Dill lasts 7–10 days in the refrigerator and 1–2 months frozen.
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USDA FoodKeeper has no separate entry for dill. It is covered by “Herbs” (fresh herb), so this page uses that entry’s storage times.
Storage times side by side
Each bar marks the longest recommended storage time for that spot, on a scale that spans 1 hour up to 2 years.
- 1Eat within a few days
- 2Lasts a week or two
- 3Lasts for months
- 4Lasts a very long time
Rated on whichever is longer: its fridge or pantry time.
Roughly 3–6 days left in the fridge.
Roughly 2–5 days left in the fridge.
Still within the safe window, but only just. Eat it today or move it to the freezer now.
Beyond the recommended fridge time. Throw it away, however normal it looks or smells.
Beyond the recommended fridge time. Throw it away, however normal it looks or smells.
Days count from when it was bought, opened or cooked, assuming a fridge set to 4 °C (40 °F) or below.
Day-by-day fridge timer for dill
- Opened0
- Day1
- Day2
- Day3
- Day4
- Day5
- Day6
- Day7
- Day8
- Day9
- Day10
- Day11
- Day12
Uses the USDA FoodKeeper refrigerator range and assumes a fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below.
Test the timing on your dill
Safe, though it is reaching the end of peak quality. Plan to use it within a few weeks, since flavor and texture decline after 1–2 months.
Staying frozen solid keeps food safe with no time limit, but by 3 months you can expect flat flavor and some freezer burn. Use it in soups, sauces or baking, and cut away any dry gray patches.
Staying frozen solid keeps food safe with no time limit, but by 6 months you can expect flat flavor and some freezer burn. Use it in soups, sauces or baking, and cut away any dry gray patches.
Based on a freezer running at -18°C (0°F) or below. Food kept frozen remains safe, so these results describe quality only.
How long dill keeps with each storage method
| Storage | How long | Temp | Packaging | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 7–10 days | ≤ 40°F / 4°C | Airtight | 40°F (4°C) or colder |
| Freezer | 1–2 months | 0°F / -18°C | Wrapped or freezer bag | 0°F; for quality, not safety |
Getting to know dill
Dill sits in the vegetables section of our food guide. USDA FoodKeeper has no separate entry for dill. It is covered by “Herbs” (fresh herb), so this page uses that entry’s storage times. Going by USDA FoodKeeper, it lasts 7–10 days in the fridge and 1–2 months in the freezer. It falls into the lower-risk group, so storing it well is mostly about keeping quality rather than about safety. Best storage spot: the crisper drawer keeps moisture in, and that humidity stops produce from going limp.
Salad greens, cooking greens and fresh herbs are little more than water held in thin leaves, which is why they droop and break down faster than nearly any other produce. Two things cut their life short: excess moisture turns the leaves slimy, while a lack of it makes them go limp. Stored cold and dry in loose wrapping, they last from a few days up to a couple of weeks.
The best place for dill
The crisper drawer keeps moisture in, and that humidity stops produce from going limp.
Your dill storage questions
How long does dill last in the fridge?
7–10 days when held at 4°C (40°F) or below. Seal it well so it stays free of moisture and fridge odors.
How long does dill last in the freezer?
1–2 months at -18°C (0°F) for peak quality. It remains safe for as long as it stays frozen; past that point, flavor and texture slowly decline.
How long does dill last at room temperature?
Room-temperature storage does not suit it; keep it in the fridge.
How long is dill good after the expiration date?
Dill kept in good conditions is generally still safe after its best-by date. Before use, inspect the odor, appearance and flavor.
How do you know if dill is bad?
A rotten or sour smell coming from the bunch or the bag. Leaves that are soggy, slimy or limp and won't revive in cold water. Leaves turning brown or a blackish dark green.
How to spot spoiled dill
Odor
A rotten or sour smell coming from the bunch or the bag.
Texture
Leaves that are soggy, slimy or limp and won't revive in cold water.
Color
Leaves turning brown or a blackish dark green.
Mold
Fuzz anywhere in the bag means the whole bag should go.
