Find the row for the food in front of you
The chart separates raw and cooked foods, opened and unopened packages, whole poultry and pieces, and multiple kinds of seafood. A search for only 'chicken' or 'eggs' is too broad to identify the right 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.
Check that the temperature assumptions apply
The refrigerator column assumes 40°F (4°C) or below, and the freezer column assumes 0°F (-18°C) or below. The normal time range does not apply if 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 has no way to reconstruct handling history.
Read freezer times as quality guidance
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.
Record a freezer quality range as a review point, not an automatic discard date. Keep the temperature history, package condition, and product instructions with it.
Do not stop at the largest number in the row
Rows can include notes about products that do not freeze well or need special handling after thawing. Read the complete row and its surrounding notes.
Manufacturer directions, recalls, and individual risk still matter. If the exact product is absent, check FoodKeeper, the manufacturer, or another authoritative source instead of choosing the nearest-looking row.
Use the details you have
Questions that need a little more context
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.
Read the original guidance
We checked these links on August 5, 2026. The numbered badges jump to this source list; a source listed here does not support every sentence above. Agency pages and product instructions can change, so open the relevant link when making a current decision.
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.
Limits of this guide: CrispSum cannot inspect a specific food or reconstruct its temperature and handling history. Follow the product label and current official instructions for recalls, outages, illness, and emergencies.
Found an outdated source or factual error? Tell us through the correction process.