Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart

Since product dates aren’t a guide for safe use of a product, consult this chart and follow these tips. These short but safe time limits will help keep refrigerated food 40° F (4° C) from spoiling or becoming dangerous.

• Purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates.
• Follow handling recommendations on product.
• Keep meat and poultry in its package until just before using.
• If freezing meat and poultry in its original package longer than 2 months, overwrap these packages with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper, or place the package inside a plastic bag.
• Cook foods to the required minimum cooking temperatures:
  - 165 F > Poultry, poultry stuffing, and stuffed meat.
  - 158 F > Ground Beef, fish, and seafood.
  - 150 F > Pork and food containing pork.
  - 145 F > shell eggs and foods containing shell eggs.

Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.

Product	Refrigerator	Freezer
Eggs
Fresh, in shell	4 to 5 weeks	Don't freeze
Raw yolks, whites	2 to 4 days	1 year
Hardcooked	1 week	Doesn't freeze well
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, opened	3 days	Don't freeze
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, unopened	10 days	1 year
Mayonnaise, commercial   Refrigerate after opening	2 months	Don’t freeze

Product	Refrigerator	Freezer
TV Dinners, Frozen Casseroles Keep frozen until ready to heat		3 to 4 months

Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products	Refrigerator	Freezer
Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads	3 to 5 days	Don’t freeze well
Pre-stuffed pork & lamb chops, chicken breasts stuffed w/dressing	1 day	Don’t freeze well
Store-cooked convenience meals	3 to 4 days	Don’t freeze well
Commercial brand vacuum-packed dinners with USDA seal, unopened	2 weeks	Don’t freeze well