No boxes ticked? That's encouraging. Even so, confirm how long it has been stored, because the germs behind food poisoning can't be seen with the naked eye.
Even one of these means it has spoiled. Toss it, and never taste it to find out.
What makes dill spoil
When leaves are bruised or sitting in excess water, bacteria and molds break down the damaged tissue, causing the dark, slimy spots and sour odor of greens that have spoiled. Greens can also arrive from the farm carrying E. coli or Listeria, so bagged salads need to stay cold and be eaten by their date.
Mistakes people make storing dill
- Putting greens away while they are still wet from washing.
- Cramming them into a container so the leaves get crushed and bruised.
- Storing them close to fruit that gives off ethylene.
- Freezing greens meant for salad; once frozen, they are only suitable for cooking.
Can you freeze dill?
- 1Step 1
Freezing takes the crispness out of leafy greens and fresh herbs.
- 2Step 2
For cooking, blanch the greens first, or chop herbs into an ice-cube tray and top them with water or oil.
- 3Step 3
Drop them into soups, sauces and stir-fries while still frozen.
Safe ways to defrost dill
In the refrigerator
Move it from freezer to fridge the evening before you need it; this preserves the texture best.
On the counter
Suitable only for shelf-stable foods; perishables should never be thawed at room temperature.
Straight from frozen
Plenty of foods can go directly into the oven, a soup, a sauce or a smoothie.
Dill left out overnight
Dill is low-risk, yet a night on the counter eats into its remaining fridge time. Put it back in the cold and plan to finish soon.
Keeping dill in good shape
- Keep it dry: wrap it in a paper towel and tuck it into a bag or container.
- Keep it in the crisper drawer, with the fridge set to 40°F (4°C) or colder.
- Stand parsley, cilantro and similar herbs upright in a jar of water, drape a loose cover over them and refrigerate.
What the dates on dill packaging mean
Best-by vs. sell-by
Counting from the purchase date, FoodKeeper allows unopened dill 7–10 days in the refrigerator. Labels such as "best-by" and "sell-by" are about peak quality and how stores rotate stock, not about safety — infant formula is the one product whose use-by date federal law requires.
Past the printed date
Dill kept in good conditions is generally still safe after its best-by date. Before use, inspect the odor, appearance and flavor.
Choosing good dill at the store
- Look for crisp leaves without slime, yellow edges or dark spots.
- With bagged salad, check that there is no liquid inside and that the date is well in the future.
- Pick herbs whose stems stand upright and that smell fresh.
Dill: ways to finish it in time
- Wilt tender greens into a curry, soup, omelet or pasta dish.
- Blitz herbs into pesto, or pack chopped herbs into ice-cube trays, top with oil and freeze.
- Toss a handful into a smoothie.
Dill compared with similar foods
- Dried basil 12 months
- Cilantro 2–3 weeks
- Chives 2–3 weeks
- Dill 7–10 days
- Basil 10 days
- Fresh herbs 7–10 days
- Lemongrass 7–9 days
Drawn on the timeline's scale, which runs from 1 hour to 2 years.
Pip can look it up in seconds: find out when leftovers expire and whether something that sat out is still safe to eat.
Dill myths: fact or fiction?
- You got it!Not this time.
Partly true. Because dill is low-risk, going slightly beyond 7–10 days usually costs quality rather than safety. Look for mold and sniff for off odors first.
- You got it!Not this time.
False. The freezer puts bacteria on hold rather than killing them. They start up again as the food warms, so let it thaw in the fridge, then cook or reheat it all the way through.
- You got it!Not this time.
True. Held at 0°F / -18°C, it keeps its best quality for roughly 1–2 months. Food that stays frozen remains safe indefinitely; only the quality slips over time.
- You got it!Not this time.
False. Each time the fridge is opened, the door heats up. The crisper drawer keeps moisture in, and that humidity stops produce from going limp.
- You got it!Not this time.
Not for safety reasons, but refrigeration keeps it at peak quality for longer. Go by the storage times listed on this page.
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