Chill: Did You Know?
Refrigerator Storage Chart
At room temperature, bacteria in food can double every 20 minutes. The more bacteria there
are, the greater the chance you could become sick.
So, refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from
multiplying. A lot of people think it will harm their refrigerator to put hot food inside-it's not true.
It won't harm your refrigerator and it will keep your food-and you-safe.
Set your home refrigerator to 40°F or below and the freezer unit to 0°F or below. Check the
temperature occasionally with an appliance thermometer.
Then, Fight BAC!® by following these steps:
Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within 2 hours
Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
Safe Thawing:
Never thaw foods at room temperature. You can safely thaw food in the refrigerator. Four to
five pounds takes 24 hours to thaw.
You can also thaw food outside the refrigerator by immersing in cold water. Change the water
every half hour to keep the water cold. Cook immediately after thawing.
You can thaw food in the microwave, but if you do, be sure to continue cooking right away.
Marinate foods in the refrigerator.
Don't pack the refrigerator too full. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe.
Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eggs Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Fresh, in shell 4-5 weeks Don't freeze
Hard cooked 1 week Doesn't freeze well
Egg substitutes, opened 3 days Don't freeze
Egg substitutes, unopened 10 days 1 year
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dairy Products Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Milk 1 week 3 months
Cottage cheese 1 week Doesn't freeze well
Yogurt 1-2 weeks 1-2 months
Commercial mayonnaise (refrigerate after opening) 2 months Don't freeze
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Vegetables Raw Blanched/cooked
Beans, green or waxed 3-4 days 8 months
Carrots 2 weeks 10-12 months
Celery 1-2 weeks 10-12 months
Lettuce, leaf 3-7 days Don't freeze
Lettuce, iceberg 1-2 weeks Don't freeze
Spinach 1-2 days 10-12 months
Squash, summer 4-5 days 10-12 months
Squash, winter 2 weeks 10-12 months
Tomatoes 2-3 days 2 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deli Foods Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Entrees, cold or hot 3-4 days 2-3 months
Store-prepared or homemade salads 3-5 days Don't freeze
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot dogs & Luncheon Meats Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Hot dogs, opened package 1 week
Hot dogs, unopened package 2 weeks 1-2 months in freezer wrap
Lunch meats, opened 3-5 days 1-2 months
Lunch meats, unopened 2 weeks 1-2 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TV Dinners/Frozen Casseroles Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Keep frozen until ready to serve 3-4 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fresh Meat Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Beef-steaks, roasts 3-5 days 6-12 months
Pork-chops, roasts 3-5 days 4-6 months
Lamb-chops, roasts 3-5 days 6-9 months
Veal-roast 3-5 days 4-6 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fresh Poultry Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Chicken or turkey, whole 1-2 days 1 year
Chicken or turkey pieces 1-2 days 9 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fresh Fish Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Lean fish (cod, flounder, etc.) 1-2 days 6 months
Fatty fish (salmon, etc.) 1-2 days 2-3 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ham Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Canned ham (label says "keep refrigerated") 6-9 months Don't freeze
Ham, fully cooked (Half & slices) 3-5 days 1-2 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bacon & Sausage Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Bacon 1 week 1 month
Sausage, raw (pork, beef or turkey) 1-2 days 1-2 months
Pre-cooked smoked breakfast links/patties 1 week 1-2 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leftovers Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Cooked meat, meat dishes, egg dishes, soups, stews and vegetables 3-4 days 2-3 months
Gravy and meat broth 1-2 days 2-3 months
Cooked poultry and fish 3-4 days 4-6 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fresh Produce
The quality of certain perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (such as strawberries, lettuce,
herbs and mushrooms) can be maintained best by storing in the refrigerator. If you are
uncertain whether an item should be refrigerated to maintain quality, ask your grocer.
All produce purchased pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated for safety as well as quality.
Produce cut or peeled at home should be refrigerated within two hours.
