How Long Can You Keep Mushrooms in the Fridge?
Fresh mushrooms last 3 to 7 days in the refrigerator per USDA guidance, with sliced mushrooms and cooked leftovers on a shorter clock. Here's how to spot spoilage and store them so they last longer.
Fresh mushrooms keep for 3 to 7 days in the refrigerator, according to USDA guidance. Whole mushrooms stored loose or in a paper bag, unwashed, tend to last toward the longer end of that window. Sliced or chopped mushrooms spoil faster and are best used within 3 to 4 days.
How long can you keep mushrooms in the fridge?
The 3 to 7 day figure comes from the USDA FoodKeeper guide and matches the USDA Food and Nutrition Service's WIC Works program, which also lists fresh mushrooms at 3 to 7 days in the refrigerator. Whole mushrooms have less cut surface exposed to air, so they tend to hold up toward the longer end of that range. Once mushrooms are sliced or chopped, stick to the shorter end. The cut surfaces lose moisture and pick up bacteria faster. Cooked mushrooms follow USDA's standard leftovers rule instead of the fresh-produce range.
| Form | Refrigerator (40°F or below) | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Whole, fresh mushrooms | 3 to 7 days | Not recommended raw; cook first |
| Sliced or chopped mushrooms | 3 to 4 days (the low end of the range) | Not recommended raw; cook first |
| Cooked mushrooms, plain or in a dish | 3 to 4 days | About 1 month, for best quality |
If you bought a mix of proteins and produce for the same meal, remember that not everything in your fridge runs on the same clock. Our guide to how long food lasts in the fridge covers the general rules USDA uses across meat, dairy, and produce, so you don't have to guess item by item.
How to tell if it has gone bad
Fresh mushrooms are firm and dry to the touch, with a mild, earthy smell. As they age, they soften, turn slimy, and develop dark or wrinkled patches, especially around the stem and gills. A sour or ammonia-like smell is a clear sign to toss them.
Early spoilage doesn't always show up as sliminess or smell, though. A mushroom that looks and smells fine on day 8 can already be past the safe window, since you can't always see or smell bacteria growth. Treat the sensory check as a way to catch mushrooms that have clearly gone downhill, and let the 3 to 7 day rule make the final call when they look borderline.
How to store it so it lasts
Keep mushrooms in their original packaging or transfer them to a paper bag, not a sealed plastic bag or airtight container. Paper lets moisture escape, while plastic traps it against the mushrooms and speeds up sliminess. Store the bag in the main part of the refrigerator rather than the crisper drawer, since crispers are built to hold in humidity that mushrooms don't want.
Don't wash mushrooms until right before you use them. A soft brush or a barely damp paper towel is enough to clean off surface dirt without adding extra moisture that shortens their fridge life. If you've already sliced more than you need for one meal, use the leftover slices within 3 to 4 days rather than stretching them to the full week.
If mushrooms are going into a stir-fry or a grain bowl, the other ingredients have their own timeline too. Cooked rice, for example, only holds up for a few days in the fridge. Check how long cooked rice lasts in the fridge so the rice doesn't go bad while you're still working through the mushrooms.
Can you freeze it?
Not raw, at least not well. USDA guidance recommends cooking mushrooms first, such as by sauteing, since freezing them raw turns them mushy once thawed. Cooked mushrooms hold their best quality in the freezer for about a month. Portion them flat in a freezer bag so they thaw quickly, and use them in cooked dishes like soups, sauces, or omelets rather than trying to serve them raw again. For a broader look at what freezes well and what doesn't, our guide to how long raw chicken lasts in the fridge covers the same raw-versus-cooked freezing rule for another common staple.
When in doubt
This is USDA's own rule of thumb, and it applies directly to mushrooms because early spoilage isn't always obvious. If your mushrooms are past 7 days, if sliced ones are past 4 days, or if anything about their smell or texture seems off, throw them out rather than risk it. Cooking spoiled mushrooms doesn't make them safe again.
A running log of when you brought mushrooms home is the easiest way to avoid the guessing game. Well Stockd's food expiration tracker logs the date you stock your fridge and flags produce before its window closes, so you use mushrooms while they're still good instead of finding a slimy bag in the back of the crisper.
Frequently asked questions
Do mushrooms last longer in a paper bag than in plastic? Yes. Paper allows moisture to escape, which slows the sliminess that plastic traps in. If your mushrooms came in a plastic clamshell, moving them to a paper bag once you get home can add a day or two of freshness.
Are white button, cremini, and portobello mushrooms all stored the same way? Yes. USDA storage guidance covers fresh mushrooms broadly, so common varieties like white button, cremini, and portobello all follow the same 3 to 7 day refrigerator window when stored whole and unwashed.
Can I still eat mushrooms that are a little slimy? No. Sliminess is one of the clearest signs of spoilage in mushrooms, along with dark patches and an off smell. Once any of those show up, throw the mushrooms out rather than trying to rinse and salvage them.
Updated July 2026.
Sources: USDA, FoodKeeper App; USDA Food and Nutrition Service, WIC Works Resource System, "What Do I Do With Mushrooms?"; USDA FSIS, Leftovers and Food Safety.