|
Storage Periods for Retaining Food Quality
|
| Food |
Room Temperature |
Refrigerator |
Freezer at 0°F |
| Milk/Milk Products |
| Milk |
|
1 week |
1 month |
| Butter |
|
2 weeks |
12 months |
| Canned or dry milk (unopened) |
|
|
6 months |
| Cottage cheese |
|
1 week |
3 months |
| Cream |
|
1-2 weeks |
|
| Ice cream |
|
|
2-3 weeks |
| Margarine |
|
1 month |
12 months |
| Natural cheese |
|
1 month |
4-6 months |
| Processed cheese |
|
1 month |
4-6 months |
| Sour cream, buttermilk, cream cheese |
|
2 weeks |
Not recommended |
| Yogurt |
|
1 month |
|
| Meat |
| Fresh roasts, steaks, chops |
|
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Fresh livers, hearts, kidneys, other variety meats |
|
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Fresh ground meat, stew meat |
|
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Cured pork and lunch meat |
|
1 week |
Not recommended |
| Cooked meat, gravies made with meat stock |
|
2-3 days |
2-3 months |
| Canned meat |
|
1 year |
|
| Meat pies, stews, casseroles, meat salads |
|
2-3 days |
3 months |
| Hotdogs |
|
1 week (opened) 2 weeks (unopened) |
1-2 months |
| Bacon |
|
7 days |
1 month |
| Sausage, raw from pork, beef, turkey |
|
1-2 days |
1-2 months |
| Hard sausage-pepperoni, jerky sticks |
|
2-3 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Poultry/Eggs |
| Fresh poultry |
|
2 days |
6-8 months |
| Cooked poultry |
|
2-3 days |
6 months |
| Poultry stuffing |
|
1 day |
|
| Poultry pies, stews, creamed dishes, gravies |
|
1 day |
6 months |
| Poultry salads |
|
1 day |
|
| Eggs |
|
2-4 weeks |
1 year |
| Raw yolk, whites |
|
2-4 days |
1 year |
| Hardcooked eggs |
|
1 week |
Not recommended |
| Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes |
|
10 days (unopened) 3 days (opened) |
1 year (unopened) |
| Egg-containing products: custards, custard sauces, puddings, custard-filled pastries or cakes |
|
1-2 days |
Not recommended |
| Puddings, canned |
|
1-2 days (opened) |
|
| Fish/Seafood |
| Fresh fish |
|
1-2 days |
3-6 months |
| Cooked fish |
|
3-4 days |
1 month |
| Fish salad |
|
1 day |
|
| Smoked fish |
|
10 days |
4-5 weeks |
| Canned fish |
1 year |
|
Not recommended |
| Dried or pickled fish |
|
3-4 weeks |
|
| Clams, oyster (shucked) and scallops |
|
7-9 days |
|
| Crab |
|
7 days |
2 months |
| Shrimp |
|
3-5 days |
6-12 months |
| Lobster (shelled or unshelled) |
|
3-7 days |
6-12 months |
| Wild Game |
| Venison |
|
3-5 days |
3-4 months |
| Rabbit, squirrel |
|
1-2 days |
12 months |
| Wild duck, pheasant, goose(whole) |
|
1-2 days |
6 months |
| Fruits |
| Apples |
Until ripe |
1 month |
|
| Citrus fruits |
|
2-6 weeks |
|
| Grapes |
|
1-3 weeks |
|
| Melons, most varieties |
|
1 week |
|
| Peaches, nectarines |
|
2-3 weeks |
|
| Pears (mature but not fully ripe) |
|
1-3 months |
|
| Pineapple, ripe |
|
1 week |
|
| Other fresh fruit |
Until ripe |
3-5 days |
9-12 months |
| Canned fruit |
1 year |
2-4 days (opened) |
|
| Dried fruit |
6 months |
2-4 days (cooked) |
|
| Fruit juice concentrates |
|
|
1 year |
| Canned fruit juices |
1 year |
3-4 days (opened) |
|
| Vegetables |
| Asparagus |
|
2-3 days |
|
| Broccoli, brussels sprouts, green peas, green onions, lima beans, rhubarb, greens, summer squash, mushrooms |
|
3-5 days |
|
| Cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, snap beans, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes |
|
1 week |
|
| Carrots, beets, parsnips, radishes, turnips |
|
2 weeks |
|
| Corn |
|
1 day |
|
| White potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, rutabagas, dry onions |
1 week (several months at 50-60°F) |
|
|
| Canned or dried vegetables |
1 year |
1-4 days (opened/cooked) |
|
