Eggs |
Fresh, in shell | 3 to 5 weeks | Do not freeze |
Raw yolks and whites | 2 to 4 days | 1 year |
Hard cooked | 1 week | Doesn't freeze well |
Liquid pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes |
opened | 3 days | Doesn't freeze well |
unopened | 10 days | 1 year |
Mayonnaise |
| Commercial, refrigerate after opening | 2 months | Do not freeze |
Frozen Dinners and Entrees |
| Keep frozen until ready to heat | -- | 3 to 4 months |
Deli and Vacuum-Packed Products |
Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, ham, tuna, and macaroni salads | 3 to 5 days | Doesn't freeze well |
Hot dogs and Luncheon Meats |
Hot dogs |
opened package | 1 week | 1 to 2 months |
unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
Luncheon meat |
opened package | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
Bacon and Sausage |
Bacon | 7 days | 1 month |
Sausage, raw -- from chicken, turkey, pork, beef | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 months |
Smoked breakfast links, patties | 7 days | 1 to 2 months |
Hard sausage -- pepperoni, jerky sticks | 2 to 3 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
Summer sausage -- labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
opened | 3 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
unopened | 3 months | 1 to 2 months |
| Ham, Corned Beef | | |
Corned beef, in pouch with pickling juices | 5 to 7 days | Drained, 1 month |
Ham, canned -- labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
opened | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
unopened | 6 to 9 months | Do not freeze |
Ham, fully cooked
vacuum sealed at plant, undated, unopened | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
Ham, fully cooked
vacuum sealed at plant, dated, unopened | "Use-By" date on package | 1 to 2 months |
Ham, fully cooked |
whole | 7 days | 1 to 2 months |
half | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
slices | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
Hamburger, Ground and Stew Meat |
Hamburger and stew meat | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb, and mixtures of them | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork |
Steaks | 3 to 5 days | 6 to 12 months |
Chops | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 6 months |
Roasts | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months |
Variety meats -- tongue, liver, heart, kidneys, chitterlings | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
Pre-stuffed, uncooked pork chops, lamb chops, or chicken breasts stuffed with dressing | 1 day | Doesn't freeze well |
Soups and Stews |
| Vegetable or meat added | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
Cooked Meat Leftovers |
Cooked meat and meat casseroles | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
Gravy and meat broth | 1 to 2 days | 2 to 3 months |
Fresh Poultry |
Chicken or turkey, whole | 1 to 2 days | 1 year |
Chicken or turkey, pieces | 1 to 2 days | 9 months |
Giblets | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
Cooked Poultry Leftovers | | |
Fried chicken | 3 to 4 days | 4 months |
Cooked poultry casseroles | 3 to 4 days | 4 to 6 months |
Pieces, plain | 3 to 4 days | 4 months |
Pieces covered with broth, gravy | 1 to 2 days | 6 months |
Chicken nuggets, patties | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 3 months |
| Fish and Seafood |
Lean fish such as Cod, Flounder, Haddock or Halibut | 36 hours | 6 to 8 months |
| Less lean fish like Mullet, smelt and Salmon should be purchase frozen - never freeze these products when bought fresh - cook immediately | 36 hours | 4 months |
| Shrimp | 4 days | 9 months |
| Crab in the shell | 5 days | 4 to 6 months |
| King crab | 7 days | 12 months |
| Oysters and Clams | 4 to 7 days | NEVER freeze |
| Live Lobster | 1 to 2 days | NEVER freeze |
| Frozen Breaded Shrimp | - - | 12 months |
| Scallops | - - | 16 months |
| Fish Sticks and Portions | - - | 18 months |
| Smoked Fish like Herring | 3 to 4 days | - - |
| Smoked Salmon and Whitefish | 5 to 8 days | - - |
| Dairy Products | | |
| Butter | 1 to 3 months | 6 to 9 months |
| Buttermilk | 3 to 14 days | 3 months |
| Hard Cheese such as Cheddar or Swiss unopened | 6 months | 6 months |
| Hard Cheese opened | 3 to 4 weeks | 6 months |
| Soft Cheese (such as Brie or Bel Paese) | 1 week | 6 months |
| Cottage Cheese and Ricotta | 1 week | NEVER freeze |
| Cream Cheese | 2 weeks | NEVER freeze |
| Ultra Pasteurized whipped cream | 1 month | NEVER freeze |
| Sweetened whipped cream | 1 day | 1 to 2 months |
| Aerosol can, real whipped cream | 3 to 4 weeks | NEVER freeze |
| Aerosol can non-dairy topping | 3 months | NEVER freeze |
| Half and Half | 3 to 4 weeks | 4 months |
| Commercial Eggnog | 3 to 5 days | 6 months |
| Margarine | 4 to 5 months | 12 months |
| Milk | 7 days | 3 months |
| Packaged Pudding | consume by the earlier of the use-by date, or 2 days after opening |
| Sour Cream | 7 to 21 days | don't freeze |
| Yogurt | 7 to 14 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Other |
Pizza, cooked | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
Stuffing, cooked | 3 to 4 days | 1 month |
