13 Foods With a Surprisingly Short Life, Even in the Refrigerator

How many times have you opened a food container and wondered if the product was still safe to eat? Maybe the expiration date was scratched off, and your not sure if it is passing the smell test. Do you risk it? Or, do you throw it out?

If you are like me, you throw it out. I wouldn’t say I like to gamble with my health. But it got me thinking… how fast do some of my favorite foods spoil? Well, after some simple research, I was shocked to find that some of the most common foods go bad much faster than I thought.

Canned Tuna

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Canned tuna and other canned fish can last a long time in an unopened can, but once you open the can, you need to start eating it right away. Once opened, the product is exposed to air, bacteria, and enzyme reactions, limiting the freshness of the fish to just a few days.

Exposure to air will make any canned goods go bad faster. But when it comes to fish, I like to play it safe. If I open a can of fish, I either finish it right away or make sure it is gone by the next day to avoid any sort of bacterial growth.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

If not fully cooked, eggs are prone to harboring bacteria like salmonella or listeria. It is important to keep eggs below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and throw away eggs with cracked shells since bacteria like growing on them in warmer weather.

That said, a well-kept, hard-boiled egg will start to go bad after a week in the fridge. To avoid wasting eggs, I suggest you boil half of the carton at a time. You can also keep a note on the fridge door to remind you when the eggs were cooked and when you should throw them out.

Watermelon

Is there anything better than a ripe, juicy watermelon on a hot summer day? To me, that is the perfect side dish for a sunny afternoon picnic. Luckily, experts have a trick to keeping that fruit as fresh as possible the next time you head out to the park.An uncut watermelon has a decent shelf life. But once you cut the melon open, you have a window of 2 days before it loses its sweetness and starts to get mushy. This is caused by the water loss once it is cut.

You can salvage some cut watermelon in an air-sealed container. Or, freeze the pieces and use them as ice cubes in a refreshing summer beverage. However, experts still agree that it should be enjoyed within 2-3 days for its optimal state.

Kale

Over the past decade or so, kale has become known as a superfood. The leafy green has been linked to better digestion, reduced inflammation, cancer-fighting properties, and balancing cholesterol. Despite these super properties, the vegetable has a short shelf-life and will go bad within 3 days if not stored correctly.

Nutritionists say the best method of preserving kale is to keep it in a cup of water. When stored in a plastic bag, it will wilt and soften due to the lack of moisture.

Deli Meats

Deli meats make for a great lunch and are often a staple in most household refrigerators. Its a good thing these cuts of meat are so popular, because they can go from delish to sour in less than a week.

It’s true. Depending on whether you purchased packaged or store-cut cold cuts, the meat will last less than a week in the fridge, with store-cut meats lasting only four days. Luckily, if you don’t plan on eating all of it, you can freeze the cuts and save them for a later date.

Avocados

Anyone who shops for avocados regularly knows how finicky these little guys can be. You’re supposed to get them when they are deep green and slightly squishy, but that window can come and go in the blink of an eye. One minute, they are hard as a rock, and you wake up to a soft, over-ripe fruit.

Okay, that window is slightly longer than the blink of an eye. It is actually about two days. Once you cut that avocado open or crack open the guacamole, you need to consume it immediately. Even after an hour of sitting out at room temperature, it will turn a disgusting brown color that looks like mud.

Bananas

Bananas are another frustrating fruit that seems to go from ‘not quite ready’ to ‘throw me away immediately.’ The trick is to peel the banana as soon as it turns from light green to bright fluorescent yellow. But if you wait too long, the banana will end up bruised and mushy.

This sweet spot usually lasts for 2 to 5 days when sitting on the counter. The ripening process can also speed up if they are kept next to already-ripe bananas. Don’t worry, though. If the banana gets too ripe, you can always freeze it and make delicious homemade banana bread!

Cold Pressed Juices

Store-bought juices undergo pasteurization before they hit the shelves, making them last longer before they spoil. Cold-pressed juices, mainly made from home, don’t have that luxury, and some of the vital nutrients, like Vitamin C, begin to degrade within a day or two.

Most juicers are designed for a single serving but have a plan if you juice in bulk. Keep the juice in the fridge and consume it as fast as possible. If you have excess, you can freeze it for a nice frozen treat when the weather is hot.

Cooked Grains

Be sure to place your leftover grains in an airtight container once you are done serving them. Bacteria can grow rapidly through grains left at room temperature, faster than most other foods. Do not let them sit on the counter for more than 2 hours after cooking.

The same grains will last for up to four days in a sealed container. That’s still not very long, but at least you can use them as leftovers before they need to be added to the trash.

Ground Meat

Did you know that ground meat will turn faster than a cut of steak? When meat gets ground, it creates tiny air pockets in which bacteria, which may have been on the meat’s surface, can breed in moisture and darkness. Because of this, experts suggest customers either cook or freeze fresh ground meat within a day or two, no matter what the sell-by date says.

Signs of ground meat that has gone bad are off smells, a slimy exterior, or a change in color from red to a dull grey. Remember, bacteria grows at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees, so be careful when you defrost the meat as well.

Mayonnaise-Dressed Salads

Have you ever been to an outdoor gathering where food is served and seen a bowl of potato or macaroni salad, and wondered, “How long has this been sitting here?” Or, “Should I risk eating this?” Hopefully you were smart enough to pass on the side dish, but if you didn’t I hope you hade a pleasent afternoon.

These mayonnaise-based salads are the first item to turn when not refrigerated. The eggs in the mayo are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Even at cold temperatures, anything with the condiment should be consumed or discarded within 3 days.

Berries

Due to their soft skin, these delicious bite-sized treats are very susceptible to mold and mildew. If berries like blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries are left in an unopened container, they will usually last a week in the fridge. A simple rinse before eating can help prevent mold from growing.

However, if you see the slightest bit of mold on one of the pieces, it is best to throw away the whole bunch. Most likely, the entire package is ruined, despite only a few of the fruits showing mold.

Bread

Unlike the mass-store-bought bags of loaf bread, which are packed with preservatives, fresh bread only lasts a short time. Once fresh-baked bread is cut, the pores can be infected with mold-growing bacteria, especially in humid climates.  

Another form of spoilage with bread is that it will start to get hard and grow stale. While this is still edible, most people don’t enjoy the flavor or texture. The safest bet is to serve fresh bread today. It was made for optimal flavor and consistency.