How Long Can You Safely Store Meat? - Healthline

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Nutrition

Can I Still Eat It: How to Safely Store Meat

Medically reviewed by Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, CDCES — Written by Jenny Splitter — Updated on September 4, 2025

Best practices
Meat in the freezer
Fridge storage
Canned food storage
Takeaway

From freezer and fridge to canned foods in the cupboard, we’ve outlined the rules for safe food storage of beef, pork, poultry, and fish, all in time for your next set of leftovers.

As the long days of summer arrive, you might imagine yourself carrying overflowing platters of hot dogs and juicy burgers at the next big family cookout.

And summer is a time for relaxation and time with loved ones. But with rising temperatures and outdoor gatherings lasting from morning to night, it’s definitely not a time to relax those important, science-based safety standards for food.

Each year, 48 million people fall sick from food poisoning, whether in a restaurant or in their own home.

It’s not entirely clear how many of these cases occur in the home specifically. Researchers suggest the number may be as low as 12% to as high as 80%. But no matter the statistic, you can avoid becoming one by safely storing and handling your food at home.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for refrigeration and food safety, there are two kinds of bacteria that can grow on your food:

Pathogenic bacteria: These are especially dangerous as they cause foodborne illness.They grow rapidly in unrefrigerated foods and can’t usually be detected by howa food looks, tastes, or smells.
Spoilage bacteria: These develop and grow as food spoils. They do change the taste,look, and smell of your food. However, they’re far less likely to actually makeyou sick.

In either case, following the rules of safe food storage will help keep the food you eat both delicious and safe.

So, if you’ve been wondering how long you can keep that steak in the fridge or whether that can of tuna in your cabinet is still good enough for your casserole, we’ve got you covered

What are the best practices for storing meat?

Whatever the meat — beef, chicken, pork, or fish — there’s no question about it: You can safely store your food the longest in the freezer. That’s because you can safely freeze meat indefinitely, but the quality and taste may suffer the longer meat remains frozen.

According to USDA guidelines on freezing and food safety, freezing these foods to 0°F (-18°C) inactivates microbes like bacteria, yeasts, and mold and slows enzyme activity — all of the stuff that can cause food to go bad.

The good news is that no fancy vacuum sealer is required to safely freeze meat. However, sealing out moisture certainly helps keep these foods tasting fresh for longer when they are eventually defrosted and cooked.

So while you can safely store these foods in their original packaging, the USDA recommends that you add another layer of plastic wrap or foil before plunging your meats into the frozen abyss. That extra layer will help keep out moisture and keep those foods tasting fresh. Freezing meat when it’s as fresh as possible also helps preserve taste and nutrients.

You can even safely refreeze thawed meat that you don’t end up cooking. This assumes you thawed them properly to begin with (more on that later).

According to USDA guidelines, however, don’t refreeze foods left outside the refrigerator for longer than 2 hours or 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F (32°C).

Despite your freezer’s capacity to store meat and fish for a millennium, you probably shouldn’t keep these foods in your freezer for quite that long (unless you enjoy eating meat that tastes of shoe leather). Freezing your uncooked meats and fish is a safe practice, but at some point, it’s no longer a tasty one. It’s important to consider the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA-recommended time limits for freezing cuts of meat and seafood.

Whether you follow those time limits or keep these foods frozen for much longer, the freezer will always be your safest bet. Raw meats and fish will always last longer in the freezer than they do in the fridge.

In addition to food storage guidelines, it’s just as important to take care when defrosting these foods once they’re out of the freezer. USDA guidelines on safe defrosting say you should only thaw frozen meats in the fridge, in a leakproof plastic bag submerged in cold water, or in the microwave. Defrosting those foods at room temperature allows bacteria to grow too rapidly.

And as you defrost those frosty meats in the fridge, you also want to make sure they don’t drip on anything else as they thaw out. The same goes for marinating raw meat in the fridge. Place the meat in a covered dish to avoid spilling.

