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How long does Turkey last in the fridge?

2 kinds · each with its own window

Turkey, whole · From purchase · in the fridge

Use by1 day to 2 days

Counted from the day you bought it

USDA FoodKeeper figure · as published

How this date is worked out

From KeepsUntilIt is past the dateThe FDA and USDA FSIS rules, and where to ask when a date runs out Where these numbers come fromThe USDA source, the parse rules and what this site cannot tell you Every food on the siteOne page, every product, longest first

Turning the range into a date

Turkey (whole) keeps 1–2 days in the fridge from purchase. Enter a day and each row becomes a calendar date, worked out in your browser.

Turkey, whole

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by1 day to 2 days after the day you bought it

Turkey, pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by1 month to 2 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by2 weeks after the day you bought it
Once opened · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you opened it

Turkey, whole · From purchase · in the freezer

12 months

Counted from the day you bought it

Every storage figure the USDA publishes for this item

USDA FoodKeeper lists 2 kinds under Turkey.

Turkey, whole

From purchase · in the freezer12 months
From purchase · in the fridge1 day to 2 days

Turkey, pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat

From purchase · in the freezer1 month to 2 months
From purchase · in the fridge2 weeks
Once opened · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

What the USDA adds in words

Word for word from the FoodKeeper record.

Turkey, pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat, in the freezer. Freezing not recommended.

From KeepsUntilWhere these numbers come fromThe USDA source, the parse rules and what this site cannot tell you

What USDA FSIS and the FDA say about this food

For: Turkey, whole

Refrigerator Thawing
When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator:
Plan ahead: allow approximately 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at 40 °F or below.
Place the turkey in a container to prevent the juices from dripping on other foods.
REFRIGERATOR THAWING TIMES
Whole turkey:
4 to 12 pounds — 1 to 3 days
12 to 16 pounds — 3 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds — 4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds —5 to 6 days
A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days before cooking. Foods thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking but there may be some loss of quality.

USDA FSIS, Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing, retrieved 4 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

For: Turkey, whole

Cold Water Thawing
Allow about 30 minutes per pound.
First be sure the turkey is in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination and to prevent the turkey from absorbing water, resulting in a watery product.
Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed.
COLD WATER THAWING TIMES
4 to 12 pounds — 2 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds — 6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds — 8 to 10 hours
20 to 24 pounds — 10 to 12 hours
A turkey thawed by the cold water method should be cooked immediately. After cooking, meat from the turkey can be refrozen.

USDA FSIS, Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing, retrieved 4 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

For: Turkey, whole

Microwave Thawing
Follow the microwave oven manufacturer's instruction when defrosting a turkey. Plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed.
A turkey thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately.

USDA FSIS, Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing, retrieved 4 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

For: Turkey, whole

Immediately after grocery store checkout, take the frozen turkey home and store it in the freezer. Frozen turkeys should not be left on the back porch, in the car trunk, in the basement, or any place else where temperatures cannot be constantly monitored.
A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature. Even though the center of the package may still be frozen, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone" between 40 and 140 °F — at a temperature where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly.

USDA FSIS, Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing, retrieved 4 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

For: Turkey, whole

Fresh Poultry
Chicken or turkey, whole1-2 days

USDA FSIS, Refrigeration & Food Safety, retrieved 4 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

Other foods on the same USDA shelf

Food safety rules that apply to every food

Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 40° F (4° C). The freezer temperature should be 0° F (-18° C).
Never allow meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or produce or other foods that require refrigeration to sit at room temperature for more than two hours—one hour if the air temperature is above 90° F.
Though food will be safe indefinitely at 0° F, quality will decrease the longer the food is in the freezer.
Never thaw food at room temperature, such as on the counter top. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
If you're not sure or if the food looks questionable, throw it out.

Sources: FDA: are you storing food safely · FDA: safe food handling · USDA FSIS: safe defrosting.

Where these numbers come from

Every figure and note on this page is reproduced from USDA FoodKeeper as published; the calendar date is the only arithmetic, and it runs in your browser.

Source: USDA FoodKeeper, retrieved 1 September 2026. A figure that does not match the source? Tell us. How the site is built.

The answer at the top is for Turkey, whole, the kind this site shows first; every kind the USDA lists under this name is printed with its own figures.

USDA index terms: deli, luncheon, luncheon/deli meat, packaged, pre-packaged, whole

KeepsUntil is an independent reference built on public USDA data. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration. Storage times are reproduced from USDA FoodKeeper as published; when in doubt, follow the FDA and USDA FSIS guidance linked on every food page.