Most people either throw food away too early or keep it far too long. Here are sensible general guidelines for a fridge running at or below 4°C.
- Cooked leftovers — 3 to 4 days. Not a week. This is the one people get wrong most often.
- Raw chicken and fish — 1 to 2 days. Cook it or freeze it.
- Raw beef, pork and lamb — 3 to 5 days.
- Cooked rice and pasta — 3 days, and cool it quickly before it goes in.
- Soft cheese — about a week once opened.
- Hard cheese — 3 to 4 weeks.
- Opened milk — about a week, but trust your nose over the date.
- Cut fruit and salad — 2 to 3 days.
Two things matter more than any of these numbers.
- Your fridge temperature. If it is running at 7°C instead of 4°C, every number above shrinks. A fridge thermometer costs a few dollars and is the best food-safety purchase you will ever make.
- The date you opened or cooked it. You cannot judge day three if you do not remember day one. Write the date on the container.
When in doubt, throw it out. Nothing in your fridge is worth being unwell for.