IMPORTANT: Do not expect your freezer to
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
the storage temperature which should be 0” F (
Food |
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| Storage | tlme |
FRUITS |
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Fruit juice | concentrate | . . . . . 12 months | ||||||
Commercially |
|
| frozen | fruit . . 12 months | ||||
Cltrus fruit | and | juices.. | . . 4 to 6 months | |||||
Others | . . . . | . . . | . . . . . . . | . . . | B to 12 months | |||
VEGETABLES |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Commercially |
|
| frozen | . . . | . . . . 8 months | |||
Home frozen |
| . | . . . . . . . | . . . | 8 to 12 months | |||
MEAT |
|
|
|
|
| . . 4 weeks | or less | |
Bacon | . . | . . | . . . | . . . . . . . | ||||
Corned | beef | . | . . . . . . . | . . . . | . . . . . 2 weeks | |||
Cured | ham | . . | . . . . . . . | . . . . | 1 to 2 months | |||
(Salting meat shortens freezer life) | ||||||||
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 | . . . . . . | , . . . | 1 to 2 months | ||||
Steaks | and | chops: |
|
|
| |||
Beef | . . . . | . | . . | . . . . . . . | , . . | 8 to 12 months | ||
lamb, | veal, | pork . . | . . . . | 3 to4 months | ||||
FISH |
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Cod, flounder, |
| haddock |
|
| ||||
Sole |
|
|
|
|
| 6months | ||
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 | king | crab . . | . . . . | . . . 10 months | ||||
Shrimp, | uncooked . . | . . . . | . . . 12 months | |||||
POULTRY |
|
|
|
|
| . . 12 months | ||
Whole | chicken | or turkey.. | ||||||
Duck . | . . . . . | . | . . | . . . . . . . | . . . . | . . . . 6months | ||
Giblets | . . . . | . | . . | . . . . . . . | . . . . | 2 to 3 months | ||
Cooked | poultry | w/gravy | . . . 6 months | |||||
Slices (no gravy) . . . . | . . . . | . . . . 1 month | ||||||
Food | Storage time |
MAIN DISHES Stews; meat, poultry
and fish casserole . . . . 2 to 3 months TV dinners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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 to 8 weeks Freezlng 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 to 12 months
(Add sugar or salt to yolks or whole mixed eggs)
BAKED GOODS
Yeast breads and roils . . . . . . 3 months Baked Brown ‘N Serve
roils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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 Pie dough only . . . . . . . . . . 4 to 6 months
‘Based on US DA and Mlchlgon Cooperailve Extensvzr Sarvlce suggested storage times
If electricity goes off
Call the power company. Ask how long power will be off
1.If servrce IS to be Interrupted 24 hours or less keep both doors closed Thts will help frozer fo&s to stay frozen.
2.If service is to be interrupted longer than 2z hours,
(a]Remove all frozen food and store In c
frozen food locker. Or.
(b)Place 2 Ibs (0.9 kg) of dry ice in freezer fo every cu. ft. of freezer space. This WIII keep frozen foods for 2 to 4 days. Wear gloves tc protect your hands from dry ice burns.
(c)If neither food locker storage nor dry ICE
IS available, use or can perrshable foot
3.A fulaf%~~ will stay cold longer than a partI\ filled one. A freezer full of meat WIII stay COIC longer than a freezer full of baked goods I food contains Ice crystals, it may be safe11 refrozen, although the qualrty and flavor ma\
be affected. Use refrozen foods qurckly. If the conditron of the food IS poor or you have an! suspicions, it is wise to dispose of It.
