26 Things in Your Fridge Right Now That Should Have Been Thrown Out

fridge foods throw out - 3 jars in the fridge that look unappetizing

You open the fridge for milk and spot three forgotten jars hiding behind the mustard. One has a peeling label, another looks suspicious, and the third might have been there since your last family cookout. When it comes to old fridge foods, throw out those that look like an entire new species has been discovered.

However, an old date doesn't always mean food is unsafe, just as something that smells fine isn't necessarily safe to eat. Let's sort out what can stay and what needs to go.

#26 The Mustard From That Old Cookout

An old mustard jar stands among various sauce bottles on a refrigerator door shelf.

There it is, hiding behind the salad dressing. A forgotten jar of mustard dated 2019. You might wonder whether it belongs on a sandwich or in a museum.

Dates on shelf-stable condiments usually relate to quality rather than safety. Mustard's acidity helps preserve it, although its flavor weakens if untouched for a long time.

Check for mold, unusual smells, or a damaged lid. If you notice anything suspicious, throw it away without tasting it. If everything looks normal, try a small amount on a plate.

If it tastes flat, I'd replace it. Life's too short for disappointing mustard.

#25 The Pickle Jar Behind the Milk

Pickle Jar in the fridge alongside additional condiments

There's one lonely pickle floating in cloudy brine. You can't remember when you opened the jar, and you're fairly sure someone has been fishing out pickles with their fingers.

First, check whether they're commercially prepared or homemade. Follow the manufacturer's storage instructions for store-bought pickles and a tested recipe's guidance for homemade ones.

If you notice slime, mold, an unusual film, or an unpleasant smell, throw them away. The USDA advises discarding moldy pickles rather than removing the affected pieces.

Next time, use a clean fork and date homemade pickles. It's easier than remembering which weekend everyone helped make them.

#24 The Garlic Oil Beside the Butter

Garlic Oil in a glass jug like container on the counter

Homemade garlic-infused olive oil sounds lovely, but it needs more care than regular cooking oil.

Garlic stored in oil creates a low-oxygen environment where botulism can develop. Unfortunately, smelling the bottle won't tell you whether it's safe.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends refrigerating homemade garlic-in-oil mixtures and using them within 4 days or freezing them.

If you can't remember when you made yours, throw it away.

I prefer making smaller batches. There's no point preparing enough garlic oil for the entire neighborhood if you can't use it safely.

#23 The Opened Jar of Pasta Sauce

Opened Jar of Pasta Sauce with a spoon in it and uncooked pasta laying around it.

There's just enough pasta sauce left for one more bowl of spaghetti. The problem? You can't remember when you opened it.

Once a jar is opened, the original date no longer tells you how long the sauce will keep. Check the manufacturer's after-opening instructions.

If you can't remember when you opened it, throw it away. Mold around the rim is another clear reason to discard it without tasting.

Next time, freeze the extra sauce in a small, clean container and add the date.

That way, you won't spend ten minutes staring into a jar trying to remember last week's dinner.

Try this sauce: Instant Pot Tomato Basil Sauce

#22 The Half-Empty Carton of Broth

A hand folds the spout of a half-empty broth carton beside the kitchen sink.

You used a splash of broth for dinner, put the carton back in the fridge, and completely forgot about it. Sound familiar?

Check the manufacturer's instructions for how long the broth keeps after opening. The unopened expiration date won't help once you've broken the seal.

If you can't remember when you opened it, throw it away rather than tasting it.

Next time, freeze leftover broth in small portions, leaving room for expansion. Label everything before freezing.

I find smaller portions much more useful anyway. You don't always need an entire carton just to make a little sauce.

#21 The Deli Ham Wrapped in Paper

Deli ham wrapped in creased paper rests on a cutting board beside two slices of bread.

The deli paper still shows how much ham you bought, but there's no clue when you brought it home.

According to FoodSafety.gov, deli-sliced ham keeps for 3 to 5 days in a refrigerator at 40°F or below.

After that, throw it away, even if the color and smell seem normal.

Buying smaller amounts is often easier than trying to finish a huge packet before it spoils.

Write the purchase date on the wrapper when you get home. It's a simple habit that saves you from playing detective every lunchtime.

#20 The Sealed Lunch Meat Past Its Date

A sealed lunch meat package sits alone on a refrigerator shelf beside an empty sandwich container.

You bought lunch meat for visitors who never arrived. Now the unopened package is sitting in the fridge, and its date has passed.

FoodSafety.gov recommends keeping unopened packaged lunch meat refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or until its use-by date. Once opened, use it within 3 to 5 days.

