Sometimes determining the freshness of food in the fridge can be tricky. While some foods may look fine or pass the "smell test", there are varying spoilage times that you have to keep in mind. Eating food that is past its prime can not only not taste right but also get people very ill. This is a great guide to the shelf life when refrigerated of many popular foods. Remember: when in doubt, throw it out!
Dairy
Milk, 7 days
Butter, 1-3 months
Cream, 4 days
Cheese (hard), 6 months unopened or 3 weeks opened
Cheese (soft), 1 week
Cream cheese, 2 weeks
Cottage cheese, 1 week
Sour cream, 14-21 days
Yogurt, 7-14 days
Eggs
Fresh, 5 weeks
Hardboiled, 1 week
Liquid egg substitute, 10 days unopened or 3 days opened
Meat
Hamburger (ground), 2 days
Turkey (ground), 2 days
Ham (slices), 4 days
Hot dogs, 2 weeks unopened or 1 week opened
Lunch meat, 2 weeks unopened or 3-5 days opened
Bacon, 1 week
Sausage (fresh), 2 days
Sausage (breakfast links or patties), 1 week
Roasts, 3-5 days
Steak, 3-5 days
Chops, 3-5 days
Chicken (whole or parts), 2 days
Fried chicken, 3-4 days
Chicken nuggets, 2 days
Fish (fresh), 1-2 days
Fish (cooked), 4 days
Fish (smoked), 2 weeks
Fresh shrimp and shellfish, 1-2 days
Cooked shelfish, 3-4 days
Drinks
Juice (carton), 3 weeks unopened or 7-10 days opened
Coffee (canned ground), 1 month
Soft drinks, 3 months from "best by" date
Wine, 1 week corked
Beer, 6 weeks
Condiments
Mayonnaise, 3 months
Mustard, 6-8 months
Ketchup, 5 months
Honey mustard, 2 months
Tartar sauce, 3 months
Olive oil, 6 months
Tahini, 1 month
Hummus, 1 week
Pickles, 6 months
Horseradish, 6-8 months
Chocolate syrup, 6-8 months
Peanut butter, 4 months
Jelly, 4-5 months
Salad dressing, 2 months
Honey, 8 months
Relish, 6 months
Resources
For more information on food spoilage and food poisoning, visit these helpful links: