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Cold Storage
Chart
| Storing
food at certain temperatures is very important.
Years ago, people used to let food cool
off before putting it in the refridgerator.
They did that because the iceman brought
ice in each day. They called it an icebox.
We still call it an icebox. But it is very
important, if you are going to store food,
that you put it in a covered container immediately
and in the refridgerator sooner. |
| Eggs |
| Fresh,
in shell |
3
to 5 weeks |
Don't
freeze |
| Raw
yolks, whites |
2
to 4 weeks |
1
year |
| Hardcooked |
1
week |
Don't
freeze well |
|
Liquid
pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes,
opened
unopened
|
3
days
10
days
|
Don't
freeze well
1
year
|
| Mayonnaise |
| commercial
refrigerate after opening |
2
months |
Doesn't
freeze |
| Deli
& Vacuum-Packed Products |
| Store-prepared
(or homemade) egg, chicken, ham, tuna,
macaroni salads |
3
to 5 days |
Doesn't
freeze well |
| Hot
dogs & Luncheon Meats |
|
Hot
dogs,
opened package
unopened
package
|
1
week
2
weeks
|
1
to 2 months
1
to 2 months
|
|
Luncheon
meats, opened package
unopened
package
|
3
to 5 days
2
weeks
|
1
to 2 months
1
to 2 months
|
| Bacon
& Sausage |
| Bacon |
7
days |
1
month |
| Sausage,
raw from chicken, turkey, pork, beef |
1
to 2 days |
1
to 2 months |
| Smoked
breakfast links, patties |
7
days |
1
to 2 months |
| Hard
sausage—pepperoni, jerky sticks |
2
to 3 weeks |
1
to 2 months |
|
Summer
sausage—labeled "Keep
Refrigerated"
opened
unopened
|
3
weeks
3
months
|
1
to 2 months
1
to 2 months
|
| Ham,
Corned Beef |
| Corned
beef, in pouch with pickling juices |
5
to 7 days |
Drained,
1 month |
|
Ham,
canned—labeled "Keep Refrigerated"
opened
unopened
|
3
to 5 days
6
to 9 months
|
1
to 2 months
Doesn't
freeze
|
| Ham,
fully cooked vacuum sealed at plant,
undated, unopened |
2
weeks |
1
to 2 months |
| Ham,
fully cooked vacuum sealed at plant,
dated, unopened |
"use
by" date on package |
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 |
| Hamburger,
Ground & Stew Meat |
| Hamburger
& stew meat |
1
to 2 days |
3
to 4 months |
| Ground
turkey, veal, pork, lamb & mixtures
of them |
1
to 2 days |
3
to 4 months |
| Fresh
Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork |
| 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, liver, heart, kidneys,
chitterlings |
1
to 2 days |
3
to 4 months |
| Pre-stuffed,
uncooked pork chops, lamb chops, or
chicken breast stuffed with dressing |
1
day |
Don't
freeze well |
| Soup
& Stews |
| Vegetable
or meat added |
3
to 4 days |
2
to 3 months |
| Meat
Leftovers |
| Cooked
meat and meat casseroles |
3
to 4 days |
2
to 3 months |
| Gravy
and meat broth |
1
to 2 days |
2
to 3 months |
| Fresh
Poultry |
| Chicken
or turkey, whole |
1
to 2 days |
1
year |
| Chicken
or turkey, pieces |
1
to 2 days |
9
months |
| Giblets |
1
to 2 days |
3
to 4 months |
| Cooked
Poultry |
| Fried
chicken |
3
to 4 days |
4
months |
| Cooked
poultry casseroles |
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 |
| Pizza |
| Pizza |
3
to 4 days |
1
to 2 months |
| Stuffing |
| Stuffing—cooked |
3
to 4 days |
1
month |
| Beverages,
Fruit |
| Juices
in cartons, fruit drinks, punch |
3
weeks unopened
7 to 10 days opened |
8
to 12 months |
| Dairy |
| Butter |
1
to 3 months |
6
to 9 months |
| Buttermilk |
7
to 14 days |
3
months |
| Cheese,
Hard (such as Cheddar, Swiss) |
6
months, unopened
3 to 4 weeks, opened |
6
months |
| Cheese
Soft (such as Brie, Bel Paese) |
1
week |
6
months |
| Cottage
Cheese, Ricotta |
1
week |
Doesn't
freeze well |
| Cream
Cheese |
2
weeks |
Doesn't
freeze well |
| Cream—Whipped,
ultrapasteurized |
1
month |
Doesn't
freeze |
| Cream—Whipped,
Sweetened |
