ComScore

A Guide for When to Toss All the Food in Your Fridge

Like cooked chicken...and pickles

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You had chicken for dinner four nights ago, but it’s probably still OK to eat, right? The only way to find out is to give it a sniff and a bite…or you could consult our super-handy guide for when you should actually toss all the food in your fridge.

Raw Meat: 1 to 2 days

Homemade Guacamole: 1 to 2 days

Recorked Wine: 1 to 3 days – tops

Cut Lemons: 2 to 3 days

Cake: 2 to 4 days

Soups and Stews: 2 to 4 days

Cooked Chicken: 3 to 4 days

Cooked Fish: 3 to 4 days

Cooked Hamburger Meat or Steak: 3 to 4 days

Leftover Pizza: 3 to 4 days

Cold Cuts: 3 to 5 days if it’s deli-sliced (if store-bought and unopened, 2 weeks)

Tuna Salad: 3 to 5 days

Dressed Salads: 3 to 5 days. (The lettuce leaves will turn slimy after that.)

Spinach: 5 to 7 days (unopened); 3 to 5 days (opened)

Cooked Rice: 5 to 7 days

Strawberries: 5 to 7 days

Bananas: 2 to 9 days

Blueberries: 5 to 10 days

Hot Dogs: 1 to 2 weeks (unopened); 7 days (opened)

Red Peppers: 1 to 2 weeks

Yellow Peppers: 1 to 2 weeks

Green Peppers: 2 to 3 weeks

Jarred Artichokes: 2 to 4 weeks after they’ve been opened

Cucumber: 1 week

Hard-Boiled Eggs: 1 week

Cooked Bacon: 1 week

Asparagus: 5 to 7 days

Grapes: 5 to 10 days

Tortillas: 7 to 10 days (as long as they’re properly sealed)

Avocados: 7 to 10 days (depending on ripeness when bought)

Iceberg Lettuce: 7 to 10 days

Romaine Lettuce: 7 to 10 days

Tomatoes: 2 weeks

Sliced Bread: 2 weeks (just be sure to inspect for mold)

Yogurt: 2 to 3 weeks

Soft Cheese: 3 to 4 weeks (unopened); 1 to 2 weeks (opened)

Fresh Eggs: 3 to 5 weeks (as long as they’re still in the shell)

Pickles: After you open 'em, 1 month

Mayonnaise: If opened, 2 months

Oranges: 1 to 2 months

Apples: 1 to 2 months

Lemons: 1 to 2 months as long as they’re uncut

Butter: 1 to 3 months

Jarred Garlic: 2 to 3 months

Potatoes: 3 to 4 months

Lemon Juice: 4 to 6 months (as long as it’s a re-sealable bottle)

Hard Cheese: Six months

Sriracha: Can be refrigerated for one year after being opened (but it will start to lose some of its heat after 4 months)

Jelly or Jam: One year after opening

Soy Sauce: 2 to 3 years


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Freelance Editor

From 2015-2020 Lindsay Champion held the role of Food and Wellness Director. She continues to write for PureWow as a Freelance Editor.