How to store, freeze, and tell if deli meat has gone bad

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Deli meat lasts 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator once you open it or buy it sliced at the store. A sealed package keeps up to 2 weeks, and frozen deli meat is best within 1 to 2 months.

These times come from USDA FoodKeeper and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. They cover deli meat, also called lunch meat, such as turkey, ham, salami, and chicken, plus hot dogs.

How long does deli meat last?

Deli meat lasts 3 to 5 days in the fridge once it’s opened or sliced at the store, and up to 2 weeks while the package stays sealed. In the freezer, it keeps 1 to 2 months for best quality.

The 3 to 5 days for store-sliced meat and the 2 weeks for a sealed package count from the day you buy it. The 3 to 5 days for an opened package count from the day you open it.

How long is deli meat good for in the fridge?

Deli meat stays good in the fridge for 3 to 5 days after you open it or buy it sliced, and up to 2 weeks while it’s sealed. Cold perishable food, such as a platter of deli meats, should be kept at 40°F (4°C) or below.

Store-sliced deli meat

Deli meat sliced at the store keeps 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, counted from the day you buy it. Turkey, ham, and other sliced lunch meats follow the same time.

Pre-packaged lunch meat

A sealed, pre-packaged lunch meat keeps up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, counted from the day you buy it. Once you open the package, use it within 3 to 5 days.

For sealed beef hot dogs and lunch meats, the USDA’s guide to beef gives 2 weeks, or 1 week after a use-by date.

How long is deli turkey good for?

Deli turkey is good for 2 weeks unopened and 3 to 5 days once opened. The USDA’s turkey guide lists lunch meat at those times, and FoodKeeper gives pre-packaged ham, salami, and chicken lunch meat the same ones.

How long do hot dogs last?

Hot dogs last 2 weeks in the refrigerator when unopened and 1 week once opened. The USDA also puts an opened package of beef hot dogs at 7 days.

How long is deli meat good for after the sell-by date?

Deli meat can still be good after the sell-by date. The usual fridge times apply, which are up to 2 weeks sealed and 3 to 5 days once opened or sliced at the store.

The USDA’s Food Product Dating page says a product should still be safe and wholesome if the date passes during home storage, as long as you’ve handled it properly and it hasn’t spoiled.

Spoiled food develops an off odor, flavor, or texture, and it shouldn’t be eaten. Spoilage can happen much faster when food isn’t stored or handled properly, so keep deli meat at 40°F (4°C) or below.

How long is deli cheese good for?

Hard deli cheese, such as cheddar or swiss, is good for 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge after opening, according to USDA FoodKeeper. Unopened, it keeps 6 months from the date of purchase.

The times differ by kind of cheese, as the table shows. FoodKeeper doesn’t recommend freezing shredded or grated parmesan.

Can you freeze deli meat or lunch meat?

Yes, you can freeze deli meat and lunch meat, and they keep 1 to 2 months for best quality. The USDA’s freezer storage chart gives the same time for ham and hot dogs.

Food kept constantly at 0°F (-18°C) stays safe, so the freezer time is about quality, not safety. Freezer burn doesn’t make food unsafe either. It only leaves dry, grayish-brown leathery spots where air reached the surface.

Can you freeze turkey lunch meat?

Yes, the USDA’s turkey guide lists lunch meat at 1 to 2 months in the freezer. That is the same time as other deli meats.

How to tell if deli meat is bad

Deli meat has gone bad if it has an off odor, feels sticky or tacky, or is slimy. Deli meat with these signs should not be used.

A color change alone doesn’t mean deli meat is spoiled. With spoilage, the color often fades or darkens too, along with those signs, as the USDA’s guide to meat and poultry color explains.

Is iridescent deli meat safe?

Yes, the rainbow sheen on sliced deli meat is safe. Meat contains iron, fat, and other compounds, and when light hits a slice, it splits into colors like a rainbow. Iridescence doesn’t mean lower quality or safety.

Wrapping the meat in airtight packages and storing it away from light helps prevent it.

What does gray or green deli meat mean?

Gray or green color on cured deli meat comes from light and oxygen breaking down the pigments that formed during curing. Chemicals in the cure, oxygen, and ultraviolet and visible light also contribute to microbial spoilage of the product.

So check the smell and feel as well as the color. Deli meat that is sticky, tacky, slimy, or smells off should not be used.

What if deli meat has mold?

Throw out moldy deli meat. Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface, and moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.

Molds can grow on cured, salty meats such as ham, salami, and bologna even in the refrigerator. Hard salami and dry-cured country hams are the exceptions. Surface mold is normal on these shelf-stable products, so scrub it off the surface and use them.

How to handle deli meat safely

Keep deli meat cold at 40°F (4°C) or below, and follow the handling directions on the label, such as “keep refrigerated” and the use-by date.

How long can lunch meat sit out?

Lunch meat and other deli meat can sit out for no more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Discard any that has been out longer.

Why does Listeria matter for deli meat?

Deli meat is ready to eat, and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service allows no Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat products such as franks or lunch meat.

Cooking destroys Listeria, but a cooked product can be recontaminated by poor handling. The USDA’s turkey guide also notes that it can grow slowly at refrigerator temperatures.