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
