Food Storage Tips
Contributed By: Pat
While it's important to keep a well-stocked refrigerator and pantry,
it's also important to know how long staples will last. The following
guidelines will help you keep everything fresh and usable at its best.
(at 34 degrees to 40 degrees)
- Cooked meats keep 3 to 5 days.
- Uncooked chops keep 3 to 5 days.
- Uncooked ground keeps 1 to 2 days.
- Uncooked roasts and steaks keep 3 to 5 days.
- Leftover cooked meat keeps 3 to 4 days.
- Cooked poultry keeps 3 to 4 days.
- Uncooked poultry, cut up or whole, keeps 1 to 2 days.
- Uncooked fish keeps 1 to 2 days.
- Cooked shellfish keeps 3 to 4 days.
- Uncooked shellfish keeps 1 to 2 days.
At (0 degrees or below):
- Cooked meats keep 2 to 3 months.
- Uncooked chops keep 4 to 6 months.
- Uncooked ground keeps 3 to 4 months.
- Uncooked roasts and steaks keep 6 to 12 months.
- Leftover cooked meat keeps 2 to 3 months.
- Cooked poultry keeps 4 months.
- Uncooked poultry, cut up, keeps up to 9 months.
- Uncooked poultry, whole, keeps up to 12 months.
- Uncooked fish keeps 2 to 3 months.
- Cooked shellfish keeps 1 to 2 months.
- Uncooked shellfish keeps 3 to 4 months.
General Refrigeration Tips
- Check foods for "sell by," "use by" or expiration dates that tell you
how long they can be stored, in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Allow space between foods in the refrigerator or freezer, so air can
circulate and chill or freeze the food more quickly.
- Refrigerated foods stay colder near the back of the fridge rather than
in the door.
- For freezing, place food in airtight containers or wrap airtight.
- Keep room-temperature foods in a cool, dry place. Avoid cupboards over
the stove or microwave, near the dishwasher or above the refrigerator
because they tend to be warm and can cause premature spoiling.
General Dry Storage Tips
- Dry bread crumbs last 6 months. After opening, close tightly.
- Canned foods last 1 year. Date cans; use the oldest first.
- Bottled dressings: Check date on bottle. Refrigerate after opening.
- Honey lasts 1 year.
- Jams and jellies: Use within 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.
- Main-dish mixes last 1 year.
- Olives: Use within 1 year.
- Dried pasta lasts 1 year. Store in original packaging or in airtight
containers or plastic containers.
- Brown or wild rice lasts 6 months, white rice 1 year. Use seasoned mixes within 6 months.
Updated on ... November 27, 2006