Filter
Top Products
FOOD
STOMGE
SUGGESTIONS
Suggested storage times for meat and poultry*
Eating
quality
DAYS IN MONTHS IN
Eating quality
drops after
OAYS
IN
MONTHS IN
REFRIGERATOR FREEZER
drops after
REFRIGERATOR FREEZER
time shown
AT 35° to
400F.
AT
OOF.
time shown
AT
35o
to
40°F.
AT
O°F.
Fresh Meats
Roasts (Beef & Lamb) ,........3 to 5
Roasts (Pork &
Veal),..........3 to 5
Steaks (Beef)
,,,,,.......,,,,.......3
to 5
Chops (Lamb)
...,,,,........,,.....3
to 5
Chops (Pork)
..,,.,........,,.,,....3to
5
Ground & Stew Meats
........,1
to 2
Variety Meats
....,,,,,,.....,,,,.,..l to 2
Sausage (Pork)
.,,,........,,,.....l to 2
Processed Meats
Bacon .....,,,,........,,,,......,,.,,,.....7
Frankfurters,,.......,,..,...........,,,.7
Ham (Whole)
.......,,7
.........,,,.....7
Ham (Half)
...,,,,,.......,,,.........3
to 5
Ham (Slices)
.,,.......,,,.......,,.,,..3
Luncheon Meats
....,,,3,.........3
to 5
Sausage
(Smoked),.........,,,....,7
Sausage (Dry & Semi-Dry) .14 to 21
6
tO
12
4
tO
8
6 to 12
6
tO
9
3 to 4
3 to 4
3 to 4
1 to 2
1
B
1 to 2
1 to 2
1 to 2
Freezing
not recoin.
mended.
Cooked Meats
Cooked Meats and
Meat
Dishes.........,,,,........3 to 4
GraW & Meat Broth ..,.....l,,,.l to 2
Fresh Poultry
Chicken & Turkey (Whole) ...1 to 2
Chicken
(Pieces),,,.........,,,,..l to 2
Turkey (Pieces)
....,,,..........,,,1
to 2
Duck & Goose (Whole)
.,,,,,..l to 2
Giblets
.................................1 to 2
Cooked Poultry
Pieces (Covered with
Broth)l
to
z
Pieces (Not Covered),,.........3 to 4
Cooked Poultry Dishes ........3 to 4
Fried Chicken
,...........,..........3
to 4
2 to 3
2 to 3
12
9
6
6
3
6
1
4
tO
6
4
(Other than for meats& poultry)
FREEZER
Most
fruits and
vegetables........12,......,8-l2
months
Lean fish
......,,,,,,,.........,,,.........,,,.........6-8
months
Fatty fish, rolls and breads,
soups, stew, casseroles
....,,,,,2.......,,2-3
months
Cakes, pies, sandwiches,
leftovers (cooked),
ice cream (original carton)
......l,,,...l month max.
*U.S. Depatiment of Agriculture
Meats, fish and poultry purchased
from the store vary in quality and
age; consequently, safe storage time
in your refrigerator will vary.
Fresh Food Storage Tips
Vegetables
● As a further aid to freshness,
Cheese:
●
Use the vegetable drawers— they
prepackaged vegetables can be
“
Wrap well with aluminum foil,
have been designed to preserve the
stored in their original wrapping.
wax paper, or put in a plastic bag.
natural moisture and freshness of
Unfrozen meats,
fish,
and poultry:
● Carefully wrap to expel air and
produce.
● Always remove store wrappings.
help prevent mold.
● Covering vegetables with a moist
●
Rewrap in
foil,
plastic wrap or wax
towel helps maintain crispness.
● Store prepackaged cheese in its
paper and refrigerate immediately.
own wrapping if you wish.
Tips on Freezing Foods
There are three essential requirements for efficient
home freezing.
1. Initial quality. Freeze only top-quality foods. Freezing
retains quality and flavor; it cannot improve quality.
2. Speed. The quicker fruits and vegetables are frozen
after picking, the better the frozen product will be.
You’ll save time, too, with less cutting and sorting
to do.
3. Proper packaging. Use food wraps designed
especially for freezing.
To freeze meat, fish and poultry, wrap well in
freezer-
weight foil (or other heavy-duty wrapping material),
forming it carefully to the shape of the contents. This
expels air. Fold and crimp ends of the package to provide
a good, lasting seal. Don’t refreeze meat that has been
completely thawed; meat, whether raw or cooked, can
be frozen successfully only once.
Fine-quality ice cream, with high cream content, will
normally require slightly lower temperatures than more
“airy” already-packaged brands with low cream content.
● It will be necessary to experiment to determine the
freezer compartment location and temperature
control setting to keep your ice cream at the right
serving temperature.
● The rear of the freezer compartment is slightly
colder than the front.
New techniques
are
constantl} being developed. Consult the
County Extension Service or your local Utility
Companyf(]r
the latest information on freezing and storing foods.
10