Searching for the shelf life of the most common refrigerated foods? Then, you’ll love this article. But before that, let me you a little background on how our ancestors preserved their food.
Long before the invention of the refrigerator, the people back then would cut huge ice from freezing surfaces of rivers, ponds, and lakes. What they collected would be placed in root cellars or iceboxes. These would be insulated with sawdust to prepare them as storage facilities for various foods like meat, fruits, and vegetables, for the coming hot summer days. A lot has happened since then. Today, this type of low temperature food preservation is still used in only a few places for certain reasons. But thanks to the invention of the refrigerator, we do not necessarily do such hard work anymore.
This article covers the shelf life of the common refrigerated foods. And we’ll give you tips how to maximize them. If you are looking for a specific food, and want to skip some sections, check out the table of contents below.
Table of Contents
Egg
Refrigerated eggs are good for up to 4 to 5 weeks. Most refrigerators have a dedicated area for eggs—in the back of the door. If this is where you want to put them, it is better to keep them stored in the egg carton in the refrigerator. This is to protect the eggs from temperature changes. Ideally, put them in the middle shelf, just right toward the back. Eggs are better at an area of constant cool temperature.
As for boiled eggs, you can safely keep them in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, peeled or unpeeled. The best way to store peeled boiled eggs is by placing them in a ziplock bag or an airtight container.
Further reading: The Shelf Life of Hard Boiled Eggs in The Fridge
Cooked pasta
Leftover pasta is good in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. To store cooked pasta, place it in a sealed container or a resealable bag. Let it cool down first before storing it in the refrigerator. Since cooked pasta is highly perishable, you may want to check early signs of spoilage, usually foul odor and discoloration.
Further reading: How Long Is Leftover Pasta Good For?
Shrimp
Raw fresh shrimp is good in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Right after purchase, refrigerate shrimp as soon as possible. Unshelled or not. To ensure the flesh do not degrade in quality faster, choose and buy shrimp with their heads removed. The heads contain spoiling enzymes, which, if not removed immediately consume the flesh and make it mushy.
Further reading: Why You Should Buy Shrimp With Their Heads Removed
Cooked rice
Cooked rice is the most common leftover. Although it is usually still okay after 4 to 6 days, as long as it is stored properly in the freezer. Make sure to put it in an airtight container as soon as it cools down. A ziplock bag will also do. And refrain from reheating cooked leftover rice twice. The shelf life of cooked rice is further discussed in this separate article.
Further read: Can You Really Reheat Leftover Rice?
Ground meat
Ground meats, regardless of the mixture (chicken, pork, beef, etc.) have a very short storage of 1 to 2 days. This is because ground meat exposes more of its surface to air, which is one of the needs of bacteria to survive. If ground meat is store-bought, keep it unopened and store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Better to store it on the lowest shelf to prevent its juice from dripping onto other food items.
Raw poultry
Chicken and turkey, whole or pieces, are good in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Fresh raw chicken is pink, while turkey is creamy in color. Any color change usually indicates that the meat is starting to go bad. Store fresh poultry in a ziplock bag. Any clean airtight container will do. And place it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, in the back.
Raw beef, veal, lamb, and pork
Raw Beef, veal, lamb, and pork, regardless of the cut can only be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. These protein-rich foods are very susceptible to food spoilage. When storing raw meat, place them in a sealed container. Ideally, put the container at the bottom of the refrigerator. This is to prevent meat juices from dripping onto other food items, especially ready-to-eat.
Leftovers
Generally, leftovers like cooked meats and vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. However, it is ideal to consume leftovers in 2 days. Remember that leftovers are rich nutrients. The longer you store them, the higher the risk of food poisoning.
The FDA recommends to store leftovers in the refrigerator 2 hours after they were prepared. Leftover generally emanates strong odor. Put leftovers in an airtight container to prevent them from contaminating other foods in the refrigerator.
