| FOOD |
REFRIGERATOR
40°F |
CUPBOARD |
FREEZER
0ºF
|
| Bacon |
5-7 Days |
|
2 Months |
| Baking Mixes |
|
12 Months |
|
| Baking Powder |
|
use by date on bottom of can plus one month |
|
| Baking Soda |
|
3 years |
|
| Beans, dried |
|
12 months |
|
Beer,
unpasteurized |
3-4 months
2-3 months |
3-4 months |
|
| Bisquick Biscuit Mix |
|
15 months |
|
| Butter |
2-3 weeks |
|
6-9 months (less if unsalted) |
| Canned Foods |
unopened - high acid
(tomato, grapefruit, pineapple) |
|
12-18 months |
|
| unopened - low acid (fish, meat, vegetables) |
|
24 months |
|
| Catsup, Chili or Cocktail Sauce |
| unopened |
|
18-24 months |
|
| opened |
6 months |
|
|
| Cereals |
|
|
|
| ready to eat - unopened |
|
12 months |
|
| ready to eat - opened |
|
2-3 months |
|
hot (require cooking) -
open or unopened |
24 months |
12 months tightly closed |
24 months |
| Chicory |
almost indefinitely - if it hardens, break
it up |
| Chocolate |
| pre-melted |
|
12 months |
< /td>
|
| unsweetened |
|
18 months |
|
| semi-sweet |
|
2 years |
|
| syrup, unopened |
|
2 years |
|
| syrup, opened |
3 months |
|
|
| Cider, apple |
7-10 days |
|
6 months |
| Cocoa mixes |
|
8 months |
|
| Coconut |
| poly bag |
8 months |
12 months |
can be frozen after opening, store well wrapped |
| can |
refrigerate after opening |
|
| Coffee |
| vacuum bagged, unopened |
2 years |
2 years |
|
| instant |
2 years |
2 years |
|
| unopened |
2 years |
|
|
| opened |
6 weeks |
3-6 weeks |
6 weeks |
| Coffee Whitener, dry |
| unopened |
|
9 months |
|
| opened |
|
6 months |
|
| Cornmeal |
| unopened |
|
up to 12 months |
|
| opened |
18 months |
|
|
| Cornstarch |
|
18 months |
|
| Cream of tartar |
|
indefinite |
|
| Deli Salads |
| store prepared or homemade |
3-5 days |
|
do not freeze |
| Eggs |
| in shell |
4-5 weeks |
|
do not freeze |
| whites |
1 week |
|
12 months |
| yolks |
3 days |
|
do not freeze |
| hard cooked |
7 days |
|
do not freeze |
| Egg Substitutes |
| opened |
3 days |
|
|
| unopened |
10 days |
|
1 year |
| Flour |
| all-purpose, cake flour, self-rising |
12-18 months |
3 months |
|
| whole grain, overwrap |
6-8 months |
3 months |
18-24 months |
| Frosting |
| ready to spread tub |
|
10 months |
|
| opened |
up to 2 weeks |
|
|
| Frozen Dinners |
|
|
3-4 months |
| Fruit Butters (apple, peach, prune, pumpkin) |
24 months, refrigerate after opening |
| Gelatin, all types |
|
2 years |
|
| Granola Bars |
|
6 months |
|
| Gravy (see leftover) |
|
|
|
| Ground Meats |
| beef, turkey,chicken, pork |
1-2 days |
|
3-4 months |
| Honey |
|
almost indefinitely - if it crystallizes, restore by placing open jar in warm water bath |
|
| Ham |
| canned, shelf stable |
|
2 years at room temp. |
|
| label says: "keep refrigerated" |
6-9 months |
|
do not freeze |
| ham, fully cooked whole |
7 days |
|
1-2 months |
| ham, fully cooked 1/2 & slices |
3-6 days |
|
1-2 months |
| Horseradish |
6 months (check with individual manufacturer) |
|
|
| Hot-Dogs |
| opened package |
1 week* |
|
4 weeks in freezer wrap |
| unopened package |
2 weeks* |
|
| *but not more than one week after the sell-by date |
| Hot Roll Mix |
|
18 months |
|
| Ice Cream |
|
|
2-4 months |
| Jams, Jellies |
| unopened |
|
12-18 months |
|
| opened |
6 months tightly covered (use clean utensil every time product is used) |
| Juices* |
| canned or bottled |
|
9 months |
|
| opened |
6 days, transfer citrus and tomato juice to glass jar |
| concentrated, frozen |
6 days |
|
12 months |
| *Any portion of canned or bottled juices that cannot be used within a few days can be transferred to small freezer containers and frozen for several weeks. Thaw in refrigerator as needed. |
| Ketchup - see catsup |
| Leftovers |
| fried chicken |
3-4 days |
|
4 months |
| cooked poultry |
3-4 days |
|
4-6 months |
| cooked meat & meat dishes, soups and stews |
3-4 days |
|
2-3 months |
| gravy and meat broth |
1-2 days |
|
6 months |
| Liqueurs *(cordials) |
|
indefinitely |
|
| *Liqueurs containing milk or cream are shelf stable for 6 months |
| Liquor (spirits) |
|
indefinitely |
|
| Lobster Tails |
1-2 days in shell |
|
3 months |
| Lunch Meats |
| opened |
3-6 days |
|
1-2 months |
| unopened* |
2 weeks |
|
1-2 months |
