Viking F20394E EN manual Food Storage Chart, Foods Refrigerator Freezer Storage Tips

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

Food Storage Tips

Foods	Refrigerator	Freezer	Storage Tips
VEGETABLES
Asparagus	1 to 2 days	8 to 10 months	Do not wash before
			refrigerating. Store in crisper.
Brussel sprouts,	3 to 5 days	8 to 10 months	Wrap odorous foods.
broccoli, cauliflower,			Leave peas in pods.
green peas, lima beans,
onions, peppers
Cabbage, celery	1 to 2 weeks	Not recommended.	Wrap odorous foods and
			refrigerate in cripser.
Carrots, parsnips, beets	7 to 10 days	8 to 10 months	Remove tops. Wrap odorous
and turnips			foods and refrigerate in
Lettuce	7 to 10 days	Not recommended.	crisper.
POULTRY and FISH
Chicken and Turkey,	1 to 2 days	12 months	Keep in original packaging
whole			for refrigeration. Place in the
Chicken and Turkey,	1 to 2 days	9 months	meat and cheese drawer.
pieces			When freezing longer than
Fish	1 to 2 days	2 to 6 months	two weeks, wrap with freezer
			wrap.
MEATS
Bacon	7 days	1 month	Fresh meats can be kept in
Beef or Lamb,	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months	original packaging for
ground			refrigeration.
Beef or lamb, roast and	3 to 5 days	6 to 9 months	Place in the meat and cheese
steak			drawer. When freezing
			longer than two weeks, wrap
Ham, (fully cooked)			with freezer wrap.
whole	7 days	1 to 2 months
half	5 days	1 to 2 months
slices	3 days	1 to 2 months	Unopened, vacuum-packed
Luncheon meat	3 to 5 days	1 to 2 months	luncheon meat may be kept
			up to two weeks in the meat
Pork, roast	3 to 5 days	4 to 6 months	and cheese drawer.
Pork, chops	3 to 5 days	4 months
Sausage, ground	1 to 2 days	1 to 2 months
Sausage, smoked	7 days	1 to 2 months
Veal	3 to 5 days	4 to 6 months
Frankfurters	7 days	1 month	Processed meats should be
			tightly wrapped and stored
			in the meat and cheese
			drawer.

Sources: United States of Agriculture; Food Marketing Institute; Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University

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