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FOOD
STOMGE
SUGGESTIONS
Suggested storage times for meat and poultry*
Eating quality
DAYS IN MONTHS IN
Eating
qualih
drops after
DAYS IN MONTHS IN
REFRIGERATOR FREEZER
drops after
REFRIGERATOR FREEZER
time shown
AT 35° to
40”F.
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) .......................3 to 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
Ham (Half) ...........................3 to 5
Ham (Slices) ...........................3
Luncheon Meats ..................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
%
1 to 2
1 to 2
1 to 2
Freezing
not recom-
mended.
Cooked Meats
Cooked Meats and
Meat
Dishes.....................3
to 4
2 to 3
GraW & Meat Broth .............1 to 2
2 to 3
Fresh Poultry
Chicken & Turkey (Whole)...l to 2
12
Chicken (Pieces) ..................l to 2
9
Turkey (Pieces) ....................1 to 2
6
Duck & Goose (Whole) ........l to 2
6
Giblets.
....,,,,,.......................1
to 2
3
Cooked Poultry
Pieces (Covered with
Broth)l
to 2
6
Pieces (Not Covered) ...........3 to 4
1
Cooked Poultry Dishes ........3 to 4
4 to 6
Fried Chicken .......................3 to 4
4
(Otherthanfor
meats&poultry)
FREEZER
Most fruits and vegetables..................8-l2 months
Lean fish
..............................................6-8
months
Fatty fish, rolls and breads,
soups, stew, casseroles ...................2-3 months
Cakes, pies, sandwiches,
leftovers (cooked),
ice cream (original carton)
.............l month max.
*U.S. Depaflmerrt 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
To store unfrozen meats, fish and poultry:
● Always remove store wrappings.
● Rewrap in foil, plastic wrap or wax paper and
refrigerate immediately.
To store vegetables, use the vegetable
drawers—
they’ve been designed to preserve the natural
moisture and freshness of produce.
“
Covering vegetables with a moist towel helps
maintain crispness.
● As a further aid to freshness, prepackaged
vegetables can be stored in their original wrapping.
To store cheese, wrap well with wax paper or
aluminum foil, or put in a plastic bag.
● Carefully wrap to expel air and help prevent mold.
● Store prepackaged cheese in its own wrapping
if you wish.
New techniques are constantly being developed. Consult the
Coun@
Extension Service or your local Utility Company for
the latest information on freezing and storing foods.
Tips on Freezing Food
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 culling 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
norrndly 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.
Effervescent drinks should not be
stored in freezer compartment.
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