Chicken Cuts
Lamb Cuts
Pork Cuts
Veal Cuts
Freezing Tips
Barbeque Tips
Refrigerator
Tips
Meat Smoking
Storage Tips
About
Thermometers
Cooking Turkeys
Ducks &
Geese
About Wild Game
Food Safety
Faqs
|
* Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours
(1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
* Check the temperature of your refrigerator and
freezer with an appliance thermometer. The refrigerator should be at 40
°F or below and the freezer at 0 °F or below.
* Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats,
and variety meats within 2 days; other beef, veal, lamb, or pork,
within 3 to 5 days.
* Perishable food such as meat and poultry should be
wrapped securely to maintain quality and to prevent meat juices from
getting onto other food.
* To maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry
in its original package, wrap the package again with foil or plastic
wrap that is recommended for the freezer.
* In general, high-acid canned food such as
tomatoes, grapefruit, and pineapple can be stored on the shelf for 12
to 18 months. Low-acid canned food such as meat, poultry, fish, and
most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years — if the can remains in good
condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, and dry place. Discard
cans that are dented, leaking, bulging, or rusted.
| Cold Storage Chart |
| Product |
Refrigerator
(40 °F) |
Freezer
(0 °F) |
| Eggs |
| Fresh, in shell |
3 to 5 weeks |
Do not freeze |
| Raw yolks & whites |
2 to 4 days |
1 year |
| Hard cooked |
1 week |
Does not freeze well |
| Liquid
pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes |
| Opened |
3 days |
Does not freeze well |
| Unopened |
10 days |
1 year |
| Mayonnaise,
Commercial |
Refrigerate after opening |
2 months |
Do not freeze |
| Frozen
Dinners & Entrees |
| Keep frozen until ready to heat |
— |
3 to 4 months |
| Deli
& Vacuum-Packed Products |
| Store-prepared (or homemade) egg,
chicken, ham, tuna, & macaroni salads |
3 to 5 days |
Does not freeze well |
| Hot
dogs & Luncheon Meats |
| Hot
dogs |
| Opened package |
1 week |
1 to 2 months |
| Unopened package |
2 weeks |
1 to 2 months |
| Luncheon
meat |
| Opened package |
3 to 5 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Unopened package |
2 weeks |
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 |
3 weeks |
1 to 2 months |
| Unopened |
3 months |
1 to 2 months |
| Corned
Beef |
| Corned beef, in pouch with pickling
juices |
5 to 7 days |
Drained, 1 month |
Ham,
canned
labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
| Opened |
3 to 5 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Unopened |
6 to 9 months |
Do not freeze |
| Ham,
fully cooked |
| Vacuum sealed at plant, undated,
unopened |
2 weeks |
1 to 2 months |
| Vacuum sealed at plant, dated, unopened |
"Use-By" date on package |
1 to 2 months |
| Whole |
7 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Half |
3 to 5 days |
1 to 2 months |
| 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 breasts stuffed with dressing |
1 day |
Does not freeze well |
Soups & Stews
Vegetable or meat added |
3 to 4 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
Meat and Poultry Leftovers |
| Cooked meat & meat casseroles |
3 to 4 days |
2 to 3 months |
| Gravy & meat broth |
1 to 2 days |
2 to 3 months |
| Fried chicken |
3 to 4 days |
4 months |
| Cooked poultry casseroles |
3 to 4 days |
4 to 6 months |
| Poultry pieces, plain |
3 to 4 days |
4 months |
| Poultry pieces in broth, gravy |
1 to 2 days |
6 months |
| Chicken nuggets, patties |
1 to 2 days |
1 to 3 months |
| Other
Cooked Leftovers |
| Pizza, cooked |
3 to 4 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Stuffing, cooked |
3 to 4 days |
1 month |
| Product |
Refrigerator
(40 °F) |
Freezer (0
°F) |
| Eggs |
| Fresh, in shell |
3 to 5
weeks |
Don't
freeze |
| Raw yolks, whites |
2 to 4
days |
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,
ultra pasteurized |
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 |
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