Storing Frozen Food

Milk

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

Eggs

Store in original carton on interior shelf.

Fruit

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 original container in a crisper, or store in a loosely closed paper bag on a refrigerator shelf.

Leafy 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.

Vegetables with skins (carrots, peppers)

Place in plastic bags or plastic container and store in crisper.

Fish

Use fresh fish and shellfish the same day as purchased.

Meat

Store most meat in original wrapping as long as it is airtight and moisture-proof. Rewrap if necessary. See the following chart for storage times. When storing meat longer than the times given, freeze the meat.

Chicken	1-2 days
Ground beef	1-2 days
Variety meats (liver, heart, etc.)	1-2 days
Cold cuts	3-5 days
Steaks/roasts	3-5 days
Cured meats	7-10 days

Leftovers

Cover leftovers with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Plastic containers with tight lids can also be used.

NOTE: For further information about preparing food for freezing or food storage times, check a freezer guide or reliable cookbook.

Packaging

Successful freezing depends on the correct packaging. When you close and seal the package you must not allow air or moisture in or out. If you do, you could have food odor and taste transfer throughout the refrigerator, and also dry out frozen food.

Packaging recommendations:

■Rigid plastic containers with tight-fitting lids

■Straight-sided canning/freezing jars

■Heavy-duty aluminum foil

■Plastic-coated paper

■Non-permeable plastic wraps (made from saran film)

■Specified freezer self-sealing plastic bags

Follow package or container instructions for proper freezing methods.

Do not use:

■Bread wrappers

■Non-polyethylene plastic containers

■Containers without tight lids

■Wax paper or wax-coated freezer wrap

■Thin, semi-permeable wrap

Freezing

Your freezer will not quick-freeze any large quantity of food. Put no more unfrozen food into the freezer than will freeze within 24 hours (no more than 2 to 3 lbs of food per cubic foot [907-1,350 g per liter] of freezer space). Leave enough space in the freezer for air to circulate around packages. Be careful to leave enough room at the front so the door can close tightly.

Storage times will vary according to the quality and type of food, the type of packaging or wrap used (airtight and moisture-proof), and the storage temperature. Ice crystals inside a sealed package are normal. This simply means that moisture in the food and air inside the package have condensed, creating ice crystals.

NOTE: Allow hot foods to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then package and freeze. Cooling hot foods before freezing saves energy.