Food storage guide, Storing Fresh Food

Food storage guide

There is a right way to package and store re- frigerated or frozen food. To keep food fresher, longer, ta ke the time to study these recommended steps.

STORING FRESH FOOD

Cured or Smoked Meat and Cold Cuts. Ham, bacon, sausage, cold cuts, etc., keep best in origi- nal wrappings. Once opened, tightly re-wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Canned Ham. Store in refrigerator unless the label says it’s okay to store on the shelf. Do not freeze.

Fresh Poultry...Wrap in plastic wrap. The plastic on poultry, as purchased, may be used for storage.

Leaty Vegetables...Remove store wrapping and trim or tear off bruised and discolored areas. Wash in cold water and drain. Place in plastic bag or plastic container and store in crisper.Cold, moist air helps keep leafy vegetables fresh and crisp.

Vegetables with Sklns (carrots, peppers)...Store in crisper, plastic bags or plastic container.

Frult...Wash, let dry and store in refrigerator in plastic bags or crisper. Do not wash or hull berries until they are ready to use. Sort and keep berries in their store container in a crisper, or store in a loosely closed paper bag on a refrigerator shelf.

Meatf..Meat is perishable and expensive...you won’t want to waste an ounce of it through careless handling. The following list and chart give you packaging hints and time limits. Store meat in the meat drawer.

Fresh, Prepackaged Meat. Store fresh meat in the store wrapping. Vacuum packaged meat can be frozen for as long as one month if the seal is not broken. If you want to keep it frozen longer, you should wrap it with special freezer wrapping material.

Fresh Meat, Not Prepackaged. Remove the

market wrapping paper and re-wrap in aluminum foil for storing it unfrozen.

Cooked Meat. Wrap or cover cooked meat with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store immediately.

I STORAGECHARTFORFRESHANDCUREDMEAT’

	Approximate	Time
We
		Ways1
Variety	Meats	1 to	2
Chlcken	............................	1 to	2
Ground	Beef	1 to	2
Steaks	and Roasts	3 to	5
Cured	Meats	7 to	10
Bacon	..............................	5to	7
Cold Cuts		3to	5

‘If meat is to be stored longer than the times given, follow the directions for freezing.

NOTE: Fresh tlsh and shellflsh should be used the same day as purchased.

Eggo...Store without washing in the original car- ton on interior shelf.

Mllk...Wipe milk cartons. For best storage, place milk on interior shelf.

Beverages...Wipe bottles and cans. Store on a door shelf or inside the refrigerator.

Butter...Keep opened butter in covered dish or in the Utility Compartment. When storing an extra supply, wrap in freezer packaging and freeze.

Cheese...Store in the original wrapping until you are ready to use it. Once opened, re-wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Condlments...Store small jars and bottles (catsup, mustard, jelly, olives) on the door shelves where they are in easy reach.

Leftovers...Cover leftovers with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep food from drying out and transferring food odors. Plastic containers with tight lids are fine, too.