REFRIGERATING AND FREEZING TIPS
- When purchasing foods read the expiry dates. Choose products that have the longest expiration date.
- When shopping purchase perishables such as meats, dairy and frozen products last to maintain freshness.
- Write the purchase dated on food items and use oldest products first.
- Buy fresh looking packages and cans. Avoid purchasing dusty, dented, rusting, leaking, bulging cans.
- Once cans are opened, the food should be used or placed in a clean container, covered and refrigerated.
To maintain quality of food to eat Keep Refrigerator Temperature at 40 °F/4°C and Freezer at 0°F/-17°C
| Refrigeration Chart | ||
|---|---|---|
| Food | Days | |
| Ground meat | 1-2 days | |
| Bacon | 7 days | |
| Ham slices | 3-4 days | |
| Fresh chicken | 1-2 days | |
| Fresh fish | 1-2 days | |
| Casseroles | 3-4 days | |
| Eggs in shell | 3-5 weeks | |
| Lunch meat | 3-5 days | |
| Hot dogs (opened) | 1 week | |
| Hot dogs (unopened) | 2 week | |
| Pizza | 3-4 days | |
| Freezing chart | ||
|---|---|---|
| Food | Months | |
| Bacon and sausages | 1-2 | |
| Hotdogs, luncheon meat | 1-2 | |
| Casseroles | 2-3 | |
| Soups and stews | 2-3 | |
| Meat, uncooked, roasts | 6-12 | |
| Ground meat | 3-4 | |
| Meat, uncooked, pork roasts | 4-6 | |
| Meat, uncooked lamb roasts | 6-9 | |
| Wild game | 8-12 | |
| Poultry, uncooked | 9 | |
| Poultry cooked | 4 | |
| Salmon | 3-6 | |
| Cod, Flounder | 6 | |
| Cooked fish | 4-6 | |
How to defrost food:
Never defrost food outdoors or on the kitchen counter. Follow one of the 3 methods to defrost food.
- Slowly defrost food in the refrigerator –some items will defrost overnight others may take 1 or 2 days.
- Cold water method - Place food in an air tight plastic bag and immerse in a bowl of cold water. Check to make sure water is cold. Change water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately after thawed.
- In microwave under the defrost option. Plan to cook food immediately.
Menu Planning Is The Way To Go
Take time at the start of each week to plan your week of cooking. Grab your calendar and your recipe books. Choose recipes that match the amount of time you have each evening to cook. Once you find the recipes, write down the cookbook and page number. Plan to eat a variety of foods over the next week. Decide on your side dishes. Make one shopping list. Go do your shopping and enjoy a stress-free cooking week.