Food Storage Guide
Find out how long foods keep in the fridge, freezer and pantry, with concrete storage times per BZfE and safety notes. Runs in your browser, GDPR-compliant.
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Food storage guide: how long do foods keep in the fridge, freezer and pantry?
How long a food keeps depends heavily on storage. Our storage guide gives you concrete guideline values for the fridge, freezer and pantry, helping you throw away less and avoid eating spoiled food.
Fridge, freezer or pantry?
- Fridge (4–7 °C): suitable for dairy, opened foods, fish and fresh meat. Usually lasts days to a few weeks.
- Freezer (–18 °C): extends shelf life significantly to months (meat, fish, bread, fruit). Some quality loss is possible.
- Pantry (cool and dark): for dry goods, canned foods, pasta, rice, flour and honey. Often lasts months to years.
Important safety notes
- Best-before date is not a use-by date: after it passes, the product is often still edible if stored correctly and looks, smells and tastes fine. Only fish and minced meat carry a use-by date, which should be strictly followed.
- Sensory check: smell, look and taste before consuming. When in doubt, throw it away.
- Freeze properly: pack airtight, label, and freeze as quickly as possible.
Guideline values at a glance (as of August 2026)
The values in our tool are based on recommendations from the German Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE) and consumer advice centres. Examples: fresh milk lasts 2–3 days in the fridge once opened, eggs about 4 weeks when kept cool, raw minced meat 1–2 days, cooked meat 3–4 days, and dry goods such as pasta and rice 1–2 years in the pantry.
Throw away less, save money
A large share of discarded food would still be edible with correct storage. Knowing storage times and applying the sensory check significantly reduces food waste and saves several hundred euros a year.
Frequently asked questions
How long do eggs last in the fridge?
Eggs last about 4 weeks in the fridge when stored cool and evenly. You can roughly test them with the water test (swimming vs. sinking), but the safest method is the sensory check after cracking.
How long does minced meat keep?
Raw minced meat only keeps 1–2 days in the fridge and carries a use-by date. In the freezer it lasts about 3 months. Minced meat should always be cooked thoroughly.
What is the difference between best-before and use-by date?
The best-before date indicates until when a product guarantees its specific properties; afterwards it is often still edible. The use-by date applies to highly perishable foods such as raw meat or fish and means: do not consume after this date.
How long can you freeze foods?
Guideline values: meat 3–12 months, fish up to 3 months, bread up to 6 months, fruit and berries up to 12 months, butter 6–9 months. Airtight packing and labelling with the freezing date are important.
Are my entries stored?
No. Our storage overview works 100 % locally in your browser. No data is transmitted to a server.