Match the row to the actual food
The chart separates raw and cooked foods, opened and unopened packages, whole poultry and pieces, and multiple kinds of seafood. Searching only for 'chicken' or 'eggs' is not enough to choose a row.
Write down the food's preparation state, package state, and storage location before reading the number. Composite dishes may belong under leftovers, salads, casseroles, or another specific row.
Read the temperature assumptions
The refrigerator column assumes 40°F (4°C) or below, and the freezer column assumes 0°F (-18°C) or below. A time range cannot be applied when the appliance was warmer or the food spent too long at room temperature.
Use an appliance thermometer and event-specific outage guidance when normal conditions were interrupted. The chart is not a sensor and cannot reconstruct handling history.
Separate refrigerator limits from freezer quality
FoodSafety.gov states that short refrigerator limits help prevent spoilage or danger, while freezer times are for quality. Food continuously frozen at 0°F or below can be kept indefinitely from a safety standpoint, though quality changes.
Do not copy a freezer quality range into an inventory as an automatic discard date. Record it as a review point and retain temperature history, package condition, and product instructions.
Preserve notes, exceptions, and package directions
Rows can include notes such as products that do not freeze well or special handling after thawing. Read the complete row and surrounding notes, not only the largest number.
Manufacturer directions, recalls, and individual risk still matter. When the exact product is not represented, use FoodKeeper, the manufacturer, or another authoritative source rather than choosing the nearest-looking row.
Match the situation before choosing an action
Where simple rules break down
Are freezer times safety deadlines?
No. The chart identifies them as quality ranges under continuous storage at 0°F or below.
Can I use the chart after an outage?
Use outage-specific time and temperature guidance first; normal storage assumptions may no longer apply.
Why do similar foods have different ranges?
Preparation, package state, food structure, and handling change the applicable guidance.
Should I copy chart values into every inventory item?
Only with the food form, temperature assumptions, and source attached. A bare number can be mistaken for a guaranteed deadline after an outage, opening, preparation change, or product-specific instruction.
Check the underlying guidance
We reviewed the sources below on August 5, 2026. The numbered badges are a page-level navigation index; they do not mean every listed source supports every sentence in the preceding section. Agency pages can change, so use the linked page for current wording and product-specific instructions.
Food-specific refrigerator and freezer ranges at stated temperatures.
Temperature, time, separation, cleaning, and storage instructions.
USDA-developed reference for food and beverage storage and quality.
Editorial boundary: This guide organizes published U.S. consumer guidance. It cannot observe your food, verify its temperature history, diagnose illness, or replace instructions for a specific product or emergency.
See outdated guidance or a factual error? Use our correction process.