How long does food last? Check the fridge, freezer & pantry life of any food
Type a food below to see how long it keeps in the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer — then enter the date you bought or cooked it to estimate a use-by date. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you type is uploaded.
Estimate a use-by date
Pick a food, choose where you’re keeping it, and set the date you bought, opened, or cooked it. The tool adds the typical storage window to that date.
How this tool works
Each food carries three storage windows measured in days, based on USDA FoodKeeper-style guidance. When you ask for an estimate, the tool takes your start date and adds the lower bound to get a best-quality date and the upper bound to get an outer use-by date. It then compares the outer date to today and tells you roughly how many days of estimated life remain. A dash (—) means a storage spot isn’t recommended for that food — for example, raw potatoes don’t belong in the fridge.
Quick reference: common “is it still good?” foods
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked chicken / leftovers | 3–4 days | 2–6 months |
| Raw chicken or turkey | 1–2 days | 9–12 months |
| Ground meat | 1–2 days | 3–4 months |
| Milk (opened) | 5–7 days | 3 months |
| Eggs in shell | 3–5 weeks | not in shell |
| Fresh mushrooms | 7–10 days | 8–10 months (cooked) |
| Bread | 1–2 weeks | 3–6 months |
Want the reasoning behind these numbers? Read the food storage guide for how the fridge, freezer, and pantry each work, and how to tell if food has gone bad when the date is borderline.
Frequently asked questions
How long does cooked chicken last in the fridge?
Cooked chicken and other cooked meats keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. For longer storage, freeze within that window, where it holds good quality for 2 to 6 months. Search “chicken” in the tool above and enter the date you cooked it to get an estimated use-by date.
Is the use-by date the same as a safety date?
Usually not. On most foods, “best by,” “sell by,” and “use by” are quality dates set by the manufacturer, not federal safety deadlines (infant formula is the main exception). Food can be safe past these dates if it was stored properly and shows no spoilage signs. This tool estimates a quality window, not a guarantee.
Can I rely on these numbers exactly?
Treat them as careful general guidelines drawn from USDA FoodKeeper-style data. Actual shelf life depends on your fridge temperature, how fresh the food was, and how it was packaged. Always combine the estimate with your senses — if something looks, smells, or feels off, discard it.
Does freezing kill bacteria?
No. Freezing pauses bacterial growth but does not kill most microbes; they become active again when food thaws. Freezing also doesn’t make spoiled food safe. The freezer windows here are about quality (flavor and texture), since frozen food stays safe indefinitely at 0°F.
Why shouldn’t I store potatoes or onions in the fridge?
Cold turns the starch in raw potatoes to sugar, changing taste and texture, and the humidity makes onions go soft. Both keep best in a cool, dark, dry spot with airflow. The tool flags foods like these where the fridge is not recommended.
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