Nuts
Generally, you can store nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans in the refrigerator for up to 1 year without loss in quality. In the freezer is even better where they can last for up to 2 years. Chestnuts are an exemption though, because composition-wise, they are more like fruits—rich in starch, but low in fat. Their shelf life is very short (2 to 3 weeks). However, in-shell chestnuts are good in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Further read: 5 Easy Tips For Longer Nuts Shelf life
Salad
Salad such as egg, macaroni, egg, chicken, and tuna can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To store salad in the refrigerator, place it in a bowl and cover it with a plastic wrap. An airtight container will also do to maintain its freshness.
Never put salad in the freezer because they do not freeze well. Once frozen and thawed, most salads usually discolor, become mushy, and no longer desirable.
Mushrooms
Before storing mushrooms, make sure they are fresh. Fresh mushrooms can last in the refrigerator for 7 days to 2 weeks. While cooked mushrooms can last for 3 to 5 days. However, sliced mushrooms may spoil faster.
Storing mushrooms can be tricky. Some wrap it in plastic. But it is not correct because the mushrooms may develop brown spots, and look and feel slimy. Unlike most perishable items, plastic bags or any sealed containers are not ideal for mushrooms. Enclosed space only hastens the spoilage. Ideally, place mushrooms in any porous material such as a paper bag. The mechanic is simple. The porous nature of the paper bag draws moisture from the mushroom (fresh mushrooms have a moisture content somewhere between 85–95%), preventing mold growth.
Soups
Most types of soups last for up for 3 to 4 days. However, this is mostly depending on the nature of the soup. While most meat-based soup can last for up to 3 days, vegetable-based soups may last longer that some may go for 1 week without showing any signs of spoilage. Just make sure to reheat the soup properly—boil it for at least 3 minutes to eliminate the harmful bacteria.
Store soup in a clean airtight container.
Fish
Fish have a very short shelf life of 1 to 2 days. Among types of meats, fish smell worse because they contain more trimethylamine oxide (TAMO). Storing fish improperly may stink the refrigerator and spoil other food items. To store fish in the refrigerator, use an airtight container and place it in the coldest part, in the back. Surrounding it with ice works.
Further read: These 5 Signs Will Tell You If Fish Is Fresh
Milk
Unopened fresh milk, regardless of the packaging material, will last for up to 7 to 10 days. Once opened, the milk is still safe to drink for 3 to 5 days. Milk is very perishable. Some people place milk by the refrigerator door because the container fits well. But it is not ideal because it gets warmer whenever the door is opened. Place milk cartons on the shelves where it cooler. The shelf life of raw (pasteurized milk) is further discussed in this separate article.
Carrots
Carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks. When storing carrots, make sure they are moist. Place carrots in a container such as a sealed bag, which carrots can be submerged in water completely. You need to change the water every 4 days. Wrapping them in damp paper towels will also do.
Radish
Radish can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. Place unwashed radish In a ziplock bag or plastic bag. A damp paper towel at the bottom of the bag will retain moisture.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are good in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. Store only ripe (underriped ones are better stored at room temperature) tomatoes in the refrigerator. Place tomatoes in the produce drawer or near the door of the refrigerator. Cooler temperature makes tomatoes lose flavor and texture.
Asparagus
Asparagus has a very short storage time of 3 to 5 days. To store asparagus, cut about half an inch of the stem. Place and stand the asparagus in a glass jar filled with about half an inch of water. Loosely cover it with a bag before storing it in the crisper or produce drawer.
Berries
Most berries including strawberries can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. To ensure berries last longer, place them in a perforated container to permit air circulation in the container. Strictly no airtight containers because it hastens spoilage.
Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits like oranges typically last 2 weeks to 4 weeks. Store citrus fruits in the produce or crisper drawer. Not in the section where temperature fluctuates like the refrigerator door. When storing lemons, place them first in a ziplock bag or any sealed container.
Please remember that the shelf life of refrigerated foods listed above are guidelines. Although they are generally true, food may spoil faster for some reason, such as mishandling. Use your senses to determine if the food is still safe for consumption.
