no air
Beef Chops	4–6 months	1–2 weeks	2 hours
Beef Ground Hamburger	6–8 months	1–2 days	2 hours	Sealed bag with no air
Beef Roasts	1 year	1–2 weeks	2 hours	Sealed bag with no air
Beef Tongue/Liver/Kidneys/Heart	3–4 months	1–2 weeks	2 hours
Cold Cuts	2–3 months	2 weeks unopened, 5 days opened	4 hours
Broths & Soups	2–3 months	1–2 weeks	2 hours	Closed pot or freezer bag
Chicken (prepared dishes)	4–6 months	2 weeks	3 hours
Chicken (fried)	4 months	1 week	3 hours
Chicken (ground)	3–4 months	1 week	2 hours	Sealed bag with no air
Chicken Nuggets	1–3 months	1–2 weeks	5 hours	Packaging it came in
Chicken (whole)	1 year	1–2 days	2 hours	Sealed bag with no air
Chicken (parted)	9 months	1–2 days	2 hours	Sealed bag with no air
Fish (fatty)	2–3 months	1 day	2 hours	Sealed bag with no air
Fish (lean)	6–9 months	1 day	2 hours	Sealed bag with no air
Ham (cooked)	2 months	1–2 weeks	2 hours
Hot Dogs (opened)	1–2 months	1 week	2 hours
Hot Dogs (unopened)	1–2 months	2–3 weeks	5–6 hours
Lamb (raw)	9 months	1–2 days	2 hours
Lunch Meat (opened)	1–2 months	3–5 days	2 hours
Lunch Meat (unopened)	1–2 months	2 weeks	2 hours
Nuts	3 months	1–2 months	1 month
Pork (ground)	3–4 months	1–2 days	2 hours
Pork Chops	4–6 months	1–2 weeks	2 hours
Pork Roasts	4–12 months	1–2 weeks	2 hours
Sausages (raw, opened)	1–2 months	1–2 days	1–2 hours
Sausages (raw, unopened)	1–2 months	2 weeks	2–6 hours
Sausages (fully cooked)	1–2 months	1–2 days	2 hours
Shellfish	2–3 months	1 day	1 hour	Shallow tray, single layer, covered with a damp paper towel
Steak	6–12 months	1–2 days	2 hours
Turkey (ground)	3–4 months	1–2 days	2 hours
Turkey (whole)	1 year	1–2 days	2 hours
Turkey (parted)	9 months	1–2 days	2 hours
Veal	9 months	1 week	2 hours
Venison	3–4 months	1 week	2 hours

NOTE: The optimum surface color for meat is very short-lived and changes from oxygen exposure, so the color doesn’t matter nearly as much as odor for detecting quality:

Beef: cherry-red
Lamb: dark cherry-red
Pork: grayish-pink
Veal: pale pink

Dairy

Item	Freezer	Refrigerator	Counter/ Pantry	Best Method
Butter	6–9 months	1–3 months	10 days
Cheese (fresh)	6–8 months	1 week	3 days	In water, change every 2 days
Cheese (hard)	6–8 months	1–4 months	1–3 months	Wrapped in brown paper, then wrapped lightly in plastic wrap
Cheese (soft)	6–8 months	2–3 weeks	1–4 hours	Wrapped in brown paper, then wrapped lightly in plastic wrap
Eggs (hard-boiled)	NEVER	2–3 weeks	2–3 days
Eggs (raw)	NEVER	3–4 weeks	2–3 hours
Milk	3-6 month	5–7 days	0–3 hours
Yogurt	1–2 months	2–3 weeks	0–3 hours

NOTE: Milk itself never technically becomes inedible, but spoiled milk can taste rancid.

Condiments/Drinks

Item	Freezer	Refrigerator	Counter/ Pantry
Coffee (ground)	2–3 years	1 year	1 year
Coffee (instant)	∞	2–20 years	2–20 years
Coffee (whole bean)	3–4 years	2 years	2 years
Honey	∞	∞, not recommended	∞
Juice (from concentrate)	1 year	3–4 months	1 week
Juice (homemade)	6 months	2–3 months	3–4 days
Ketchup	NEVER	1 year	1 year
Mayonnaise (after opening)	NEVER	14 months	2–3 months
Soda	NEVER	6–9 months	6–9 months
Soda (diet)	NEVER	3–5 months	3–5 months