If a sealed package has passed its use-by date, discard it rather than relying on appearance.

If your plans change while the meat is still fresh, freeze it promptly.

Freezing can preserve fresh food, but it won't turn questionable lunch meat into something safe again.

#19 The Rotisserie Chicken From Sunday

Hands pull meat from a rotisserie chicken into small containers at the kitchen counter.

Sunday's rotisserie chicken was delicious. Monday's leftovers were pretty good, too. But now it's Thursday, and that chicken salad you planned still hasn't happened.

FoodSafety.gov recommends keeping cooked poultry leftovers for 3 to 4 days at 40°F or below.

Count from the day you bought the chicken, not the last time you opened the container.

Next time, remove the leftover meat after dinner. Refrigerate what you'll eat soon and freeze the rest promptly.

I like dividing it into smaller portions. It's much easier to grab enough for one meal than defrost enough chicken to feed a small army.

Do you have leftover chicken? Try this: Instant Pot Chicken Salad (Classic Recipe)

#18 The Rice Beside the Takeout Menus

A lidded tub of cooked rice sits beside takeout menus on the counter.

Leftover rice has a sneaky habit of looking perfectly normal, even when it's been sitting in the fridge too long.

Cooked rice needs prompt refrigeration because bacteria can grow when it's left at room temperature.

The USDA recommends using properly refrigerated cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days at 40°F or below.

Spread extra rice in a shallow container to cool quickly, then refrigerate it promptly.

If you left it on the stove overnight or can't remember when you cooked it, throw it away.

Fried rice tomorrow sounds delicious. Mystery rice from who-knows-when? Not so much.

#17 The Takeout Carton Behind the Eggs

A hand pulls a worn takeout carton from behind an egg carton in the fridge.

You discover a forgotten takeout carton and immediately wonder whether the food is still good.

Before opening it, try remembering when you brought it home.

The USDA recommends using promptly refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days at 40°F or below.

Perishable food left out longer than 2 hours should be discarded. When temperatures exceed 90°F, that limit drops to 1 hour.

Refrigerating takeout the morning after leaving it on the counter overnight doesn't make it safe.

Next time, write the date on the carton before putting it away.

It takes seconds and saves you from guessing whether that container is from Tuesday or last Tuesday.

#16 The Gravy Saved After the Holiday

A small jar of gravy stands beside a roasting pan waiting to be washed at the sink.

Throwing away homemade gravy feels especially wasteful when you remember how much effort went into making it.

Unfortunately, even really good gravy doesn't last forever.

Properly refrigerated cooked gravy should be used within 3 to 4 days at 40°F or below.

If you're making a big holiday meal, divide leftover gravy into small, shallow containers. Refrigerate what you'll use soon and freeze the rest promptly.

I prefer freezing individual portions. That way, you can enjoy homemade gravy with another dinner without needing to roast an entire turkey first.

Try it: Best Instant Pot Gravy (Quick & Easy, No Drippings!)

#15 The Cooked Beans in a Yogurt Tub

Cooked beans sit in a reused yogurt tub beside a marker on the counter.

You made a big pot of beans, ate them twice, and stored the rest in an old yogurt container. Now you've got three identical containers in the fridge, and none of them contains yogurt.

Cooked beans follow the USDA's 3-to-4-day leftover guideline when refrigerated promptly at 40°F or below.

If you can't remember when you cooked them, don't add them to tonight's soup.

Freeze extra beans while they're fresh, keeping some cooking liquid with them. Leave room for expansion and label the container.

Trust me, writing beans on the lid is easier than opening every container in the fridge.

Try it: How To Cook White Beans In Instant Pot

#14 The Soft Cheese With a Fuzzy Edge

An opened tub of soft cheese with a fuzzy edge rests on a cutting board.

You unwrap the cream cheese and discover a little patch of mold. It's tempting to cut that part away and keep the rest. Unfortunately, soft cheese doesn't work that way.

The USDA recommends discarding moldy cream cheese, cottage cheese, and ricotta because mold can spread beyond the visible spot.

Cutting off the fuzzy corner won't make the remaining cheese safe.

Wrap it carefully, throw it away, and clean the area where it was stored.

I know wasting cheese hurts, but it's better than discovering what else was growing in there.

#13 The Cheddar Block With Surface Mold

A block of cheddar with a small mold spot sits beside a clean knife on a wooden board.

Hard cheddar is different from soft cheese when it comes to mold. According to the USDA, you can remove a small moldy section from hard cheese by cutting at least 1 inch around and below the affected area.

