FOOD
SUGGESTIONS
Suggested storage times for meat and poultry*
Eating quality
DAYS IN MONTHS IN
quality
DAYS IN MONTHS IN
drops after
REFRIGERATOR FREEZER
drops
REFRIGERATOR FREEZER
time shown
AT
time shown
Fresh Meats
Cooked Meats
Roasts (Beef & Lamb) .......3 to 5
6 to 12
Cooked Meats and
Roasts (Pork & Veal) .........3 to 5
4 to 8
Meat Dishes ...................3 to 4
2 to 3
Steaks (Beef) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 to 5
6 to 12
& Meat Broth ..........,1 to 2
2 to 3
Chops (Lamb),,.,,.........,.,.., 3 to 5
6 to 9
Chops (Pork) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 to 5
3 to 4
Fresh
Meats . . . . . . . . 1 to 2
Variety Meats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 to 2
Sausage (Pork) .................,1 to 2
Processed Meats
Bacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Frankfurters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Ham (Whole) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Ham (Half) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 to 5
Ham
3
Luncheon Meats ...............,3 to 5
Sausage (Smoked) ................7
Sausage (Dry &
21
3 4
3 to 4
1 to 2
1 to 2
1 to 2
to 2
Freezing
not
Chicken
(Whole) to 2
Chicken (Pieces) ................1 to 2
Turkey (Pieces) ..................1 to 2
Duck & Goose (Whole)
1 to 2
Giblets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 to 2
Cooked
(Covered with
to 2
Pieces (Not Covered) .........3 to 4
Cooked Poultry
3 to 4
Chicken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 to 4
12
9
6
6
3
6
1
4 to 6
4
(Other than for meats&
FREEZER
Most fruits and vegetables
8-12 months
Lean
6-8 months
Fatty fish, rolls and breads,
soups, stew, casseroles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 months
Cakes, pies, sandwiches,
leftovers (cooked),
ice cream (original carton), . . . . . . . . . . 1 month max.
*U.S.
of Agriculture
Meats, fish and poultry purchased
from the store vary in quality and
age; consequently, safe storage time
in your refrigerator will vary.
Unfrozen
fish and
poultry
●
Always remove store wrappings.
●
Rewrap in
or
paper
and refrigerate immediately.
●
Use the vegetable
they’ve been designed to preserve
natural moisture and
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.
Cheese
Wrap
with wax paper or
fed, 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 County
Extension Service or your local Utility
Company for the latest information on
freezing and storing foods.
Ice Cream
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
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.
Tips on Freezing Foods
There are three essential requirements for efficient
3. Proper packaging. Use food wraps designed
home freezing.
especially for freezing.
1. Initial quality.
Freeze only top-quality foods.
To freeze meat, fish and poultry, wrap well in
Freezing retains quality and flavor; it cannot improve
freezer-weight foil (or other heavy-duty wrapping
quality.
material), forming it carefully to the shape of the
2. Speed. The quicker fruits and vegetables are frozen
contents. This expels air. Fold and crimp ends of the
after picking, the better the frozen product will be.
package to provide a good, lasting seal.
You’ll save time, too, with less culling and sorting to do.
Don’t refreeze meat that has been completely thawed;
meat, whether raw or cooked, can be frozen
successfully only once.
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