How long juice lasts in the pantry, fridge, and freezer, by kind
Quick answer
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Room temperature
Keeps for until use-by date
Keep unopened juice boxes in the pantry until the use-by date on the package.
Watch out Once you open a juice box, refrigerate it and finish it within 8 to 12 days.
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Fridge
Keeps for 7-10 days
Refrigerate opened carton orange juice and drink it within 7 to 10 days.
Watch out Fresh squeezed orange juice keeps only 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
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Freezer
Keeps for 8-12 months
Freeze carton orange juice for 8 to 12 months, counted from the date you bought it.
Watch out Fresh squeezed orange juice keeps only 2 to 3 weeks in the freezer.
Opened bottled lemon and lime juice last 2 months in the refrigerator, and unopened bottles keep 12 to 18 months in the pantry. Opened carton orange juice lasts 7 to 10 days in the fridge and 8 to 12 months in the freezer. Fresh squeezed juice keeps 2 to 3 days for orange and 6 days for lemon or apple. Opened coconut water lasts only 1 to 2 days in the fridge.
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Opened carton orange juice keeps 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator, and fresh squeezed orange juice only 2 to 3 days. Bottled lemon and lime juice last much longer, at 2 months in the fridge after opening and 12 to 18 months in the pantry unopened.
Every time on this page comes from USDA FoodKeeper. Pantry times count from the day you bought the juice, except for juice boxes, which go by the use-by date on the package.
How long does juice last?
Juice keeps anywhere from 1 to 2 days to 2 years, depending on the kind and where you store it. Opened coconut water has the shortest time, in the fridge, and juice concentrates the longest, in the freezer. Freezer times for carton orange juice and concentrates count from the day you bought them.
| Juice | How long it keeps |
|---|---|
| Orange juice, carton | 7 to 10 days in the fridge after opening, 8 to 12 months in the freezer |
| Orange juice, frozen concentrate | 12 months in the freezer, up to 1 week in the fridge once mixed for drinking |
| Orange juice, fresh squeezed | 2 to 3 days in the fridge, 2 to 3 weeks in the freezer |
| Lemon juice, bottled | 12 to 18 months in the pantry, 2 months in the fridge after opening |
| Lemon juice, fresh squeezed | 6 days in the fridge, 12 months in the freezer |
| Lime juice, bottled | 12 to 18 months in the pantry, 2 months in the fridge after opening |
| Apple juice, fresh squeezed | 6 days in the fridge, 12 months in the freezer |
| Juice boxes | Until the use-by date in the pantry, 8 to 12 days in the fridge after opening |
| Juice concentrates | 2 years in the freezer |
| Nectar (papaya, mango, guava) | 12 to 18 months in the pantry |
| Coconut water | 12 months in the pantry, 1 to 2 days in the fridge after opening |
| Soda, opened | 2 to 3 days in the fridge |
Does orange juice go bad?
Yes, orange juice goes bad, so finish opened carton orange juice within 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator. Fresh squeezed orange juice keeps only 2 to 3 days.
Does orange juice need to be refrigerated?
Yes, USDA FoodKeeper lists carton orange juice for the refrigerator and the freezer only, with no pantry time. Fresh squeezed orange juice has no pantry time either, and it keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge.
Is orange juice good after the date on the package?
Yes, carton orange juice is good for 1 week after the date on the package, according to USDA FoodKeeper. Once it’s open, finish it within 7 to 10 days.
Can you freeze orange juice?
Yes, carton orange juice keeps 8 to 12 months in the freezer, counted from the date you bought it. Fresh squeezed orange juice keeps 2 to 3 weeks frozen.
Frozen orange juice concentrate keeps 12 months in the freezer. Once you mix it for drinking, it’s good for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Does lemon juice go bad?
Yes, opened bottled lemon juice lasts 2 months in the refrigerator. Unopened, it keeps 12 to 18 months in the pantry from the date you bought it. Fresh squeezed lemon juice has a much shorter life, 6 days in the refrigerator.
How long does lemon juice last in the fridge?
Lemon juice lasts 2 months in the refrigerator once you open the bottle, and 6 days if it’s fresh squeezed. Note the day you open a bottle, since that’s when the 2 months start.
Does lemon juice need to be refrigerated?
Not before you open it, since unopened bottled lemon juice keeps 12 to 18 months in the pantry. After opening, USDA FoodKeeper gives it 2 months in the refrigerator and no pantry time.
Can you freeze lemon juice?
Yes, fresh squeezed lemon juice keeps 12 months in the freezer. That’s far longer than the 6 days it lasts in the refrigerator.
Does lime juice go bad?
Yes, bottled lime juice has the same times as bottled lemon juice. It keeps 12 to 18 months in the pantry unopened and 2 months in the refrigerator after opening.
How long does fresh juice last in the fridge?
Fresh squeezed juice lasts 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator for orange juice and 6 days for lemon or apple juice. The freezer gives you more time. Fresh squeezed lemon and apple juice keep 12 months frozen, and fresh squeezed orange juice keeps 2 to 3 weeks.
Does coconut water go bad?
Yes, opened coconut water lasts only 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. Unopened, it keeps 12 months in the pantry from the date you bought it.
Juice boxes, nectar, and concentrates
Unopened juice boxes keep in the pantry until the use-by date on the package, and opened ones last 8 to 12 days in the refrigerator. Nectars such as papaya, mango, and guava keep 12 to 18 months in the pantry from the date you bought them.
Juice concentrates keep 2 years in the freezer, also counted from the date of purchase. Frozen orange juice concentrate has a shorter time, 12 months.
How long does soda last after opening?
Opened soda lasts 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, according to USDA FoodKeeper. That covers colas, mixers, and diet sodas in bottles or cans.
Frequently asked questions
How long does fresh lemon juice last?
Fresh squeezed lemon juice lasts 6 days in the refrigerator and 12 months in the freezer.
How long is orange juice good after opening?
Opened carton orange juice is good for 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator. Fresh squeezed orange juice keeps 2 to 3 days.
Does apple juice go bad?
Yes, fresh squeezed apple juice keeps 6 days in the refrigerator and 12 months in the freezer. Opened juice boxes keep 8 to 12 days in the refrigerator.
How long does frozen orange juice concentrate last?
Frozen orange juice concentrate keeps 12 months in the freezer from the date you bought it. Once mixed for drinking, it's good for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Does lime juice need to be refrigerated?
Unopened bottled lime juice doesn't need the refrigerator, since it keeps 12 to 18 months in the pantry. Once opened, it keeps 2 months in the refrigerator.