1
day |
1
to 2 months |
| Cream—Aerosol
can, real whipped cream |
3
to 4 weeks |
Doesn't
freeze |
| Cream—Aerosol
can, non dairy topping |
3
months |
Doesn't
freeze |
| Cream,
Half and Half |
3
to 4 days |
4
months |
| Eggnog,
commercial |
3
to 5 days |
6
months |
| Margarine |
4
to 5 months |
12
months |
| Milk |
7
days |
3
months |
| Pudding |
package
date; 2 days after opening |
Doesn't
freeze |
| Sour
cream |
7
to 21 days |
Doesn't
freeze |
| Yogurt |
7
to 14 days |
1
to 2 months |
| Dough |
| Tube
cans of rolls, biscuits, pizza dough,
etc. |
Use-by-date |
Don't
freeze |
| Ready-to-bake
pie crust |
Use-by-date |
2
months |
| Cookie
dough |
Use-by-date
unopened or opened |
2
months |
| Fish |
| Lean
fish (cod, flounder, haddock, sole,
etc.) |
1
to 2 days |
6
months |
| Fatty
fish (bluefish, mackerel, salmon,
etc.) |
1
to 2 days |
2
to 3 months |
| Cooked
fish |
3
to 4 days |
4
to 6 months |
| Smoked
fish |
14
days or date on vacuum package |
2
months in vacuum package |
| Shellfish |
| Shrimp,
scallops, crayfish, squid, shucked
clams, mussels and oysters |
1
to 2 days |
3
to 6 months |
| Live
clams, mussels, crab, lobster and
oysters |
2
to 3 days |
2
to 3 months |
| Cooked
shellfish |
3
to 4 days |
3
months |
Note:
These short but safe time limits will
help keep refrigerated foods from spoiling
or becoming dangerous to eat.
Because
freezing keeps food safe indefinitely,
recommended storage times are for quality
only.
Storage
times are from date of purchase unless
specified on chart. It is not important
if a date expires after food is frozen.
Sources:
-
USDA,
Food Safety and Inspection Service
-
The
Food Keeper, The Food Marketing
Institute
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
www.fsis.usda.gov |
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
www.cfsan.fda.gov |
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1 (800) 535-4555
In Washington, DC: (202) 720-3333
TTY: 1 (800) 256-7072 |
FDA Food Information Line
1 (888) SAFEFOOD
(toll-free) |
|
SM
International Food Safety Council
* Distributed
August 2001 for use in September 2001 as part
of the International Food Safety Council's
National Food Safety Education Month.
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Food
Preparation (w/Video)-
Some great tips on food preparation and a video with Chef Giovanni are
featured here. |
|
Kitchen
Tips - Tips
for maintaining your Kitchen. |
|
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Food
FAQ's -
Read this collection of Frequently Asked Questions about food. |
|
Knive
Sharpening (w/Video)
- With Chef Giovanni, you can learn by watching this video on how to keep
your knives sharpened in your kitchen. This will help prevent many accidents
from happening. Dull knives are always been a problem. |
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Food
Safety -
Safety Tips for you, your family and your kitchen. A must read! |
|
Coffee
Tips and FAQ's
- Need some tips on Coffee like storage, etc., here's a great bunch of
tips for you. |
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Meat
Tips - Learn
certain temperatures that your meat should be cooked at and the preservation
of your meats. |
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Hamburger
Recipes
- Need some hamburger recipes. There are over 100 here for you to choose
from. |
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Seafood
- Seafood FAQ's! I always get asked about seafood inparticular... Shrimp.
Check it out! |
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Pantry
Tips - OK.
What kind of spices will I need to have on hand that I will you the most
of. I know mine. You know yours? |
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