Food storage

How long does food last in the fridge?

9 June 2026 · 5 min read

Half the battle with food waste is simply knowing how long things keep. Here's a quick, no-nonsense guide to fridge storage times — and how to stop good food disappearing to the back of the shelf.

First, get the temperature right

Your fridge should sit at or below 5°C. Many run warmer than people think, which quietly shortens how long everything lasts. A cheap fridge thermometer settles the question in a day.

Roughly how long things keep

Once opened or cooked, here's a sensible rule of thumb (always check the packaging and your own senses too):

• Milk — 4–7 days after opening
• Cooked leftovers — eat within 2 days
• Raw chicken & fish — 1–2 days
• Raw red meat — 3–5 days
• Hard cheese — 1–3 weeks; soft cheese — about a week
• Leafy salad & herbs — 3–5 days
• Most veg — about a week (root veg longer)
• Eggs — best within the date on the box; keep them in their carton

Where to store what

• Bottom shelf (coldest) — raw meat and fish, so drips can't reach anything else.
• Middle shelves — dairy, leftovers, cooked food.
• Drawers — fruit and veg.
• Door (warmest) — condiments and juice, not milk.

The real problem: forgetting what you have

Storage times only help if you remember what's in there. The classic waste isn't food going off too fast — it's spinach hiding behind the leftovers until it's too late. That's exactly what What's in my Fridge fixes: snap your shopping and it logs everything, tracks freshness for you, and nudges you about what to use first. Tins and dried staples are marked "in stock" so you're only reminded about food that actually goes off.

Next: what to make with what you've got, and simple ways to waste less.