| *but not more than one week after the "sell-by" dates |
| Margarine |
4-6 months |
|
9-12 months |
| Marshmallows |
|
2-3 months |
|
| Marshmallow Cream |
|
3-4 months, refrigerate after opening |
|
| Mayonnaise, commercial |
| unopened |
|
2-3 months, refrigerate after opening |
do not freeze |
| opened |
2 months |
|
|
| Meat, fresh |
|
|
|
| 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 |
3-5 days |
|
4-6 months |
| Meat, cooked (see leftovers) |
| Meat, specialty |
|
|
|
| liver, kidneys, tongue, brains |
2 days |
|
4 months |
| Milk, canned |
| unopened |
|
12 months (invert can every 2 months) |
| opened |
4-5 days |
|
|
| Milk, dry |
|
|
|
| unopened |
12 months |
6-12 months from date of manufacture. Keep airtight/dry (temp should not exceed 70°F) |
| Molasses |
| unopened |
|
12 months |
|
| opened |
|
6 months |
|
| Mustard |
refrigerate after opening - will not spoil in refrigerator, however acidity increases over time |
| Nuts |
| in shell |
|
4 months |
|
| vacuum can |
|
1 year |
|
| nut meats, opened |
4-6 months |
2 weeks |
9-12 months |
| Olive Oil - unopened |
|
2 years, refrigerate after opening |
| Olives |
| green, unopened |
|
2 years |
|
| green, opened |
1 month |
|
|
| ripe, unopened |
|
3-4 years |
|
| ripe, opened |
10 days - store in original can with brine, covered with plastic wrap; do not store in airtight container |
| Pasta |
| fresh |
4 days |
|
9 months |
| dry |
|
2 years |
|
| Peanut Butter |
| unopened |
|
6-9 months |
|
| opened |
|
2-3 months |
|
| Peas - dried |
|
12 months |
|
| Pectin |
| Liquid Certo |
|
18 months |
|
| Sure Jell and Sure Jell light |
|
2 years |
|
| Ball |
|
2 years |
|
| Popcorn |
| unpopped |
|
2 years in airtight container |
| microwave |
|
1 year |
|
| Potatoes (keep cool & dry) |
| fresh, white |
do not refrigerate |
2-3 months |
|
| sweet yams |
do not refrigerate |
2-3 weeks |
|
| packaged/processed |
|
6-12 months |
|
| Poultry, cooked (see leftovers) |
| Poultry, fresh |
| chicken or turkey whole |
1-2 days |
|
1 year |
| chicken or turkey pieces |
1-2 days |
|
9 months |
| duck |
1-2 days |
|
6 months |
| giblets |
1-2 days |
|
3-4 months |
| goose |
1-2 days |
|
6 months |
| Poultry, frozen |
|
|
9-12 months |
| Pudding Mixes |
|
12 months |
|
| Rice Cakes |
|
6 months |
|
| Rice |
| white |
|
indefinitely; store in cool, dry
place |
| quick-cooking white |
|
18 months |
|
| brown |
6 months |
|
|
| flavored or herb |
|
6 months |
|
| Salad Dressings (pourable) |
| bottled, unopened |
|
10-12 months |
|
| bottled, opened |
3 months |
|
|
| prepared from mix |
2 weeks |
|
|
| Salad Oils |
| unopened |
|
18 months |
|
| opened |
1-3 months |
|
|
| Salmon, smoked |
2 weeks |
|
2 weeks |
| Sausage |
| raw from pork, beef, veal or turkey |
1-2 days |
|
2 months |
| precooked smoked breakfast links, patties |
2-3 days |
|
2 months |
| frankfurters, wieners (see hot-dogs) |
|
|
|
| Shortening, solid |
not needed |
8 months |
|
| Soft Drinks* |
| canned, sugar added |
|
39 weeks |
|
| all diet |
|
13 weeks |
|
| in plastics |
|
13 weeks |
|
| Barqs diet root beer |
|
6 months |
|
| *not more than 30 days after sell-by date |
| Soup Mixes, dry |
|
12 months |
|
| Soy Sauce/Teriyaki Sauce |
1 year opened in refrigerator |
1 year, unopened |
|
| Spices and Dry Herbs* |
| whole spices |
|
5 years |
|
| ground spices |
|
2 years |
|
| herbs |
|
6-8 months |
|
| *refrigerate all red spices such as red pepper, paprika, chili powder |
| Sugar |
|
|
|
| granulated |
|
2 years |
|
| brown |
|
4 months - airtight container |
| confectioner's |
|
18 months - airtight container |
| Tea |
| bags |
|
8 months - airtight container |
| instant |
|
3 years |
|
| loose |
|
2 years - airtight container |
| Toaster Pastries |
|
2-3 months |
|
| Turkey (see poultry) |
| Vanilla and other extracts |
| unopened |
|
2 years |
|
| opened |
|
12 months |
|
| Vegetable Sprays |
|
2 years |
|
| Vinegar |
| unopened |
|
2 years - distilled vinegar lasts longer |
| opened |
|
12 months |
|
| Water, distilled |
| unopened |
|
indefinitely |
|
| opened |
|
12 months, tightly capped |
|
| Wheat Germ unopened* |
|
9 months |
|
| *refrigerate after opening. Wheat germ contains oils that become rancid over time |