For more information

For food safety information, call the USDA’s meat and poultry hotline at 888-MPHOTLINE (888-674-6854). They’re available year-round, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. You can also email them at [email protected] and chat with them online.

Beyond the freezer, canned meats and fish also offer a very long storage life: between 2 and 5 years, assuming you store these foods in proper conditions.

However, your options for canned meats and fish are more limited than what you can store in your freezer or fridge. This is because canned meats and fish tend to come in a very specific format, like Spam, a tin of anchovies, or canned tuna fish.

Canning involves a different process to keep your food safe and unspoiled. The food is heated to kill bacteria, then vacuum sealed to create a sterile environment and prohibit new bacteria growth.

There are very few examples where the fridge is your best storage option over your freezer or canned foods in your cupboard, but these examples do exist. The FDA recommends you skip freezing prepared meats that have been stuffed, for instance, and only refrigerate those before cooking.

Also, the USDA says mayonnaise, cream sauces, and lettuce don’t freeze well. Don’t freeze these foods or any meats that have been prepared with them.

What are the guidelines for storing meat in the freezer?

So just how long is “too long” before frozen meats won’t be so tasty?

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Beef

Most uncooked cuts of beef can be frozen for several months without sacrificing quality.

According to the FDA, cuts, like roasts, can be frozen for 4 to 12 months and steaks for 6 to 12 months. Ground beef should be frozen for no more than 3 to 4 months.

Once cooked, you can also safely freeze those beefy leftovers. However, the FDA recommends keeping these frozen for only about 2 to 3 months. Again, this is purely a matter of quality. Meat can be kept longer in the freezer than these guidelines suggest, but at that point, you may begin to sacrifice quality.

Poultry

If you want to freeze a whole chicken or turkey, the good news is that frozen poultry can keep for up to 1 year without sacrificing much quality.

The FDA says chicken parts like thighs, breasts, or wings keep well for up to 9 months, but it recommends keeping giblets no longer than 3 to 4 months. Ground chicken should also be kept no longer than 3 to 4 months.

Pork

The freezer guidelines for uncooked pork are similar to those for beef. Roasts can be kept frozen for between 4 and 12 months, and chops are OK in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.

The FDA recommends freezing cooked pork cuts for only 2 to 3 months to maximize quality.

The FDA recommends freezing smoked and processed pork, such as ham, hot dogs, bacon, and lunch meats, for 1 to 2 months only.

Seafood

The recommendations for freezing seafood are a bit more complicated. Lean fish like catfish or cod can be kept frozen for 6 to 8 months, while fatty fish like salmon should be kept frozen for only 2 to 3 months.

Shellfish like shrimp and other seafood like scallops can be frozen for 3 to 6 months. Cooked fish should be frozen for no longer than 4 to 6 months. Smoked fish should only be frozen for 2 months before sacrificing taste.

What are the guidelines for storing meat in the fridge?

When you think about storing food in the fridge, unlike the freezer, safety and taste are concerns. A fridge kept at 40°F (4°C) slows the growth of dangerous bacteria. But since it’s not as cold as a freezer, you want to pay close attention to storage time limits set by the FDA and toss any foods that have been kept too long.

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Beef

Most uncooked meat, regardless of cut, can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. But there are definitely exceptions. Ground meat and offal like liver and kidneys should only be kept in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. Leftovers containing cooked meat should be kept for no longer than 3 to 4 days before tossing.

Poultry

Raw poultry, whether whole, parts like breasts or thighs, or ground giblets or meat, can only be kept for 1 to 2 days in the fridge. But once cooked, you get a bit of an extension. The FDA says you can keep cooked poultry in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Pork

Fresh, uncooked pork can be refrigerated about as long as other meats: 3 to 4 days. This is regardless of whether it’s a roast or pork chops. Raw ground pork should also only be kept in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. Once cooked, pork dishes should be kept for 2 to 3 days in the fridge before tossing.

