Food Storage

The short answer: Yes, and it goes bad faster than most people expect. Deli-sliced roast beef lasts just 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator once opened or sliced at the counter. A whole cooked roast lasts

The short answer: Yes, pastrami goes bad. Deli-sliced pastrami from the counter should be used within 3 to 5 days. Vacuum-sealed packaged pastrami lasts 2 to 3 weeks unopened in the fridge, then

The short answer: Yes, protein powder goes bad, but the timeline is longer than most people expect and the printed date is almost always a quality indicator, not a

The short answer: It depends entirely on which type you have. Dry pasta never needs refrigeration. Fresh pasta must be refrigerated at all times. Cooked pasta must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking and

The short answer: Uncooked rice does not need refrigeration. Cooked rice always does, and the timing matters more than most people realize. Cooked rice must be refrigerated within 2 hours of

The short answer: Yes, and cooked pasta carries two distinct food safety risks that are worth understanding separately. Cooked pasta left at room temperature for more than 2 hours can develop

Does rice go bad? The short answer: Yes, and faster than most people expect. Cooked rice must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking (1 hour if the room is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit). In the refrigerator, use it within

The short answer: Yes, ham goes bad, but when depends entirely on which type you have. Deli-sliced ham lasts 3 to 5 days after opening. Cooked whole ham lasts

The short answer: Cooked ham, deli-sliced ham, and refrigerated canned ham must be kept cold at all times. Shelf-stable canned ham and whole uncut country ham do not require refrigeration before opening or

The short answer: Yes, raw bacon and most cooked bacon must be refrigerated at all times. There is one exception: shelf-stable precooked bacon, which has been processed to a specific moisture level that

The short answer: Yes, bacon goes bad, and the timeline is shorter than most people assume. Raw bacon lasts 1 week in the refrigerator after opening per the USDA. Cooked bacon lasts 4 to 5 days refrigerated. Unopened raw bacon lasts

The short answer: A whole, uncut prosciutto crudo leg does not require refrigeration if stored at a consistent cool temperature between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, which is how it is traditionally stored in Italy and in specialty shops. Once cut, or