| Cereal Products |
| Flour, white |
1 year |
|
|
| Flour, whole or wheat |
|
6-8 months |
1 year |
| Rice, white |
2 years |
|
|
| Rice, brown |
6 months |
|
|
| Ready-to-eat cereals |
1 year |
|
|
| Uncooked cereals |
1 year |
|
|
| Pasta |
1 year |
|
|
| Corn meal |
|
1 year |
|
| Bakery Goods |
| Breads, baked with no preservatives |
|
2-3 weeks |
2-3 months |
| Breads, quick, baked |
|
|
2 months |
| Cake, angel |
|
|
6-12 months |
| Cake, baked, frosted |
|
|
1 month |
| Cake, baked, unfrosted |
|
|
2-4 months |
| Cakes, batter |
|
|
1 month |
| Cakes, fruit |
|
|
6-12 months |
| Cinnamon rolls, partially baked |
|
|
2 months |
| Cookies, baked, homemade |
|
2-3 weeks |
6-12 months |
| Cookies, dough |
|
1-2 days |
3 months |
| Cookies, packaged |
|
2 months |
12-18 months |
| Crackers |
|
2 months |
|
| Doughnuts, unfrosted |
|
|
2-4 months |
| Muffins, baked |
|
|
6-12 months |
| Pies, fruit |
|
2-3 days (baked) 1-2 days (unbaked) |
6-8 months (baked) 2-4 months (unbaked) |
| Pies, pumpkin or chiffon |
|
2-3 days |
1-2 months |
| Rolls and bread, unbaked |
|
2-3 weeks |
1 month |
| Waffles |
|
|
1 month |
| Mixes/Packaged Foods |
| Biscuit, brownie, muffin mix |
9 months |
|
|
| Cake mixes |
6-9 months |
|
|
| Casserole mix |
9-12 months |
|
|
| Cookies, homemade |
2-3 weeks |
|
|
| Cookies, packaged |
2 months |
|
|
| Crackers |
3 months |
|
|
| Croutons and bread crumbs |
6 months |
6 months |
1 year |
| Frosting, canned |
3 months |
|
|
| Frosting, mix |
8 months |
|
|
| Hot roll mix |
18 months |
|
|
| Pancake mix |
6-9 months |
|
|
| Piecrust, mix |
6-9 months |
|
|
| Potatoes, instant |
6-12 months |
|
|
| Rice mixes |
6 months |
|
|
| Sauce and gravy mixes |
6-12 months |
|
|
| Soup mixes |
12 months |
|
|
| Toaster pastries |
2-3 months |
|
|
| Other Foods |
| Baking powder |
18 months |
|
|
| Baking soda |
2 years |
|
|
| Chocolate syrup |
2 years (unopened) |
6 months (opened) |
|
| Cocoa mixes |
8 months |
|
|
| Coffee, lighteners (dry) |
9 months (unopened) 6 months (opened) |
|
|
| Cornstarch |
18 months |
|
|
| Gelatin |
18 months |
|
|
| Pectin |
1 year |
|
|
| Salad dressings, bottled |
12 months (unopened) |
1-3 months (opened) |
Not recommended |
| Sugar, brown |
18 months |
|
|
| Sugar, confectioners’ |
18 months |
|
|
| Sugar, granulated |
2 years |
|
|
| Vinegar |
2 years (unopened) 1 year (opened) |
|
|
| Cheese, parmesan, grated |
10 months (unopened) 2 months (opened) |
|
|
| Coconut, shredded |
12 months (unopened) 6 months (opened) |
|
|
| Imitation bacon bits, etc. |
4 months |
|
|
| Peas, beans, dried |
12 months |
|
|
| Popcorn |
2 years |
|
|
| Whipped topping, dry |
12 months |
|
|
| Yeast, dry |
Expiration date on package |
|
|
| Honey, jams, syrups, molasses |
1 year |
|
|
| Nuts, unshelled |
6 months |
|
|
| Nuts, shelled |
|
6 months |
|
| Peanut butter |
6 months (unopened) |
2 months (opened) |
|
| Chocolate |
1 year |
|
|
| Coffee |
1 year (unopened) 2-4 weeks (opened) |
|
|
| Coffee, instant |
6 months (unopened) 2 months (opened) |
|
|
| Pudding mixes |
1 year |
|
|
| Shortening, solid |
8 months |
|
|
| Vegetable oils |
1-3 months |
|
|
| Tea, bags or loose |
1 year |
|
|
| Tea, instant |
1 year |
|
|
| Soft drinks |
3 months |
|
|
| Bouillon products |
1 year |
|
|
| Mayonnaise |
|
10-12 weeks |
Not recommended |
| Spices, Herbs, Condiments, Extracts |
| Catsup, chili sauce |
12 months (unopened) 1 month (opened) |
|
|
| Mustard, prepared yellow (refrigerate |
2 years (unopened) for longer storage) 6-8 months (opened) |
|
|
| Spices, whole |
1-2 years |
|
|
| Spices, ground |
6 months |
|
|
| Herbs |
6 months |
|
|
| Herb/spice blends |
2 years (unopened) 12 months (opened) |
|
|
| Other extracts |
12 months |
|
|