Any cut or peeled produce that is left at room temperature for more than two hours should be
discarded
Refrigerator Storage Chart
At room temperature, bacteria in food can double every 20 minutes. The more bacteria there
are, the greater the chance you could become sick.
So, refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from
multiplying. A lot of people think it will harm their refrigerator to put hot food inside-it's not true.
It won't harm your refrigerator and it will keep your food-and you-safe.
Set your home refrigerator to 40°F or below and the freezer unit to 0°F or below. Check the
temperature occasionally with an appliance thermometer.
Then, Fight BAC!® by following these steps:
Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within 2 hours
Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
Safe Thawing:
Never thaw foods at room temperature. You can safely thaw food in the refrigerator. Four to
five pounds takes 24 hours to thaw.
You can also thaw food outside the refrigerator by immersing in cold water. Change the water
every half hour to keep the water cold. Cook immediately after thawing.
You can thaw food in the microwave, but if you do, be sure to continue cooking right away.
Marinate foods in the refrigerator.
Don't pack the refrigerator too full. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe.
Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eggs Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Fresh, in shell 4-5 weeks Don't freeze
Hard cooked 1 week Doesn't freeze well
Egg substitutes, opened 3 days Don't freeze
Egg substitutes, unopened 10 days 1 year
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dairy Products Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Milk 1 week 3 months
Cottage cheese 1 week Doesn't freeze well
Yogurt 1-2 weeks 1-2 months
Commercial mayonnaise (refrigerate after opening) 2 months Don't freeze
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Vegetables Raw Blanched/cooked
Beans, green or waxed 3-4 days 8 months
Carrots 2 weeks 10-12 months
Celery 1-2 weeks 10-12 months
Lettuce, leaf 3-7 days Don't freeze
Lettuce, iceberg 1-2 weeks Don't freeze
Spinach 1-2 days 10-12 months
Squash, summer 4-5 days 10-12 months
Squash, winter 2 weeks 10-12 months
Tomatoes 2-3 days 2 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deli Foods Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Entrees, cold or hot 3-4 days 2-3 months
Store-prepared or homemade salads 3-5 days Don't freeze
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot dogs & Luncheon Meats Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Hot dogs, opened package 1 week
Hot dogs, unopened package 2 weeks 1-2 months in freezer wrap
Lunch meats, opened 3-5 days 1-2 months
Lunch meats, unopened 2 weeks 1-2 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TV Dinners/Frozen Casseroles Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Keep frozen until ready to serve 3-4 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fresh Meat Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Beef-steaks, roasts 3-5 days 6-12 months
Pork-chops, roasts 3-5 days 4-6 months
Lamb-chops, roasts 3-5 days 6-9 months
Veal-roast 3-5 days 4-6 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fresh Poultry Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Chicken or turkey, whole 1-2 days 1 year
Chicken or turkey pieces 1-2 days 9 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fresh Fish Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Lean fish (cod, flounder, etc.) 1-2 days 6 months
Fatty fish (salmon, etc.) 1-2 days 2-3 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ham Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Canned ham (label says "keep refrigerated") 6-9 months Don't freeze
Ham, fully cooked (Half & slices) 3-5 days 1-2 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bacon & Sausage Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Bacon 1 week 1 month
Sausage, raw (pork, beef or turkey) 1-2 days 1-2 months
Pre-cooked smoked breakfast links/patties 1 week 1-2 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leftovers Refrigerator
(40°F) Freezer
(0°F)
Cooked meat, meat dishes, egg dishes, soups, stews and vegetables 3-4 days 2-3 months
Gravy and meat broth 1-2 days 2-3 months
Cooked poultry and fish 3-4 days 4-6 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fresh Produce
The quality of certain perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (such as strawberries, lettuce,
herbs and mushrooms) can be maintained best by storing in the refrigerator. If you are
uncertain whether an item should be refrigerated to maintain quality, ask your grocer.
All produce purchased pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated for safety as well as quality.
Produce cut or peeled at home should be refrigerated within two hours.
Any cut or peeled produce that is left at room temperature for more than two hours should be
discarded
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