Your Go-to Guide for Food Shelf Life

Your Go-to Guide for Food Shelf Life Image via Pexels Use your good judgment When it comes to food, I know things can get funky. You do not want to mess around with meats and fish due to the chance of food poisoning. Likewise, you always want to keep a close eye on dairy and baked goods due to the risk of mold and all sorts of grossness. My first piece of advice is to use your best judgment when treating a food and determining whether a food is safe to devour or if you should just toss it in the trash. If you have had raw chicken sitting on the counter for a few hours, toss that.  StillTasty.com notes that raw chicken, like other meats, if left for more than two hours at room temperature, is vulnerable to growing bacteria at 40 ºF-140 ºF. Likewise, if you have bread that has been sitting in your pantry for months and has mold spores on it, figure that it’s safe to throw it away. Your sense of sight and smell are great tools in determining whether to keep or toss a food item. Read labels On just about every packaged food there is a “sell by” date or expiration date. For items like meats, fish, dairy, and baked goods, make note of those dates in order to evaluate how long to hold onto your food. Now do not get me wrong, do not go reading every label and panicking that you’re going to get sick from eating an expired pack of peanut butter crackers. This tip, along with the one above it, go hand in hand. Read your labels and use your good judgment; if you are really unsure, Google is an excellent tool to use (after mom of course!). Plastic wrap and Ziploc bags When it comes to preserving food, Ziploc bags and plastic wrap are your best friends! Both help to not only keep your food fresh and safe from unnecessary air/bacteria but also to be more organized in your food storage! Image via Pexels Looking for a quick, simple visual on the shelf life of food? My chart will walk you through what you want to know, step by step.         Fruits Apples (fresh) *(whole) 5-7 days unrefrigerated Bananas *2-7 days unrefrigerated (until ripe) Oranges (fresh) *(whole) 5-7 days unrefrigerated Pears (fresh) *(whole) 1-4 days unrefrigerated Vegetables Broccoli (raw) *3-5 days refrigerated Baby Carrots *2-3 weeks refrigerated Celery Sticks *1-2 weeks refrigerated Bell Peppers *(sliced) 2-3 days refrigerated Dairy + Eggs Pasteurized Milk *5-7 days past “sell by” date refrigerated Eggs *4-5 weeks refrigerated Cheese *(Individually wrapped slices) -1 month refrigerated Yogurt *1-2 weeks past “sell by date” Meat + Poultry Raw Chicken (including breasts, thighs, etc.) *1-2 days refrigerated Raw Ground Beef *1-2 days refrigerated Deli Meats *(sliced at grocery counter) including ham, turkey, chicken, etc. 3-5 days refrigerated Raw Ground Turkey *1-2 days refrigerated Snacks + Baked Goods White Bread *5-7 days unrefrigerated English Muffins *2 weeks unrefrigerated Bagels *(freshly baked) 1-3 days unrefrigerated Muffins *1-2 days unrefrigerated *1 week refrigerated Leftovers Pizza *3-4 days refrigerated Chinese Food *3-4 days refrigerated Mexican Food *3-4 days refrigerated Italian Food *3-4 days refrigerated  **All information listed in this chart was obtained from StillTasty.com** Part of what is hard about being a college student perhaps is the added responsibility of maintaining your own goods. Relying on yourself and being dependent is not always easy; sometimes life stresses us out and we forget about the soggy, gross bowl of fruit on our table for weeks on end. However, if you follow my advice, you’ll have no problem adulting. As always, good luck!