Here’s How Long You Can Keep Fish in Your Fridge

Fish can be a healthy option for dinner, but most of us can’t make it to the store every night. So how long is it safe to keep those salmon fillets in the fridge?

First, make sure you’re storing fresh fish the right way: Remove the paper wrapping and seal the fillets in plastic bag, squeezing out the air. Then, place the plastic bag with the fish in a bowl of ice water in the fridge. Here are 11 more foods you’ve probably been storing wrong this whole time.

In general, two days is a safe bet for how long you have to cook fresh fish you’re storing in the fridge. The FDA recommends you keep fresh fish, shrimp, scallops and squid for just one to two days in the fridge.

That said, you may have a little more leeway with different types of fish and how fresh they are. Bass, flounder, tuna, swordfish, trout and salmon can keep from three to five days. However, oily fishes like mackerel, bluefish and sardines have a slightly shorter window. You should make sure to cook and eat them within three days. Take a look at the proper way you should be cooking fish.

Of course, once you’ve prepared the fish, you may have some leftovers. How long will those stay good? You can keep cooked fish for two to three days in the fridge. Now that you know how long you can keep fish in your fridge, all you need to do is decide which kind you’re going to eat for dinner—these are our best seafood dinner recipes.