o you ever wonder how long you can freeze a brisket? Or if week-old hard-boiled eggs can still be eaten? I get a lot of questions like this from customers, so I've made this handy-dandy chart of optimal refrigeration and freezing times for commonly eaten foods. I hope it inspires you to clean out your fridge and get rid of any ghastly grub that's been lurking in there for longer than the recommended length of time. Of course, if there is a "use by" date on the package, you should observe it unless you freeze the food. Your good judgment should be used, too. If a food is moldy, discolored, or smells or tastes funny, by all means throw out that spooky spoilage! Your refrigerator temperature should be kept between 34° and 40° Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0°F or less. And remember, always chill your chow in airtight containers or resealable plastic bags. Happy Hallo-clean!

Beef, Pork, Lamb	Refrigerator	Freezer
Roasts, steaks, chops (raw)	3-5 days	4-12 months
Ground meat (raw)	1-2 days	3-4 months
Dishes cooked with meat	3-4 days	2-3 months
Cooked meat	3-4 days	2-3 months
Cooked meat in gravy or broth	1-2 days	6 months
Beef/pork lunch meats (unopened)	2 weeks	1-2 months
Beef/pork lunch meats (after opening)	3-5 days	1-2 months
Sausage (raw)	1-2 days	1-2 months
Bacon	7 days	1 month

Poultry	Refrigerator	Freezer
Whole (raw)	1-2 days	6-12 months
Pieces (raw)	1-2 days	9 months
Dished cooked with chicken	3-4 days	4-6 months
Ground chicken (cooked)	3-4days	2-3 months
Chicken/turkey lunch meats (unopened)	2 weeks	1-2 months
Chicken/turkey lunch meats (after opening)	3-5 days	1-2 months
Fish, Shellfish	Refrigerator	Freezer
Lean fish (fresh, raw)	1-2 days	6 months
Fatty fish (fresh, raw)	1-2 days	2-3 months
Lean and fatty fish (cooked)	3-4 days	4-6 months
Smoked fish (cold smoked)	5-8 days	2 months
Smoked fish (hot smoked, vacuum sealed)	2 weeks	2 months (unopened)
Lobster tails (raw)	2 days in shell	6 months
Shrimp, scallops, crayfish, squid (raw)	1 day	3-6 months
Clams, mussels, oysters (raw, shucked)	1 day	3-6 months
Shellfish (cooked)	3-4 days	3 months
Canned fish (opened)	3-4 days	2 months (out of can)
Dairy	Refrigerator	Freezer
Butter	1-3 months	6-9 months
Margarine	4-5 months	12 months
Cheese, hard (unopened)	6 months	6 months
Cheese, hard (opened)	3-4 weeks	6 months
Cheese, soft	1 week	6 months
Cream cheese (opened)	2 weeks	NR
Cottage cheese (opened)	1 week	NR
Whipped cream (aerosol can)	3-4 weeks	NR
Whipped cream (fresh)	1 day	1-2 months
Milk (opened)	7 days	3 months
Soy milk (opened)	7-10 days	NR
Sour cream	7-21 days	NR
Yogurt	7-14 days	1-2 months
Eggs (whole, raw)	3-5 weeks	NR
Egg whites (raw)	2-4 days	12 months
Eggs (hard boiled)	7 days	NR
Egg substitutes (unopened)	10 days	NR
Egg Substitutes (opened)	3 days	NR
Mayonnaise (commercial, opened)	2 months	NR
Juice	Refrigerator	Freezer
Bottled juice (opened)	5-10 days	NR
Fresh-squeezed juice	3 days	NR
NR = Not Recommended Source: Food Marketing Institute