Food Storage Chart

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Kitchen Ade

Food Storage Charts

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Big mama

Food Cold Storage Chart

Product

Refrigerator 
(40 °F)

Freezer
(0 °F)

Eggs

Fresh, in shell

3 to 5 weeks

Do not freeze

Raw yolks and whites

2 to 4 days

1 year

Hard cooked

1 week

Doesn't freeze well

Liquid pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes

opened 

3 days 

Doesn't freeze well

unopened

10 days

1 year

Mayonnaise   

Commercial, refrigerate after opening  2 months Do not freeze

Frozen Dinners and Entrees

Keep frozen until ready to heat

--

3 to 4 months

Deli and Vacuum-Packed Products

Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, ham, tuna, and macaroni salads

3 to 5 days

Doesn't freeze well

Hot dogs and 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 and 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

Ham, 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

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 

half 

3 to 5 days 

1 to 2 months 

slices

3 to 4 days

1 to 2 months

Hamburger, Ground and Stew Meat

Hamburger and stew meat

1 to 2 days

3 to 4 months

Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb, and 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

Doesn't freeze well

Soups and Stews

Vegetable or meat added  3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months

Cooked 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 Leftovers

   

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

Fish and Seafood

Lean fish such as Cod, Flounder, Haddock or Halibut

36 hours

 6 to 8 months

Less lean fish like Mullet, smelt and Salmon should be purchase frozen  - never freeze these products when bought fresh - cook immediately 36 hours 4 months
Shrimp 4 days 9 months
Crab in the shell 5 days 4 to 6 months
King crab 7 days 12 months
Oysters and Clams 4 to 7 days NEVER freeze
Live Lobster 1 to 2 days NEVER freeze
Frozen Breaded Shrimp - - 12 months
Scallops - - 16 months
Fish Sticks and Portions - - 18 months
Smoked Fish like Herring 3 to 4 days - -
Smoked Salmon and Whitefish 5 to 8 days - -
Dairy Products    
Butter 1 to 3 months 6 to 9 months
Buttermilk 3 to 14 days 3 months
Hard Cheese such as Cheddar or Swiss unopened 6 months 6 months
Hard Cheese opened 3 to 4 weeks 6 months
Soft Cheese (such as Brie or Bel Paese) 1 week 6 months
Cottage Cheese and Ricotta 1 week NEVER freeze
Cream Cheese 2 weeks NEVER freeze
Ultra Pasteurized whipped cream 1 month NEVER freeze
Sweetened whipped cream 1 day 1 to 2 months
Aerosol can, real whipped cream 3 to 4 weeks NEVER freeze
Aerosol can non-dairy topping 3 months NEVER freeze
Half and Half 3 to 4 weeks 4 months
Commercial Eggnog 3 to 5 days 6 months
Margarine 4 to 5 months 12 months
Milk 7 days 3 months
Packaged Pudding  consume by the earlier of the use-by date, or 2 days after opening
Sour Cream 7 to 21 days don't freeze
Yogurt 7 to 14 days 1 to 2 months
Other

Pizza, cooked

3 to 4 days

1 to 2 months

Stuffing, cooked

3 to 4 days

1 month

 

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