Keep the knife away from the mold itself to avoid spreading it.

This advice doesn't apply to soft cheese, shredded cheese, or cheese crumbles. Those should be discarded when mold appears.

If mold has spread throughout the cheddar or you notice other signs of spoilage, throw it away.

Use a clean knife and fresh wrapping for the remaining cheese. And if trimming leaves you with a piece barely big enough for a cracker, you don't have to save it just to avoid waste.

#12 The Cut Melon From Saturday

A grandchild's hand reaches toward a small bowl of cut melon on a high chair tray.

A bowl of cut melon looks ready for a grandchild's high chair. Before you set it down, remember the knife crossing the rind. Anything on the outside has a path to the flesh when you cut.

The FDA recommends washing whole melons before slicing them. Once cut, keep the fruit refrigerated. Follow the USDA's 2-hour rule for perishable food left at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90°F.

The FDA Food Code allows up to 7 days for properly date-marked cut melon held at 41°F or below in food-service settings. That doesn't mean an undated bowl at home automatically gets the same window.

Keep your fridge at 40°F or below and serve smaller portions.

If you can't remember when Saturday's melon was cut or how it was stored, throw it away. Fresh fruit is always a better choice than playing melon roulette.

#11 The Greens Slumped in Their Bag

Damp bagged greens slump against the side of an open vegetable drawer.

You reach into the vegetable drawer and pull out a bag of lettuce that's looking rather sorry for itself. A few wilted leaves aren't necessarily a problem. But slime, an unpleasant smell, or widespread decay means the greens should go.

Washing slimy lettuce won't reverse spoilage, no matter how determined you are.

If the remaining leaves are sound and only slightly wilted, sort them and use them soon. Store fresh greens cold and avoid letting water collect inside the container. A clean towel can absorb excess moisture.

I like checking greens before they disappear beneath everything else in the drawer. Otherwise, you might discover an entirely new ecosystem next week.

#10 The Raw Chicken on the Bottom Shelf

A package of raw chicken sits in a rimmed tray on the bottom refrigerator shelf.

Raw chicken belongs on the bottom shelf in a tray that catches leaks. That placement protects the food around it. It doesn't buy another day.

The FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart gives raw poultry 1 to 2 days at 40°F or colder. If your package has waited since earlier in the week, throw it out. Don't rinse chicken before cooking; the CDC's chicken guidance warns that washing spreads germs around the sink.

When chicken is still within its storage window, cook it to 165°F, checking the thickest part with a food thermometer. And remember to clean the tray if the packaging leaked. Nobody wants raw chicken juices making friends with the vegetables.

#9 The Ground Beef Bought Three Days Ago

A package of ground beef rests beside a bag of peas in an open freezer drawer.

The ground beef was meant for Tuesday's meatballs. Tuesday changed, and now the package is tucked behind the butter.

Raw ground beef gets 1 to 2 days in the fridge at 40°F or colder on the FoodSafety.gov chart. On day three, throw it away. Brown patches alone don't settle freshness either way, and a sniff doesn't override the storage window.

Next time plans change, put the meat in the freezer while it's still fresh. Write the date on the package and place it where you'll see it. When you do cook ground beef, take it to 160°F. The thermometer answers the cooking question; the calendar answers the storage question.

In the mood for ground beef, but no idea what to make? Try making this Instant Pot Spaghetti And Meatballs

#8 The Fish Packet Under the Lettuce

A fish packet lies on a tray beneath a box of lettuce in the refrigerator.

Fish wrapped by the counter gets lost easily under a large box of greens. By the time you remember it, you're hoping a quick sniff will tell you whether it's safe. Unfortunately, smell alone isn't reliable.

FoodSafety.gov recommends keeping raw fish refrigerated for 1 to 2 days at 40°F or below. If it's been there longer, discard it.

Buy fish when you know you'll have time to cook it, or freeze it promptly.

When thawing fish in the refrigerator, keep it on a tray below ready-to-eat foods to catch leaks.

And clean any surfaces touched by the packaging.

#7 The Thawed Meat Without a Date

Hands set a wrapped package of thawing meat onto a rimmed tray in the fridge.

Someone moved meat from the freezer into the fridge, but nobody remembers exactly when. We've all had those moments when dinner plans change and a package gets forgotten.

USDA guidance recommends cooking ground meat and poultry within 1 to 2 days after refrigerator thawing. Larger cuts of red meat generally have 3 to 5 days.

If you can't identify the meat or determine when it finished thawing, throw it away.

Keep the original packaging or label the meat before thawing. Place it on a rimmed tray on the bottom shelf.

