Food
Suggested storage times
for meat and poultry*
Eating quality drops
time shown
AT
DAYS
Fresh Meats
Roasts
Lamb) 3t05
Roasts
Veal) 3to 5
Steaks (Beef) 3 to 5
Chops (Lamb) 3t05
Chops (Pork)
3t05
Ground & Stew Meats 1 to 2
Variety Meats. ... 1 to 2
Sausage (Pork) 1 to2
Processed Meats
Bacon
7
Frankfurters . . . ., 7
Ham (Whole) 7
Ham (Half) 3t05
Ham (Slices) 3
Luncheon Meats 3to 5
Sausage (Smoked) 7
Sausage (Dry & Semi-Dry) ..,
21
Cooked Meats
Cooked Meats and
Meat Dishes ., 3t04
Gravy &Meat Broth lto2
Fresh
Chicken &Turkey (Whole) lto2
Chicken (Pieces) lto2
Turkey (Pieces).. 1 to2
Duck& Goose (Whole). lto2
Giblets .. ....,,...,,..,,.. 1 to 2
Cooked
Pieces (Covered with Broth), lto2
Pieces (Not Covered) 3t04
Cooked Poultry Dishes. 3t04
Fried Chicken. ., 3t04
MONTHS
6
to
12
4 to
6 to 12
6 to 9
3 to 4
3 to 4
to 4
1 to 2
1
to
2
1
to
2
1 to 2
Freezing
not recom-
mended.
2 to 3
2 to 3
12
9
6
6
3
6
1
4 to 6
4
FREEZER
Most fruits and vegetables . . . . . . . .....8-12 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), .. ...1 month max.
New techniques are constantly being developed,
Consult the College or County Extension Service
or your local Utility Company for the latest
information on freezing and storing foods.
of Agriculture
Meats, fish and poultry purchased
from the store vary in quality and
age; consequently, safe storage
time in your refrigerator will vary.
To store unfrozen meats, fish and
poultry:
●
Always remove store wrappings.
●
Rewrap in foil, film or wax paper
and refrigerate immediately.
To store cheese,
wrap well with
wax paper or aluminum foil, or put
in a plastic bag.
●
Carefully wrap to expel air and
prevent
Store pre-packaged cheese in its
own wrapping if you wish.
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
maintain crispness.
●
As a further aid to freshness,
pre-packaged vegetables can be
stored in their original wrapping.
Note: Special fresh food
drawers (on models so equipped)
make it unnecessary to wrap certain
foods
they’ve been designed
to preserve.
drawers
described on page 10.
To store ice
cream–Fine-quality
ice cream, with high cream
content, will normally require
slightly
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.
Tips on freezing foods
There are three essential requirements
for efficient home freezing.
1. Initial quality. Freeze
only
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; they’re readily available
at most food stores.
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
completely thawed; meat, whether
raw or cooked, can be frozen
successfully only once.
Limit freezing of fresh (unfrozen)
meats or seafoods to 22 pounds at
a time.
For convenience...
●
Store like things together. This
saves both time and electricity
because you can find foods faster.
●
Place the oldest items up front so
they can be used up promptly.
●
Use shelves on the door for most
often used sauces and condiments.
●
Use the Meat Drawer for temporary
storage of meats you do not freeze.
To save money in energy
and food
●
Place most perishable items, such
as milk, cream or cottage cheese,
toward the rear of the top shelf, as
they
stay coldest in this part
of the fresh food compartment.
●
Cover moist foods with tight lids,
plastic film or foil.
●
Leaf vegetables and fruits
in
drawers will
longer when stored
in closed plastic containers or
wrapped in plastic film.
●
Do not overload your fresh food
or freezer compartment with a lot
of warm food at once.
●
Open the door the fewest times
possible to save electrical energy.
●
When going out of town for
several days, leave as few perishables
as possible in the refrigerator.
Move the
feeler arm to
the OFF (up) position and shut off
water to the refrigerator.
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