Freezer Storage Time Chart
Dairy
| Food | ❄️ Freezer | 🧊 Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 3 months | 1 week |
| Cheese | 6 months | 3 weeks |
| Soft cheese | Don't freeze | 1 week |
| Butter | 9 months | 1 month |
| Yogurt | 2 months | 2 weeks |
| Cream | 2 months | 1 week |
| Eggs | Don't freeze | 4 weeks |
Produce
| Food | ❄️ Freezer | 🧊 Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Bananas | 2 months | 1 week |
| Apples | Don't freeze | 1 month |
| Pears | Don't freeze | 3 weeks |
| Grapes | 3 months | 1 week |
| Oranges | Don't freeze | 3 weeks |
| Lemons | Don't freeze | 4 weeks |
| Strawberries | 6 months | 5 days |
| Blueberries | 6 months | 1 week |
| Peaches | 6 months | 1 week |
| Mango | 6 months | 1 week |
| Avocado | Don't freeze | 1 week |
| Tomatoes | Don't freeze | 1 week |
| Melon | Don't freeze | 1 week |
| Lettuce | Don't freeze | 6 days |
| Spinach | 8 months | 5 days |
| Kale | 8 months | 6 days |
| Bagged salad | Don't freeze | 4 days |
| Carrots | 8 months | 3 weeks |
| Broccoli | 8 months | 1 week |
| Cauliflower | 8 months | 1 week |
| Cucumber | Don't freeze | 1 week |
| Bell peppers | 8 months | 1 week |
| Mushrooms | 8 months | 6 days |
| Potatoes | Don't freeze | — |
| Onions | Don't freeze | — |
| Garlic | Don't freeze | — |
| Fresh herbs | 4 months | 5 days |
Meat & Fish
| Food | ❄️ Freezer | 🧊 Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 9 months | 2 days |
| Turkey | 9 months | 2 days |
| Beef | 6 months | 3 days |
| Steak | 6 months | 3 days |
| Ground meat (mince) | 4 months | 2 days |
| Pork | 6 months | 4 days |
| Bacon | 1 month | 1 week |
| Ham | 2 months | 5 days |
| Sausages | 2 months | 3 days |
| Salmon | 3 months | 2 days |
| Tuna (fresh) | 3 months | 2 days |
| Shrimp | 3 months | 2 days |
Bakery
| Food | ❄️ Freezer | 🧊 Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Bread | 3 months | 1 week |
| Baguette | 1 month | — |
| Bagels | 3 months | 1 week |
| Croissants | 2 months | — |
| Cake | 3 months | 1 week |
| Tortillas | 6 months | 4 weeks |
Pantry / Dry Goods
| Food | ❄️ Freezer | 🧊 Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | Don't freeze | — |
| Sugar | Don't freeze | — |
| Cereal | Don't freeze | — |
| Oats | Don't freeze | — |
| Canned goods | Don't freeze | — |
| Rice (dry) | 6 months | 4 days |
| Pasta (dry) | 2 months | 4 days |
Beverages
| Food | ❄️ Freezer | 🧊 Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Juice | Don't freeze | 1 week |
| Wine | Don't freeze | 3 days |
| Beer | Don't freeze | 6 months |
Condiments
| Food | ❄️ Freezer | 🧊 Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Jam | Don't freeze | 2 months |
| Honey | Don't freeze | — |
| Ketchup | Don't freeze | 6 months |
| Cooking oil | Don't freeze | — |
Leftovers
| Food | ❄️ Freezer | 🧊 Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Leftovers (cooked) | 2 months | 3 days |
| Soup | 3 months | 3 days |
| Stew | 3 months | 3 days |
| Curry | 3 months | 3 days |
| Cooked rice | 6 months | 4 days |
| Cooked pasta | 2 months | 4 days |
| Pizza (cooked) | 2 months | 4 days |
| Sushi | Don't freeze | 1 day |
Freezer times are for best quality at 0°F / -18°C. Most foods stay safe to eat longer than this, but texture and flavour fade past these windows.
How to use the freezer storage chart
- 1Search for a food, or browse by category.
- 2Filter to 'Freezes well' or 'Don't freeze' to narrow the list.
- 3Read the freezer time (for best quality) alongside the fridge time for comparison.
Your freezer is a pause button — use it well
The freezer is the most powerful tool you have against food waste. It turns a loaf about to stale or a family pack about to expire into something you can use weeks or months later. The catch is remembering it's there and using it before quality slips.
Wondering whether a specific food will survive the freeze? The Can You Freeze It? tool gives an instant yes-or-no, and the Food Shelf Life Calculator compares the freezer against the fridge and pantry.
Never lose a frozen item again
“Freezer blindness” is real — out of sight, out of mind, until it's freezer-burned. PantryKit keeps a visible list of everything you've frozen, with its own expiry estimate and reminders, so your freezer becomes a rolling supply instead of a deep-frozen graveyard.
Frequently asked questions
Does frozen food actually go bad?
Food kept constantly frozen at 0°F / -18°C stays safe to eat almost indefinitely. The times in this chart are for best quality — past them, food is usually still safe but can lose flavour, moisture and texture.
How long can you freeze meat?
It varies by cut: ground meat is best used within 3-4 months, while whole cuts of beef or poultry keep 6-9 months. Search the specific meat in the chart for its window.
What foods should you not freeze?
High-water foods like lettuce, cucumber and raw tomatoes turn mushy, and things like whole eggs in the shell can burst. Filter the chart to 'Don't freeze' to see the usual suspects.
Should I label what I freeze?
Yes — a date on the bag is the single best habit for freezer organisation. Or let PantryKit track it for you: mark an item as frozen and it applies the right shelf life and reminds you to use it in time.
Related tools
Can You Freeze It?
Check whether a food freezes well and how long it keeps frozen. Type a food and get an instant answer plus a storage time.
FreezingFood Shelf Life Calculator
How long does food last? Pick a food and where you store it to see its typical shelf life and an estimated expiry date — pantry, fridge or freezer.
StorageWhere to Store Food
Not sure where a food belongs? See how long it lasts in the pantry, fridge and freezer, and where it keeps longest.
StorageStop throwing away food and money
PantryKit tracks what's in your pantry, fridge and freezer and warns you before it expires - so you waste less and save more, automatically.
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