A date on the package is much more useful than asking everyone in the house who took the mystery meat out of the freezer.

#6 The Egg Carton With One Crack

A cracked egg sits in an open carton on the kitchen counter.

You open the egg carton and discover one cracked egg. If you don't know when the shell broke, throw it away. Bacteria can enter through the crack.

However, if you accidentally crack an egg yourself, the USDA recommends transferring it immediately into a clean, covered container. Refrigerate it and use it within 2 days.

Don't put it back into the carton. Keep eggs in their original carton inside the main refrigerator rather than the door, where temperatures fluctuate more.

It's also worth checking the other eggs before closing the lid.

Finding one cracked egg is annoying enough. Discovering a sticky carton when you're trying to make breakfast is even worse.

#5 The Homemade Mayonnaise for Potato Salad

A small jar of homemade mayonnaise stands beside a bowl of potato salad on a church hall table.

Homemade mayonnaise tastes wonderful, but its safety depends partly on the eggs you use. The FDA recommends pasteurized eggs for foods containing raw or undercooked eggs.

If your homemade mayonnaise contains raw eggs and you can't remember when you made it, throw it away. Don't taste it to decide whether it's still safe.

Next time, use pasteurized eggs, clean utensils, and refrigerate the mayonnaise promptly. Make only what you need.

If you're taking potato salad to a gathering, keep it cold during transport and serving. Nobody wants their homemade mayonnaise remembered for the wrong reason.

Try it: Instant Pot Potato Salad With Eggs & Creamy Dressing

#4 The Unlabeled Tub of Casserole

Hands hold a blue-lidded casserole tub above an open freezer drawer.

You open the freezer and find a blue-lidded container filled with something beige. Chicken casserole? Tuna bake? Something you made six months ago?

Your guess is as good as mine. FoodSafety.gov explains that food kept continuously frozen at 0°F remains safe indefinitely, although quality declines.

However, freezing doesn't make food safe if it was stored incorrectly beforehand. If you know the casserole sat too long in the fridge before freezing, discard it. If you can't identify it or establish how it was handled, don't serve it.

Label future containers with the dish name and date. Adding the portion size can help, too. A freezer full of recognizable meals is much more useful than a collection of mystery tubs.

#3 The Opened Jar of Baby Food

A spoon rests beside a partly used baby food jar on a kitchen counter near a high chair.

Your grandchild visits, eats a few spoonfuls of baby food, and leaves the rest behind. Before saving the jar, think about whether the spoon went directly from the baby's mouth back into it.

The FDA advises against feeding directly from a baby food jar if you plan to save the leftovers.

Saliva introduces bacteria into the remaining food. Instead, spoon a small serving into a separate bowl and refrigerate the untouched jar according to its label.

If someone already fed the baby directly from the jar, discard what's left.

It's better to waste a little baby food than take an unnecessary risk with the next meal.

#2 The Milk After the Lights Went Out

A hand lifts a milk carton from an open refrigerator after a power outage.

The electricity went off overnight, but everything seems normal again by breakfast. The fridge light works, and the milk still looks fine. Surely it's safe? Not necessarily.

The USDA explains that an unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for approximately 4 hours during a power outage.

Perishable food, including milk, should be discarded if it has been above 40°F for 2 hours or longer. Use an appliance thermometer and keep track of how long the power was out.

If you can't establish how warm the food became or how long it stayed warm, don't take chances. A working fridge light doesn't mean the milk stayed cold all night. If only food safety were that simple.

#1 The Leftovers in a Warm Fridge

A hand holds a lidded tub of leftovers beside an appliance thermometer inside the fridge.

You've labeled your leftovers, refrigerated them promptly, and kept everything organized. Then you check the refrigerator thermometer and discover it's reading above 40°F.

That's a problem no amount of careful labeling can fix. The FDA recommends keeping refrigerators at 40°F or below.

Place an appliance thermometer inside the fridge, away from the door, and check it after the door has remained closed for a while. If the temperature is too high, adjust the settings, clear blocked vents, and check the door seal.

If it still won't cool properly, arrange a repair. Discard perishable food if you can't establish how long it has been above a safe temperature. Turning down the dial won't undo the time food spent too warm.

The Bottom Line

The oldest jar isn't always the first thing to throw out. Opened food, forgotten leftovers, and food kept in a warm fridge deserve a closer look.

You've marked a few dates, frozen what you won't eat soon, and made room to see the back shelf. What would you find if you moved the milk tonight?

For the dinners worth saving, read our Instant Pot Eats guide to storing and reheating leftovers.

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