How long does ground beef last in the fridge, freezer and pantry

Last checked

FoodKeeper lists beef, ground as keeping for 1 to 2 days in the fridge (from purchase) and 3 to 4 months in the freezer (from purchase). These are estimates for food stored as described. We have not yet confirmed whether USDA has published newer FoodKeeper data since this release.

FoodPantryFridgeFreezer
Beef, groundNot listed1 to 2 days, from purchase3 to 4 months, from purchase

Source: USDA FoodKeeper, data release 2018-09-06, foodkeeper.json

Move it to the freezer by Sunday

Say you bring home ground beef on a Saturday. For beef, ground, FoodKeeper lists 1 to 2 days in the fridge (from purchase), so move it to the freezer by Sunday, the early end of that range. It keeps for 3 to 4 months there (from purchase). The Pantry shows how long each food has, and a Use first card offers Freeze (Pantry dates in Help).

Frozen already?

How long it takes to thaw in the fridge is on the thaw times page.

Check it first. When in doubt, throw it out. Check the label and the date.