The guidelines are different for processed pork products. Unopened packages of hot dogs and lunch meat can be kept for 2 weeks. Once those packages are opened, keep hot dogs for 1 week and luncheon meat for 3 to 5 days.

You can only keep bacon for 7 days. The same goes for a whole, cooked ham. But you can refrigerate half a ham for 3 to 5 days, and ham slices for 3 to 4 days.

Seafood

Lean or fatty fish and shellfish can only be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days before needing to be tossed. Cooked fish leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days. Smoked fish, on the other hand, can be kept longer. You can safely refrigerate it for 14 days. Once opened, canned fish like tuna can be safely refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.

What are the guidelines for storing canned meat?

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In the world of safe food storage, canned food is a real boon. It provides many affordable and long-lasting options. According to USDA guidelines, you can keep canned food for 2 to 5 years, whether it’s fish, poultry, pork, or beef.

Commercially canned food is placed in a sterile, vacuum-sealed container and heat-processed at 250°F (121°C). This process kills microorganisms, halts enzyme formation, and prevents new bacteria from entering the stored food.

Things can, however, go wrong. Sometimes canned food can be damaged during the manufacturing process or become badly rusted. If your canned food is heavily rusted or damaged, you’ll definitely want to discard it. You’ll also want to get rid of any canned food that’s bulging or smells bad.

It might be a sign of C. botulinum, a bacterium that can cause a deadly form of food poisoning. Botulism is incredibly rare, especially in commercially canned foods. But there’s a risk of it developing in foods canned improperly at home.

Once in your home, you’ll want to store canned food properly. That means keeping it somewhere cool, dry, and dark, ideally below 85°F (29°C) and no higher than 100°F (38°C). Never keep it somewhere damp or hot, like under the sink or next to the stove.

Once you open canned food, bacteria can begin to grow, so you’ll want to quickly refrigerate and store any unused portion. According to the USDA, you can safely put your leftover canned food right into the fridge. In order to preserve taste and flavor, it’s recommended that you refrigerate any unused portion in a separate, clean storage container.

You can also freeze unused canned seafood in a proper storage container for up to 2 months.

Takeaway

It’s a lot to remember; so, if after reading all of this, you immediately forget all of these best practices. If you find yourself staring blankly at your open fridge, wondering what’s safe to eat in there, keep this information on your fridge: The USDA’s meat and poultry hotline, 888-MPHOTLINE (888-674-6854).

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Jenny Splitter is a writer and storyteller based in Washington, D.C. She contributes science, food, and health stories to outlets like The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Mental Floss, and Slate, as well as the science communication project SciMoms. She also appears in the “Science Moms” documentary and is the story director for the D.C.-based immersive experience company TBD Immersive. She performs her own true, occasionally embarrassing stories about herself on stage for audiences at the 9:30 Club, the National Gallery of Art, and the Birchmere. In her spare time, she carves ice sculptures and grows heirloom wheat. Just kidding, she has two kids.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

About food safety. (2024).https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/foodborne-germs.html
Cold food storage chart. (2023).https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts
Freezing and food safety. (2024).https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/freezing-and-food-safety
Keep food safe! Food safety basics. (2024).https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/steps-keep-food-safe
Refrigeration & food safety. (2015).https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/refrigeration
Refrigerator freezer food chart. (2018). Shelf-stable food safety. (2024).https://www.fda.gov/media/74435/download
Teisl MF, et al. (2016). Importance of cohorts in analyzing trends in safe at-home food-handling practices.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956713515302620

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Medically reviewed by Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, CDCES — Written by Jenny Splitter — Updated on September 4, 2025

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What are the best practices for storing meat?

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What are the guidelines for storing meat in the freezer?

Beef

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Seafood

What are the guidelines for storing meat in the fridge?

Beef

Poultry

Pork

Seafood

What are the guidelines for storing canned meat?

Takeaway

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