FOOD STORAGE SUGGESTIONS
Suggested storage times for meat and poultry*
Eating quality
DAYS IN MONTHS IN
Eating quality
DAYS IN MONTHS IN
(Other than for meats & poultry)
FREEZER
drops after
REFRIGERATOR FREEZER
drops after
REFRIGERATOR FREEZER
time shown
fime shown
AT35
Most
and vegetables 8-12 months
Lean fish... 6-8 months
Fresh Meats
Roasts (Beef & Lamb) ...3 to 5
Roasts (Pork & Veal) 3 to 5
Steaks (Beef
3 to 5
Chops (Lamb) 3 to 5
Chops (Pork) .,. 3 to 5
Ground & Stew Meats 1 to 2
Variety Meats ,,..,. .,, 1 to 2
Sausage (Pork)
to 2
Processed Meats
Bacon .7
Frankfurters
7
Ham (Whole)
7
Ham (Half)
.. ... .......3 to 5
Ham (Slices) . . . . . 3
Luncheon Meats .........3 to 5
Sausage (Smoked)
Sausage (Dry & Semi-Dry) 14 to 21
6 to 12
4 to 8
6 tol 2
6 to 9
3 to 4
3 to 4
3 to 4
1 to 2
1
1 to 2
1 to 2
1 to 2
Freezing
not recom-
mended
Cooked Meats
Cooked Meats and
Meat Dishes.
.3 to 4
Gravy & Meat Broth. 1 to 2
Fresh Poultry
Chicken & Turkey (Whole) to 2
Chicken (Pieces) .1 to 2
Turkey (Pieces)
to 2
Duck & Goose (Whole) ..,...1 to 2
Giblets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........1 to 2
Cooked Poultry
Pieces (Covered with
to 2
(Not Covered) .3 to 4
Cooked Poultry Dishes..
to 4
Fried
3 to 4
2 to 3
2 to 3
Fatty
rolls and breads,
soups, stew. casseroles 2-3 months
Cakes, pies,
leftovers (cooked),
cream
carton).
1
max.
12
9
6
6
3
6
1
4 to 6
4
*U.S. Department of Agriculture
Meats.
and
purchased
from
the store
in
storage time
in your refrigerator
1 ary.
Unfrozen meats, fish
and poultry
●
Always remove store wrappings.
●
Rewrap in foil, film or wax paper
and refrigerate immediately.
Vegetables
●
Use the vegetable
they’ve been designed to preserve
the natural moisture and
freshness of produce.
Covering vegetables with a moist
towel helps maintain crispness.
As further aid to freshness,
prepackaged vegetables can
stored in their original wrapping.
Cheese
Wrap well with
paper or
aluminum
or put in a plastic
●
Carefully wrap to expel air and
help prevent mold.
Store prepackaged cheese i n its
own wrapping
wish.
Tips on Freezing Food
There are three essential requirements for efficient
home freezing.
1. Initial quality. Freeze only top-qua] ity 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,
less
and sorting to do.
Ice Cream
Fine-quality ice cream.
cream content.
normally
require
temperatures
than more “airy” already-packaged
brands
low cream content.
It i be necessary’ to experiment
to determine the freezer
compartment location and
temperature control setting to
your ice cream at
temperature.
●
The rear
the freezer
compartment
than
the front.
3. Proper packaging. Use
wraps
especially for freezing.
To freeze meat, fish and poultry, wrap well in
freezer-weight foil (or other
wrapping
material).
it carefully to the shape
the
contents. This expels air. Fold
crimp ends the
package to provide a
lasting seal.
Don. t
meat that has been completely thawed:
meat. whether
or cooked, can be
only once.
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