How long do tomatoes last?
Tomatoes keep until ripe in the pantry, up to 2 months in the freezer. Times are USDA FoodKeeper quality guidelines from the point of purchase unless noted.
Until ripe
Until Ripe, then 7 days. Ripe is when this item is tender, fully developed and ready to eat. Refrigeration may affect flavor; USDA recommends pantry storage.
No guideline
2 months
best quality within
How to tell tomatoes have gone bad
General signs for produce: fresh vegetables, the group USDA lists tomatoes under.
- Slimy, wet leaves on greens that were crisp before
- Soft or mushy spots on vegetables that were firm
- Sprouting or wrinkled skin on potatoes and onions
- Mould, often white or fuzzy, near the stem or cut end
- Sour or off smell replacing a vegetable's usual earthy scent
More on produce: fresh vegetables. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Store leafy greens loosely wrapped in the crisper drawer, ideally with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture. Keep potatoes, onions and garlic in a cool, dark, dry place outside the fridge, and store potatoes away from onions since they spoil each other faster. Trim and wash vegetables just before cooking.
More in produce: fresh vegetables
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). Times assume a fridge at 40 F (4 C) and a freezer at 0 F (-18 C). How we decode the data.