Storage guide
Food Storage Life Guide
Searchable database for "how long is this safe to eat?" questions. Get pantry, fridge, and freezer life for 75+ common foods, plus spoilage signs and reheating safety. Built from USDA FoodKeeper and FDA cold-chain guidance.
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69 foods indexed · USDA FoodKeeper + FDA cold-chain guidance.
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Type 2+ letters or tap a popular lookup. We'll show pantry / fridge / freezer storage life, spoilage signs, and reheating tips.
How to read these times
Times reflect best quality — peak flavor and texture. Food past these windows is often still safe to eat if there are no spoilage signs, but quality drops. Always use the spoilage-sign checklist as the final word, not the calendar.
Freezer times are quality, not safety. Properly frozen food at 0°F (−18°C) stays safe indefinitely. After the listed window, texture and flavor degrade but the food will not make you sick (assuming it was fresh when frozen and never thawed in between).
The two-hour rule.Perishable foods left at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour if above 90°F / 32°C) should be discarded. Bacteria multiply fastest in the "danger zone" of 40°F to 140°F (4°C to 60°C).
When in doubt, throw it out
Tasting a small amount to "check" is not safe — many foodborne pathogens give no warning flavor or smell. Cost of food < cost of food poisoning.
Storage zones explained
Pantry
50–70°F (10–21°C). Dark, dry, ventilated. Most dry goods, canned foods, unopened condiments, and a few hardy vegetables.
Fridge
At or below 40°F (4°C). Coldest at the back, warmest in the door. Raw meat on the bottom shelf to prevent drips.
Freezer
At or below 0°F (−18°C). Always thaw in fridge, cold water, or microwave — never on the counter.
Sources
Times sourced from the USDA FoodKeeper App (US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service), the FDA Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart, and FoodSafety.gov guidance. Generic times are conservative — your specific brand may show different best-by guidance on the package, which takes precedence.