Food
storage times
for meat and poultry*
MONTHS
Eating
after time shown
35”
Fresh Meats
Roasts
.., ..,, 3t05
Roasts (Pork & Veal) 3 to 5
Steaks (Beef) ... ... ., 3t05
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 3t05
Sausage (Smoked)
7
Sausage (Dry &
.. .14 to 21
Cooked Meats
Cooked Meats and
Meat Dishes 3t04
Gravy &Meat Broth 1 to2
Fresh
Chicken &Turkey (Whole) lto2
Chicken (Pieces) .....,,.. 1 to2
Turkey (Pieces), lto2
Duck& Goose (Whole) . . . . . . . lto2
Giblets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lto2
Cooked
Pieces (Covered with Broth)... 1 to2
Pieces (Not Covered) 3t04
Cooked Poultry Dishes ..,.... 3t04
Fried Chicken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3t04
12
4 to 8
6 to 12
6 to 9
3 to 4
3 to 4
3 to 4
1 to 2
1
1 to 2
1 to 2
to 2
Freezing
not recom-
mended.
2 to 3
2 to 3
12
6
3
6
1
4 to 6
4
FREEZER
Most fruits and vegetables . . . . . . . .....8-12 months
Lean fish .6-B 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.
‘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.
To store unfrozen
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
help prevent mold.
●
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 helps maintain crispness,
As a further aid to freshness,
pre-packaged vegetables can be
stored in their original wrapping.
Note: Special
drawers (on models so equipped)
make it unnecessary to wrap certain
foods which they’ve been designed
to preserve.
drawers are
described on pages 8 and
To store 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 necessary to experiment to
determine the freezer compartment
location and temperature control
setting to keep your ice cream at
the right serving temperature.
●
The
of the freezer compartment
is slightly
than the front.
Tips on freezing foods
There are three essential requirements
for efficient home freezing.
1. Initial quality. Freeze only
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.
6
To freeze meat, fish and poultry,
wrap well in freezer-weight
(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 number of
pounds at a time as follows:
. . . . . . . . . . . . .......19
. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .....22
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 or bins on the door
for most often used sauces and
condiments.
●
Use the meat drawer, on models
so equipped, for temporary storage
of meats you do not freeze.
To save money in energy
and food costs
●
most perishable items, such
as milk, cream or cottage cheese,
toward the rear of the top shelf, as
they will stay coldest in this part
of the fresh food compartment.
●
Cover moist foods with tight lids,
plastic film or foil.
●
Leaf vegetables and fruits placed in
drawers will last 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. If
your refrigerator has an
move the
feeler arm to
the OFF (up) position and shut off
water to the refrigerator.
