Food Storage Tips
Food Storage Chart
Storage times are approximate and may vary depending on type of packaging, storage temperature, and the quality of the food when purchased.
FOODS | REFRIGERATOR | FREEZER | STORAGE TIPS |
DAIRY PRODUCTS |
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Butter | 1 month | 6 to 9 months | Wrap tightly or cover. |
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Milk and cream | 1 week | Not recommended | Check carton date. Close tightly. |
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| Don’t return unused portions to |
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| original container. Don’t freeze |
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| cream unless whipped. |
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Cream cheese, cheese | 1 to 2 weeks | Not recommended | Wrap tightly. |
spread and cheese food |
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Cottage cheese | 3 to 5 days | Not recommended | Store in original carton. |
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| Check carton date. |
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Sour cream | 10 days | Not recommended | Store in original carton. |
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| Check carton date. |
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Hard cheese | 1 to 2 months | 4 to 6 months | Wrap tightly. |
(Swiss, Cheddar and Parmesan) |
| May become | Cut off any mold. |
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| crumbly |
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EGGS |
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Eggs in the shell | 3 weeks | Not recommended | Refrigerate small ends down. |
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Leftover yolks or whites | 2 to 4 days | 9 to 12 months | For each cup of yolks to be frozen, |
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| add 1 tsp. sugar for use in sweet, or |
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| 1 tsp. salt for |
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FRUITS |
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Apples | 1 month | 8 months (cooked) | May also store unripe or hard apples |
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| at 60° to 70° F (16° to 21° C). |
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Bananas | 2 to 4 days | 6 months | Ripen at room temperature before |
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| (whole/peeled) | refrigerating. Bananas darken when |
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| refrigerated. |
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Pears, plums, avocados | 3 to 4 days | Not recommended | Ripen at room temperature before |
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| refrigerating. Avocados darken when |
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| refrigerated. |
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Berries, cherries, apricots | 2 to 3 days | 6 months | Ripen at room temperature before |
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| refrigerating. |
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Grapes | 3 to 5 days | 1 month (whole) | Ripen at room temperature before |
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| refrigerating. |
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Citrus fruits | 1 to 2 weeks | Not recommended | May also store at 60° to 70° F (16° to |
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| 21° C). If refrigerated, store uncovered. |
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Pineapples, cut | 2 to 3 days | 6 to 12 months | Will not ripen after purchase. |
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| Use quickly. |
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| continued… |
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