10 Foods That Spoil the Fastest, Plus Tips to Help Them Last Longer

Stocking up on fresh food can feel efficient for both time and cost savings, but if you’re loading up on large quantities of food that spoils quickly, you may just be throwing all those savings into the trash. Or the compost bin, preferably. 

Of course, some of the most delicious things in life can’t last, so all it takes is some pre-planning to eat the most finicky foods in your haul first. Or a quick preservation refresher to keep that produce, meat, and seafood as fresh as possible for as long as possible. And when in doubt, or if your schedule becomes more hectic than the at-home meals you planned, there’s always the freezer. If it helps, you can store food like professional chefs, adding the prep date to food storage containers (or your digital calendar, if preferred) to stay on top of rapid expiration dates. 

Fresh Berries

Are those berries that looked so tantalizingly ripe yesterday suddenly mushy and on the edge of spoilage? Yeah, fresh berries have a sadly short shelf life of up to five days, but depending on when they were stocked, picked, or shipped, that can vary. Extend the shelf life of your berries by storing them in the package they came in with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture. Don’t wash or slice them until you’re ready to eat. If they’re on the cusp of going bad, reduce them down into preserves or jam, or pop them in the freezer (in a sealed container) for smoothies or future baking. 

Avocados

A perfectly ripe avocado is a special thing, but when it’s go time, it’s go time. Ripe avocados are best eaten the day or day after they ripen, but if you need to extend their time, throw them in the refrigerator for an extra day or two. Beyond that, you’ll want to slice the avocados into chunks and freeze them, or puree ‘em into a sauce or dressing to use within the next few days. 

Bananas

Bananas may go from green to yellow in what seems like a flash, and what happens next can be a bit disappointing. Bananas sweeten and soften each day they’re on the counter, but as soon as they start developing brown spots it’s nearly time to eat them. Not in a banana mood? Toss ripe bananas in the fridge for the cool air to slow down the ripening (but away from other produce, as the gases coming off the ripe bananas may ripen more in your fruit drawer). You can also peel and freeze bananas whole or in slices for future smoothies or baking. 

Broccoli 

While hearty, cruciferous vegetables can often have a fridge life of weeks (we see you, 21-day-old cabbage in the produce drawer), broccoli is an exception. Broccoli crowns can turn bad after about three days in the fridge, and pre-chopped broccoli florets may start yellowing even sooner. If you notice your broccoli starting to turn, steam or microwave it to use in dishes for more days to come (after storing it in a sealed container in the fridge, of course). Broccoli florets can also be quickly blanched, patted dry, and frozen for easy storage and quick use. 

Raw Fish

They say a house guest is like fresh fish—it goes bad after three days. Good advice, in general. Try and buy fish the day you want to eat it. If not, allow for no more than two days before you’re planning to cook and eat your raw fish. Some fish, like salmon, can be cured if you’re not going to cook it by its third day in the fridge. Fresh fish can also be frozen for future cooking. 

Ground Beef

A sealed package of ground beef can last as long as the expiration date, but as soon as it’s opened, it has two days left. Portion out your ground beef and freeze it in serving sizes to keep as much beef as fresh as possible before use. You can also cook the entire pound of ground beef into crumbles and use in meals throughout the week as long as you store it in a sealed container in the fridge.

Deli Meat

Pre-sliced deli meat goes bad quickly. This can feel surprising, due to all the salt and preservatives in the processed meat, but unfortunately, sliced turkey turns rancid quickly. Buying a week’s worth of meat for lunch may be tempting, but it really only has three or four days before it gets that bad smell and can start developing mold or sliminess. Keeping meat in an airtight container can help preserve it, and always handling it with clean hands is essential to not encourage any bacteria to grow. 

Cakes and Cupcakes

We all want cakes and cupcakes to last as long as possible, but that’s unfortunately not the case. Should you be so lucky as to have leftover cake, it will spoil quickly. Any cake with cream cheese or whipped cream frosting needs constant refrigeration, which will dry out the cake after a few days. Cakes with buttercream or other frostings can sit out at room temperature, but they will spoil after a few days as well. Cakes can be frozen by the slice and stored in airtight containers to defrost and eat up to months later, but they’ll still lose some of that freshness. 

Caviar

Though not a standard kitchen staple, caviar is a special treat that should be enjoyed at its peak. Most glass jars or tins have an expiration date of two to three weeks after purchase, but once the container is opened, most recommend enjoying the contents within 48 hours for optimum freshness and texture. Because it’s so delicate, caviar can’t be frozen once it's opened. Enjoy it while it’s good!

Milk

Once milk is opened, it lasts for about a week, which is great if your milk drinking pace can keep up. If your milk is spoiling faster than a week, it may be because it’s exposed to warm temperatures too quickly. That is, storing milk on the fridge door can make the milk go bad more quickly, due to the constant temperature variation. Leaving milk out on the counter, even for less than an hour, can also cause spoilage faster. Store milk in the back of your fridge, where temperatures are coldest.