| Product | Refrigerator 1-5 ◦ C | Freezer - 18 ◦ C | Comments |
| DAIRY PRODUCTS | |||
| Butter | 2-3 months | 12 months | Freeze in original carton, overwrap in plastic freezer bag. |
| Cheese: cottage, ricotta cream cheese | 5-7 days 2 weeks | 1 month 1 month | Freezing changes texture of soft cheeses. Becomes crumbly when frozen; can be used in cooking when creaminess is not important. |
| Natural, aged cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, brick, gouda, mozzarella, etc.): large pieces, packaged or wax coated slices or opened packages Parmesan, Romano, (grated) Pasteurized process cheese | 2-3 months 2-3 weeks 12 months 3-4 weeks | 6-8 months 6-8 months 6-8 months | Natural and processed cheeses can be frozen. Defrost in refrigerator; cheese will be less likely to crumble. Use soon after thawing. |
| Yogurt | 1 month | NR | Yogurt will separate if frozen. |
| EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS | |||
| Eggs, fresh yolks or whites | 4 days | 12 months | To freeze, break eggs out of shell; stir until yolk is well blended with white or other yolks. Add small amount of salt, sugar or corn syrup to improve keeping quality. |
| Eggs, in shell, fresh | 3 weeks | NR | |
| Eggs, in shell, hard-cooked | 1 week | NR | Decorated Easter eggs: If you intend to eat them, keep refrigerated. If eggs are at room temperature for more than 2 hours, do not eat them. |
| MEATS | |||
| Fresh | |||
| Bratwurst, fresh precooked | 1-2 days 5-7 days | 2-3 months 2-3 months | Meats may be left in the supermarket packaging for refrigerator storage or for very brief freezer storage. For frozen storage beyond two weeks, rewrap in moisture- and vaporproof wrap or freezer bags. |
| Chops, lamb pork, veal | 2-4 days 2-4 days | 6-9 months 4-6 months | |
| Ground beef, stew meat, ground pork, turkey, veal, lamb | 1-2 days | 3-4 months | |
| Roasts, beef lamb veal or pork | 2-4 days 2-4 days 2-4 days | 6-12 months 6-9 months 4-8 months | |
| Sausage: pork, beef, turkey | 1-2 days | 1-2 months | |
| Steaks, beef | 2-4 days | 6-12 months | |
| Variety meats (tongue, liver, brains, heart, kidneys) | 1-2 days | 3-4 months | |
| Cooked | |||
| Canned meat, opened | 2-3 days | NR | |
| Cooked meat and meat dishes | 3-4 days | 2-3 months | Quickly refrigerate all cooked meats and leftovers. Use as soon as possible. Cut large roasts into halves to cool in refrigerator. Fats tend to separate in homemade gravies, stews and sauces but usually recombine when heated. |
| Gravy and meat broth | 1-2 days | 2-3 months | Cool leftover gravy and broth quickly, in shallow containers, in the refrigerator. |
| Processed and Cured | |||
| Bacon | 5-7 days | 1 month | Keep packaged meats in original package. For best quality, use within one week of "sell by" date. |
| Corned beef: drained and wrapped in pouch with pickling juice | 5-7 days 5-7 days | 1 month NR | |
| Frankfurters (hotdogs) | 3-5 days* | 1-2 months | Frozen, cured meats lose quality rapidly; use as soon as possible. |
| Ham, canned, unopened half whole | 8-12 months 3-5 days 7 days | NR 1-2 months 1-2 months | Small pieces of canned ham (opened) may be frozen for 4-6 weeks. |
| Luncheon meats | 3-5 days* | 1-2 months | |
| Sausage, smoked dry and semidry sausage | 7 days 2-3 weeks | 1-2 months 1-2 months | |
| *Storage time after vacuum-sealed package is opened. Unopened package may be kept two weeks or according to date on package. | |||
| POULTRY | |||
| Fresh | |||
| Chicken and turkey, whole | 1-2 days | 12 months | |
| Chicken, pieces | 1-2 days | 9 months | |
| Turkey, pieces | 1-2 days | 6 months | |
| Cooked | |||
| Canned poultry, opened | 1-2 days | NR | Quick-cool meat and broth separately in shallow containers. Add ice cubes to concentrated broth to speed cooling and to aid fat removal. |
| Cooked poultry dishes | 3-4 days | 4-6 months | |
| Fried chicken | 3-4 days | 4 months | |
| Pieces, covered with broth not in broth | 1-2 days 3-4 days | 6 months 1 month | |
| SEAFOOD | |||
| Seafood | |||
| Canned fish, seafood, opened | 3-4 days | NR | |
| Clams, oysters (shucked) and scallops | 1-2 days | 3-4 months | Store in coldest part of refrigerator. Do not use if liquid is frothy. |
| Cooked fish | 3-4 days | 4-6 months | |
| Crab | 1-2 days | 2 months | |
| Lobster, shelled or not | 1-2 days | 6-12 months | |
| Fillets, fatty: mullet, ocean perch, sea perch, sea trout, striped bass | 1-2 days | 2-3 months | |
| Fillets, lean: cod, flounder, haddock | 1-2 days | 4-6 months | |
| Fresh water fish, cleaned | 1-2 days | 6-9 months | |
| Salmon steaks | 1-2 days | 2 months | |
| Shrimp | 1-2 days | 6-12 months | |
| Smoked fish | 14 days or date on vacuum package | 2 months in vacuum package | |
| NR: Not recommended. | |||
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