How the calculator works
USDA's FoodKeeper gives most foods a storage range for each place you might keep them, and says what the clock counts from. The calculator adds that range to the day you enter:
| Clock starts | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The day you bought it | Fresh meat, poultry, fish, many dairy foods | Ground beef: 1–2 days in the fridge |
| The day you opened it | Packaged foods once the seal is broken | Lunch meat: 3–5 days after opening |
| The day it thawed | Frozen foods moved to the fridge | Frozen nuggets: 1–2 days after thawing |
| The day you froze it | Anything in the freezer | Chicken pieces: 9 months for best quality |
Some foods have no number, just an instruction such as “package use-by date” (follow the date printed on it) or “not recommended” (for example, freezing eggs in the shell).
Storage time and the printed date
The date on the package and USDA's storage time answer different questions. The printed date is the manufacturer's estimate for an unopened product; the storage time tells you how long it keeps under your conditions once you've bought or opened it. When they disagree, go with the earlier one. To read a printed date, use the expiration date decoder; to browse everything at once, the shelf life chart.
What the numbers assume
- Your refrigerator is at 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer at 0°F (-18°C).
- Perishable food went into the fridge promptly and wasn't left out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F).
- The food looks, smells and feels normal. If it doesn't, the date doesn't matter: when in doubt, throw it out.
Questions people ask
Where do these storage times come from?
From USDA's FoodKeeper data, published by the Food Safety and Inspection Service and developed with Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute. It's the same data behind USDA's FoodKeeper app. We show USDA's ranges as published and don't adjust them.
Should I follow this or the date on the package?
If the package has a use-by date, follow whichever comes first. For many foods USDA's guidance counts from the day you bought or opened it, because the clock that matters starts then: raw chicken, for example, keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge after purchase no matter what the sell-by date says.
Why does the freezer give such long times?
Food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe indefinitely, according to FDA; freezer times are about quality. After that, frozen food may be drier or less flavorful, but it isn't unsafe because of time alone.
The food I'm looking for isn't listed. What now?
Search for a more general name (for example 'cheese' or 'sausage'), or check the full shelf-life chart, which lists every food in the dataset by category.
Sources
- FSIS FoodKeeper Data — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (data.gov, public domain)
- Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart — U.S. Food and Drug Administration