About FridgeLife

FridgeLife answers one question as fast as possible: how long does this food last? Every page puts the fridge, freezer and pantry times at the top, then explains how to store the food and how to tell when it is past saving. It is free, has no accounts, and is built to be read on a phone in the kitchen.

Where the numbers come from

Storage times are compiled from guidance published by US public-health agencies, which is in the public domain:

• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) — the FoodKeeper storage guidance developed with Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute, the cold food storage chart, and FSIS fact sheets on leftovers, food product dating and freezing.
• FoodSafety.gov and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — refrigerator and freezer storage charts and guidance on produce, seafood, eggs and canned food.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — storage of breast milk and preparation and storage of infant formula.

Where two sources give different times we use the shorter one. Where agencies publish no specific figure (many condiments, snacks and pantry staples), times reflect widely published manufacturer and extension-service guidance and are about quality rather than safety; the page says so.

How to read the times

• Fridge times assume 40°F (4°C) or colder. A warmer fridge shortens every one of them.
• Freezer times are best-quality windows at 0°F (−18°C). Food kept constantly frozen stays safe beyond them; it just dries out and loses flavor.
• Not safe in the pantry column means the food is perishable and falls under the 2-hour rule (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C).
• Not recommended means you can, but the quality suffers or there is no point.
• The clock starts when you bring the food home, open it or cook it — not at the date printed on the package, which outside of infant formula is a quality date, not a safety date.

Limits of this site

These are general guidelines, not guarantees. They cannot account for how the food was handled before you bought it, how cold your refrigerator really is, or the health of the people eating it. Pregnant women, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems should be more cautious than any chart. The bacteria that cause food poisoning generally cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, so a food can pass every spoilage test and still make you ill. When in doubt, throw it out. FridgeLife is not medical advice; if you think you have food poisoning, contact a health professional.

Corrections and contact

If a number here disagrees with current USDA, FDA or CDC guidance, we want to fix it. Write to info@fridgelife.org with the page and the source.