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Chill: When in Doubt--Throw It Out

Safe refrigerator and freezer storage time limits are given for many common foods in the "Cold Storage" table. But what about something you totally forgot about and may have kept for too long?
  • Danger--Never taste food that looks or smells strange to see if you can still use it. Just discard it.

  • Is it Moldy? The mold you see is only the tip of the iceberg. The poisons which molds can form are found under the surface of the food. So, while you can sometimes save hard cheese, salamis and firm fruits and vegetables by cutting the mold out, remove a large area around it. However, most moldy food should be discarded.

Cold Storage
Product Refrigerator (40°F) Freezer (0°F)
Eggs
Fresh, in shell 3 weeks Don't Freeze
Raw yolks, white 2-4 days 1 year
Hardcooked 1 week Don't freeze well
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes
    opened
3 days Don't freeze
    unopened
10 days 1 year
Mayonnaise, commercial
Refrigerate after opening 2 months Don't freeze
TV Dinners, Frozen Casseroles
Keep frozen until ready to serve   3-4 months
Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products
Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads 3-5 days All of these products don't freeze well
Pre-stuffed pork & lamb chops, chicken breasts stuffed with dressing 1 day
Store-cooked convenience meals 1-2 days
Commercial brand vacuum-packed dinners with USDA seal 2 weeks, unopened
Soups & Stews
Vegetable or meat-added 3-4 days 2-3 months
Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meats
Hamburger & stew meats 1-2 days 3-4 months
Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb & mixtures of them 1-2 days 3-4 months
Hotdogs & Lunch Meats
Hotdogs    
    opened package
1 week  
    unopened package
2 weeks  
Lunch meats    
    opened
3-5 days In freezer wrap, 1-2 months
    unopened
2 weeks
Bacon & Sausage
Bacon 7 days 1 month
Sausage, raw from pork, beef, turkey 1-2 days 1-2 months
Smoked breakfast links, patties 7 days 1-2 months
Hard sausage-pepperoni, jerky sticks 2-3 weeks 1-2 months
Ham, Corned Beef
Corned beef in pouch with pickling juices 5-7 days Drained, wrapped
1 month
Ham, canned - label says keep refrigerated 6-9 months Don't freeze
Ham, fully cooked - whole 7 days 1-2 months
Ham, fully cooked - half 3-5 days 1-2 months
Ham, fully cooked - slices 3-4 days 1-2 months
Fresh Meat
Steaks, beef 3-5 days 6-12 months
Chops, pork 3-5 days 4-6 months
Chops, lamb 3-5 days 6-9 months
Roasts, beef 3-5 days 6-12 months
Roasts, lamb 3-5 days 6-9 months
Roasts, pork & veal 3-5 days 4-6 months
Variety meats - tongue, brain, kidneys, liver, heart, chitterlings 1-2 days 3-4 months
Meat Leftovers
Cooked meat and meat dishes 3-4 days 2-3 months
Gravy and meat broth 1-2 days 2-3 months
Fresh Poultry
Chicken or turkey, whole 1-2 days 1 year
Chicken or turkey pieces 1-2 days 9 months
Giblets 1-2 days 3-4 months
Cooked Poultry, Leftover
Fried chicken 3-4 days 4 months
Cooked poultry dishes 3-4 days 4-6 months
Pieces, plain 3-4 days 4 months
Pieces covered with broth, gravy 1-2 days 6 months
Chicken nuggets, patties 1-2 days 1-3 months
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