Beans, tofu, hummus and cooked vegetables don’t have the fat content that keeps meat stable in the fridge, and most of them never show up on the USDA’s official storage chart the way ground beef or chicken does. That doesn’t mean they’re a mystery. Two of these follow the exact same rule as everything else in this silo, and the other two run on their own separate math that’s worth knowing before you build a week of plant-based meal prep around them.
How long do beans, chickpeas & lentils last in the fridge?
Once beans are cooked, whether from a bag of dried pintos simmered on the stove or a can you opened for a Tuesday-night stir-fry, they fall under the same rule as rice, pasta and last night’s chicken: three to four days in the fridge at 40°F or below. USDA FSIS That window doesn’t change based on the type of bean or whether it started dried or canned. A can loses its shelf-stable status the moment you open it and move the contents to a container; from that point on, it’s a cooked leftover like any other.
Raw green beans from the produce aisle are a different food entirely. They’re a vegetable, not a legume, and they hold up longer than a cooked dish: about a week in the crisper drawer before they go limp and start to spot.
| Food | Refrigerator (40°F/4°C) | Freezer (0°F/-18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked beans, lentils & chickpeas (dried or canned, opened) | 3–4 days | Up to 6 months |
| Raw green or wax beans, fresh | About 1 week | 10–12 months, blanched first |
How long does tofu last in the fridge?
Tofu ships packed in liquid for a reason: exposed tofu dries out and picks up bacteria fast. Once a package is open, keep whatever’s left submerged in fresh water inside a sealed container, and change that water every day. Handled that way, opened tofu holds up for three to five days. An unopened package is a separate question: follow the “sell by” or “use by” date printed on it, the same way you would for a carton of dairy.
| Food | Refrigerator | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Tofu, opened, submerged in fresh water (changed daily) | 3–5 days | Up to 2 months, texture turns firmer and chewier after thawing |
| Tofu, unopened package | Check “sell by”/”use by” date | Up to 2 months |
How long does hummus last in the fridge?
Store-bought hummus is more forgiving than most fresh dips because it’s acidic (lemon juice, tahini) and usually pasteurized before it’s packaged. Sabra, one of the largest hummus makers in the US, tells customers to use an opened tub within seven days if it’s kept at 40°F or below. Homemade hummus doesn’t get that manufacturing advantage, so treat it more like any other fresh dip: three to five days, closer to three if it’s made with raw garlic, which can introduce its own bacteria.
| Food | Refrigerator | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Store-bought hummus, opened | 4–7 days | Not recommended, texture separates |
| Homemade hummus | 3–5 days | Not recommended, texture separates |
How long do cooked vegetables last in the fridge?
Roasted broccoli, sauteed peppers, steamed green beans: whatever you cooked for the week follows the same rule as beans and rice, three to four days in the fridge. USDA FSIS Raw vegetables are a different story, and mostly a quality question rather than a safety one. A bag of raw spinach wilts long before it becomes dangerous, while a container of cooked lentil soup doesn’t give you that kind of warning.
| Food | Refrigerator (40°F/4°C) | Freezer (0°F/-18°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked vegetables, any type | 3–4 days | 2–3 months |
How to store plant-based meal prep so it actually lasts
Drain before you refrigerate
Canned beans and thawed frozen vegetables carry extra liquid that speeds up spoilage once they’re sealed in a container. Drain and rinse canned beans, and pat vegetables dry, before portioning them out.
Keep tofu underwater
A splash of water isn’t enough. Cover the block completely in a container it can sit in, and swap that water out daily. Tofu left to sit in its own drips dries out on top within a day and turns slimy at the edges soon after.
Press plastic wrap onto the hummus itself
Air is what dries out and discolors the surface of hummus first. Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface, not just sealing the container’s lid, cuts down on that grayish, oxidized layer that forms even when the hummus underneath is still fine.
Cool everything within two hours
The same danger zone rule that applies to a pot of chili applies to a pot of black beans or a tray of roasted vegetables. Get them into the fridge within two hours of cooking, one hour if the kitchen is above 90°F.
Frequently asked questions
How long does overnight oats last in the fridge?
About five days if they’re made with dairy milk or yogurt. That’s longer than most cooked grains because the oats are never heated and yogurt’s acidity works in its favor, but it’s shorter than a carton of plain milk on its own, so don’t push a dairy-based batch past day five even if it still smells fine. A batch made with a shelf-stable plant milk can sometimes go a day or two further; check that carton’s own printed date as the real ceiling.
Can you eat hummus after 10 days in the fridge?
Once it’s been opened, no. Even the brands that recommend seven days are already building in a safety margin, and ten days is past what most of them consider safe once the seal is broken. An unopened tub that’s still within its printed date is a separate question, and is fine to eat even if that date is more than 10 days away.
How do you know if tofu has gone bad?
Smell it first. Fresh tofu barely smells like anything; spoiled tofu turns sour or faintly like ammonia. A slimy film on the surface or a texture that’s gone from firm to mushy are the other two signs. Discoloration, a grayish or yellowish tint instead of white, means it’s time to throw it out rather than rinse it and hope.
Can you freeze hummus?
Yes, but the texture won’t survive the trip intact. Freezing separates the oil and tahini from the chickpea base, so thawed hummus needs a hard stir and often a fresh splash of olive oil to come back together. It works fine stirred into a cooked dish like a soup or a sauce; it’s a rougher bet as a straight-up dip.
How long do cooked chickpeas and lentils last in the freezer?
Up to six months, the same window as any other cooked bean. Portion them flat in freezer bags before they go in, which cuts the thawing time down and makes it easy to break off just what a single meal-prep container needs.
Plant-based staples move faster than a lot of people expect once they’re cooked or opened, which is exactly why labeling containers matters more here than anywhere else in a fridge. The full meal prep storage chart covers everything else by category, and the rest of the storage and food safety guides go deeper on specific foods as they publish. A dedicated look at protein sources for meal prep, including vegan and vegetarian combos built around tofu, tempeh, and legumes, is also live on this site.
