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Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart
Since product dates aren’t a guide for safe use of a product, consult this
chart and follow these tips. These short but safe time limits will help keep
refrigerated food 40° F (4° C) from spoiling or becoming dangerous.
Purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates.
Follow handling recommendations on product.
Keep meat and poultry in its package until just before using.
If freezing meat and poultry in its original package longer than 2
months, overwrap these packages with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap,
or freezer paper, or place the package inside a plastic bag.
Cook foods to the required minimum cooking temperatures:
165° F. -
Poultry, poultry stuffing, and stuffed meat
158° F. - Ground Beef, fish, and
seafood
150° F. - Pork and food containing pork
Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following
recommended storage times are for quality only.
| Product |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Eggs |
|
|
| Fresh, in shell |
4 to 5 weeks |
Don't freeze |
| Raw yolks, whites |
2 to 4 days |
1 year |
| Hardcooked |
1 week |
Doesn't freeze well |
| Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, opened |
3 days |
Don't freeze |
| Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, unopened |
10 days |
1 year |
Mayonnaise, commercial
Refrigerate after opening |
2 months |
Don’t freeze |
| |
| Product |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
TV Dinners, Frozen Casseroles
Keep frozen until ready to heat |
|
3 to 4 months |
| |
| Deli &
Vacuum-Packed Products |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni
salads |
3 to 5 days |
Don’t freeze well |
| Pre-stuffed pork & lamb chops, chicken breasts stuffed
w/dressing |
1 day |
Don’t freeze well |
| Store-cooked convenience meals |
3 to 4 days |
Don’t freeze well |
| Commercial brand vacuum-packed dinners with USDA seal, unopened |
2 weeks |
Don’t freeze well |
|
| |
| Raw Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Hamburger & stew meats |
1 to 2 days |
3 to 4 months |
| Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb |
1 to 2 days |
3 to 4 months |
|
| Ham, Corned Beef |
Refrigerator
|
Freezer
|
| Corned beef in pouch with pickling juices |
5 to 7 days |
Drained, 1 month |
| Ham, canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” unopened |
6 to 9 months |
Don’t freeze |
| Ham, canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” opened |
3 to 5 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, whole |
7 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, half |
3 to 5 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, slices |
3 to 4 days |
1 to 2 months |
| |
| Hot Dogs
and Lunch Meats |
Refrigerator
|
Freezer (in freezer wrap) |
| Hot dogs, opened package |
1 week |
1 to 2 months |
| Hot dogs, unopened package |
2 weeks |
1 to 2 months |
| Lunch meats, opened package |
3 to 5 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Lunch meats, unopened package |
2 weeks |
1 to 2 months |
| |
| Soups
and Stews |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Vegetable or meat-added & mixtures of them |
3 to 4 days |
2 to 3 months |
| |
| Bacon
and Sausage |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Bacon |
7 days |
1 month |
| Sausage, raw from pork, beef, chicken or turkey |
1 to 2 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Smoked breakfast links, patties |
7 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Summer sausage labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” unopened |
3 months |
1 to 2 months |
| Summer sausage labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” opened |
3 weeks |
1 to 2 months |
| |
| Fresh Meat (Beef, Veal, Lamb
and
Pork) |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Steaks |
3 to 5 days |
6 to 12 months |
| Chops |
3 to 5 days |
4 to 6 months |
| Roasts |
3 to 5 days |
4 to 12 months |
| Variety meats (tongue, kidneys, liver, heart, chitterlings) |
1 to 2 days |
3 to 4 months |
| |
| Meat Leftovers |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Cooked meat & meat dishes |
3 to 4 days |
2 to 3 months |
| Gravy & meat broth |
1 to 2 days |
2 to 3 months |
| |
| Fresh Poultry |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Chicken or turkey, whole |
1 to 2 days |
1 year |
| Chicken or turkey, parts |
1 to 2 days |
9 months |
| Giblets |
1 to 2 days |
3 to 4 months |
| |
| Cooked Poultry, Leftover |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Fried chicken |
3 to 4 days |
4 months |
| Cooked poultry dishes |
3 to 4 days |
4 to 6 months |
| Pieces, plain |
3 to 4 days |
4 months |
| Pieces covered with broth, gravy |
1 to 2 days |
6 months |
| Chicken nuggets, patties |
1 to 2 days |
1 to 3 months |
| |
| Fish
and Shellfish |
Refrigerator |
Freezer |
| Lean fish |
1 to 2 days |
6 months |
| Fatty fish |
1 to 2 days |
2 to 3 months |
| Cooked fish |
3 to 4 days |
4 to 6 months |
| Smoked fish |
14 days |
2 months |
| Fresh shrimp, scallops, crawfish, squid |
1 to 2 days |
3 to 6 months |
Canned seafood
Pantry, 5 years |
after opening
3 to 4 days |
out of can
2 months |
|
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