Food storage

How long does milk last?

Updated 15 October 2026 · 4 min read

Opened milk keeps about 4–7 days in the fridge. Unopened, go by the use-by date on the bottle — and you can freeze milk for around a month.

How to make milk last longer

Store it on a shelf near the back — the coldest part — not in the door, where it’s warmest and the temperature swings every time you open the fridge. Keep the lid on tight and put it straight back after use.

How to tell if milk has gone off

• Sour or off smell the moment you open it
• Lumps, curdling or a thick, slimy texture
• A slightly yellow tinge

“Use by” is a safety date — if it smells sour, don’t risk it.

Read the label first

Most cartons carry a use-by date for unopened milk and a line about how long it keeps once opened. Many say about three days. If the label gives a shorter time than the range in the table, follow the label. The figures here are a general guide.

Keep it cold, and keep it moving

Put milk back in the fridge straight away after pouring. Milk left on the worktop warms up quickly, and every spell out of the fridge shortens its life. Your fridge should be at 5°C or below. A cheap fridge thermometer shows what yours is really doing, and a fridge that runs a little warm is a common reason milk turns early.

Don’t top up an old carton with new milk, and don’t pour unused milk back into the bottle.

Can you freeze milk?

Yes. Pour a little out of the carton first, because milk expands as it freezes. Freeze it in a tub or the carton with room at the top, and use it within about a month. Thaw it in the fridge, give it a good shake because it can separate, and use it within a day or two. It is best for cooking, tea and coffee. It may look a little grainy on its own.

Plant milks

Oat, almond and soya milk in a carton from the shelf keep until their date unopened. Once opened, keep them in the fridge, close the lid and use them within the time on the label. Chilled plant milks from the fridge aisle follow the same rule as fresh milk. Shake before pouring.

Is milk that is a day past the date safe?

The use-by date is a safety date, so the safe answer is no. Don’t drink milk after its use-by date, even if it smells fine. A sour smell is a sign it has gone, but a normal smell does not prove it is safe.

Keeping track

If you would rather not keep track in your head, What’s in my Fridge can help. Snap your shopping and it files each item where it usually lives, and freshness counts from the day you bought it. Anything that needs using soon goes to the top of the list, and you can ask what you can make from what you’ve got.

Use it up before it turns

Close to the date? Use it in porridge, pancakes, a white sauce, or a smoothie — or freeze it. Not sure what to make? Ask What’s in my Fridge and it’ll suggest dinners from what you’ve got. See also: the full fridge storage chart.