How Long Will Food Last in the Refrigerator?

Follow these guidelines to know what is still fresh―and what to toss.

Times are based on a refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Shelf life also depends on the freshness of foods at the time of purchase.

• Cheese, hard: six months
• Butter: 1 to 3 months
• Olives and pickles: one month
• Fresh eggs (in shell): 3 to 5 weeks
• Cheese, soft, unopened: 3 to 4 weeks
• Cheese, soft, opened: 1 to 2 weeks
• Bacon, cooked: one week
• Hard-boiled eggs: one week
• Steaks, roasts, uncooked: 3 to 5 days chops
• Bread dough: 3 to 4 days
• Fish, cooked: 3 to 4 days
• Mashed potatoes: 3 to 4 days
• Meat, cooked: 3 to 4 days
• Poultry, cooked: 3 to 4 days
• Stuffing, cooked: 3 to 4 days
• Soups and stews: 2 to 4 days
• Fruit or pumpkin pies, baked: 2 to 3 days
• Chicken or turkey, fresh: 1 to 2 days
• Fish, fresh: 1 to 2 days
• Fruit or pumpkin pies, unbaked: 1 to 2 days
• Gravy, meat broth: 1 to 2 days
• White wine, recorked: 1 to 2 days

For a comprehensive cold-storage chart, consult the federal food-safety website, foodsafety.gov.