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REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STORAGE CHART
Since product dates aren’t a guide for safe use of a product, consult this chart and follow these tips. These short but safe
time limits will help keep refrigerated food 40° F (4° C) from spoiling or becoming dangerous.
• Purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates.
• Follow handling recommendations on product.
• Keep meat and poultry in its package until just before using.
• If freezing meat and poultry in its original package longer than 2 months, overwrap these packages
with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper, or place the package inside a plastic bag.
Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.
Product Refrigerator Freezer
Eggs
Fresh, in shell 4 to 5 weeks Don’t freeze
Raw yolks, whites 2 to 4 days 1 year
Hard cooked 1 week Don’t freeze well
Liquid pasteurized eggs
or egg substitutes,
opened 3 days Don’t freeze
unopened 10 days 1 year
TV Dinners, Frozen Casseroles
Keep frozen until ready to heat 3 to 4 months
Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products
Store-prepared 3 to 5 days Don’t freeze well
(or homemade)
egg, chicken, tuna, ham,
macaroni salads
Pre-stuffed pork &
lamb chops, chicken
breasts stuffed w/dressing 1 day Don’t freeze well
Store-cooked convenience
meals 3 to 4 days Don’t freeze well
Commercial brand
vacuum-packed
dinners with USDA seal,
unopened 2 weeks Don’t freeze well
Raw Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat
Hamburger & stew meats 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months
Ground turkey, veal, pork,
lamb 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months
Ham, Corned Beef
Corned beef in pouch 5 to 7 days Drained, 1 month
with pickling juices
Ham, canned, labeled
“Keep Refrigerated,”
unopened 6 to 9 months Don’t freeze
opened 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Ham, fully cooked, whole 7 days 1 to 2 months
Ham, fully cooked, half 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Ham, fully cooked, slices 3 to 4 days 1 to 2 months
Hot Dogs & Lunch Meats (in freezer wrap)
Hot dogs,
opened package 1 week 1 to 2 months
unopened package 2 weeks 1 to 2 months
Lunch meats,
opened package 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
unopened package 2 weeks 1 to 2 months
Product Refrigerator Freezer
Soups & Stews
Vegetable or meat-added
& mixtures of them 3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months
Bacon & Sausage
Bacon 7 days 1 month
Sausage, raw from pork,
beef, chicken or turkey 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 months
Smoked breakfast links,
patties 7 days 1 to 2 months
Fresh Meat (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,
kidneys, liver, heart,
chitterlings) 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months
Meat Leftovers
Cooked meat & meat dishes 3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months
Gravy & 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, parts 1 to 2 days 9 months
Giblets 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months
Cooked Poultry, Leftover
Fried chicken 3 to 4 days 4 months
Cooked poultry dishes 3 to 4 days 4 to 6 months
Pieces, plain 3 to 4 days 4 months
Pieces covered with broth,
gravy 3 to 4 days 6 months
Chicken nuggets, patties 3 to 4 days 2 months
Fish & Shellfish
Lean fish 1 to 2 days 6 months
Fatty fish 1 to 2 days 2 to 3 months
Cooked fish 3 to 4 days 4 to 6 months
Smoked fish 14 days 2 months
Fresh shrimp, scallops,
crawfish, squid 1 to 2 days 3 to 6 months
Canned seafood after opening out of can
(Pantry, 5 years) 3 to 4 days 2 months