How Long Food Lasts

Dairy Products & Eggs

How long does cream last?

Quick answer

Cream (whipping, ultrapasteurized) keeps 1 month in the refrigerator.

  • Whipping, ultrapasteurized 1 month in the refrigerator
  • Whipped, sweetened 1 day in the refrigerator · 1-2 months in the freezer
  • Half and half 3-4 days in the refrigerator · 4 months in the freezer
Form

Fridge

From purchase

1month

Freezer

Do not freeze

-

Pantry

No known time

-

Mine has been in the fridge for

How long does cream last in the refrigerator?

  • Whipping, ultrapasteurized1 monthFrom purchase
  • Whipped, sweetened1 dayFrom purchase
  • Half and half3-4 daysFrom purchase
  • Light3 days

Refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature of 40 °F or below.

Your fridge should be set between 0 and 5°C.

How long does cream last in the freezer?

  • Whipped, sweetened1-2 months
  • Half and half4 months
  • Heavy3-4 months
  • Light3-4 months
  • General guidance3 months

Freezer times are for quality; frozen food stays safe.

Food stored constantly at 0 °F will always be safe. Only the quality suffers with lengthy freezer storage.

Your freezer should be around -18°C

A freezer acts as a pause button - food in a freezer won’t go bad and most bacteria cannot grow in it.

Can you freeze cream?

  • Whipping, ultrapasteurizedNot recommended
  • Whipping, ultrapasteurized, openedNot recommended
  • Whipped, sweetenedYes
  • Half and halfYes
  • HeavyYes
  • LightYes
  • General guidanceYes, with some quality loss

How to thaw cream safely

  1. In the refrigerator
  2. In cold water, cook it right after thawing
  3. In the microwave, cook it right after thawing
  4. Cook it from frozen

There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave.

Check the water frequently to be sure it stays cold. Change the water every 30 minutes. After thawing, cook immediately.

It is safe to cook foods from the frozen state. The cooking will take approximately 50% longer than the recommended time for fully thawed or fresh meat and poultry.

You should defrost your food in the fridge so that it doesn’t get too warm

It’s also important to use food within 24 hours after it’s been fully defrosted

Can cream be stored at room temperature?

Official sources give no room-temperature (pantry) storage time for cream.

All forms at a glance

FormFridgeFreezerPantry
Whipping, ultrapasteurized1 month--
Whipping, ultrapasteurized, opened---
Whipped, sweetened1 day1-2 months-
Half and half3-4 days4 months-
Heavy-3-4 months-
Light3 days3-4 months-
General guidance-3 months-

What the official sources say

“Whipping 1 month 4 months”

“Cream, half and half 3-4 days 4 months”

“Cream (half-and-half and light) 3-4 days”

“You can freeze cream for up to 3 months.”

Frequently asked questions

How long does cream last in the refrigerator?

Whipping, ultrapasteurized: 1 month; Whipped, sweetened: 1 day; Half and half: 3-4 days; Light: 3 days.

How long does cream last in the freezer?

Whipped, sweetened: 1-2 months; Half and half: 4 months; Heavy: 3-4 months; Light: 3-4 months. Freezer times are for quality; frozen food stays safe.

Can cream be stored at room temperature?

Official sources give no room-temperature (pantry) storage time for cream.

Good to know

Other figures given by the sources for close variants:

  • Cream, whipping, ultrapasteurized Fridge 1 week

Related foods

Sources

We always show the most cautious time among official sources. Last verified: October 1, 2026.

Values we do not display (4)

Values below were set aside: unconfirmed by a second independent source, or contradicted by a shorter time.

  • Heavy, fridge: 10 days (fsis.usda.gov, a source gives a shorter time)
  • Heavy, fridge: 10 days (pubs.ext.vt.edu, a source gives a shorter time)
  • Light, fridge: 1 week (fsis.usda.gov, a source gives a shorter time)
  • Whipping, ultrapasteurized, opened, fridge: 1 week (fsis.usda.gov, not confirmed by a second source)