Foodstoragechart, Fruits, Vegetables, Meat, Fish

IMPORTANT: Do not expect your freezer to quick-freeze any large quantity of food. Put no more un- frozen food into the freezer than will freeze within 24 hours. (No more than 2 to 3 pounds of fresh meat or 3 to 4 pounds of vegetables per cubic foot of freezer space.) leave enough space for air to circulate around

packages. Be careful to leave enough room at the front so the door can close tightly.

FOODSTORAGECHART

Storage times* will vary according to the quality of the food, the type of packaging or wrap used (moisture and vapor-proof), and

the storage temperature which should be 0” F (-1713°C).

Food	Storage time

FRUITS

Fruit juice concentrate . . . . . 12 months Commerclaily frozen fruit . . 12 months Citrus fruit and juices. . . . 4 to 6 months Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 to 12 months

VEGETABLES

Commercially frozen . . . . . . . 8 months Home frozen . . . . . . . . . . . 8 to 12 months

MEAT

Bacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 weeks or less Corned beef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 weeks Cured ham . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1to 2 months (Salting meat shortens freezer lifej Frankfurters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 month Ground beef, iamb, veal 2 to 3 months Roasts:

Beef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 to 12 months lamb and veal . . . . . . . 6 to 9 months Pork.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 to8 months Sausage, fresh . . . . . . . . . . 1to 2 months

Steaks and chops:

Beef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 to12 months lamb, veal, pork . . . . . . 3 to4 months

FISH

Cod, flounder, haddock

Sole.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 months Blue fish, salmon . . . . . . . . 2 to 3 months Mackerel, perch . . . . . . . . 2 to 3 months Breaded fish (purchased) . . . 3 months Clams, oysters, cooked

fish, crab, scallops . . . . 3 to4 months Alaskan klng crab . . . . . . . . . 10 months Shrimp, uncooked . . . . . . . . . 12 months

POULTRY

Whole chlcken or turkey. . . . 12 months Duck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6months Giblets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 to 3 months Cooked poultry w/gravy . . . 6 months Slices (no gravy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 month

Food	Btorage time

MAIN DISHES Stews; meat, poultry

and fish casserole . . . . 2 to 3 months TV dlnners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 to 6 months

DAIRY PRODUCTS

Butter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 to 9 months Margarine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 to 9 months Cheese:

Camembert, brick,

Mozzarella, farmer’s . . . . 3 months

Creamed cottage . . DO NOT FREEZE Cheddar, Edam, Gouda.

Swiss, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 to8 weeks Freezing can change texture of

cheese.

Ice cream, ice milk

sherbet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 weeks

EGGS

Whole (mixed) . . . . . . . . . 9 to 12 months Whites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 12 months Yolks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9to12months

(Add sugar or salt to yolks or whole mixed eggs)

BAKED GOODS

Yeast breads and rolls . . . . . . 3 months Baked Brown ‘N Serve

rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 months Unbaked breads.. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 month Quick breads . . . . . . . . . . 2 to 3 months Cakes, unfrosted . . , . . . . . 2 to 4 months Cakes, frosted . . . . . . . . . 8 to 12 months Fruit cakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 months Cookie dough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 months Baked cookies . . . . . . . . . 8 to 12 months Baked pies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1to 2 months Ple dough only . . . . . . . . . . 4 to 6 months

‘@us& on U S.D.A. and MchlQan Cooperatwe Extension Sewce suggested storage times.

if electricity goes off

Call the power company. Ask how long power will be off.

1.If service IS to be interrupted 24 hours or less, keep both doors closed This WIII help frozen foods to stay frozen

2.If service IS to be interrupted longer than 24 hours:

(a]Remove all frozen food and store in a frozen food locker. Or

(b)Place 2 Ibs (0.9 kg] of dry ice in freezer for every cu. ft. of freezer space. This will keep frozen foods for 2 to 4 days. Wear gloves to protect your hands from dry ice burns

(c)If neither food locker storage nor dry Ice is available, use or can perlshable food at once.

3.A full freezer will stay cold longerthan a partly filled one. A freezer full of meat will stay cold longer than a freezer full of baked goods. If food contains Ice crystals, ft may be safety refrozen, although the quality and flavor may be affected. Use refrozen foods quickly. If the condition of the food is poor or you have any suspicions, it is wise to dispose of It