SELECTION AND STORAGE
Fruits and Vegetables
Freeze from fresh:
- When buying in bulk
- When growing your own.
When buying frozen:
- Choose vegetables without sauces or seasonings.
- Choose fruits without added sugar or syrup.
Meats, Poultry, and Seafood
Freeze from fresh:
- When buying in bulk.
- When processing your own.
When buying frozen:
- Choose lean.
- Avoid sauces or seasonings.
Leftover Dishes
- Cook once, then freeze for multiple meals.
- Divide into small portions.
- Store in shallow containers or plastic bags with air removed.
- Label and date.
SAFETY
Temperature
• Keep freezer temperature at 0ºF or below.
Tips
• Keep the freezer door open only as long or often as necessary.
• Return food items that need to remain frozen to the freezer as quickly as possible.
• Do not overcrowd your freezer. Open space
and circulating cold air are needed for food to properly freeze.
• Place foods you plan to freeze in small containers so they will freeze faster.
Thaw Food Safely
Refrigerator
- Slow method.
- Move from freezer to refrigerator to thaw.
Cold water
- Faster method.
- Place in a leak-proof bag and immerse in cold water.
- Change water every 30 minutes until done thawing.
- Cook immediately once thawed.
Microwave
- Quick method.
- Cook immediately once thawed.
STORAGE TIMES
Food Item Months
Bacon and sausage..............................1-2
Butter........................................................12
Casseroles...............................................2-3
Cheese......................................................2-3
Egg white or egg substitute.............12
Fish, cooked............................................1
Fish, fresh.................................................3-6
Frozen dinners and entrees..............3-4
Fruits..........................................................2-3
Gravy, meat, or poultry.......................2-3
Ham, hotdogs, and lunch meats.....1-2
Ice cream..................................................2-3
Meat, uncooked roasts.......................4-12
Meat, uncooked steaks or chops....4-12
Meat, uncooked ground.....................3-4
Meat, cooked..........................................2-3
Poultry, uncooked whole...................12
Poultry, uncooked parts.......................9
Poultry, uncooked giblets...................3-4
Poultry, cooked.......................................4
Soups and stews....................................2-3
Vegetables................................................8-12
Wild game, uncooked..........................8-12
DO NOT FREEZE
Freezing can cause changes in flavor, texture, and appearance. Some foods do not freeze well at all.
Do not freeze these:
- Lettuce or salad greens
- Mayonnaise
- Cream sauces
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Hard cooked or raw eggs in the shell
For More Information
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/cce745c9-0fc9-4ce6-a50c-84363e... and_Food_Safety.pdf?MOD=AJPERES
https://food.unl.edu/free-resource/food-storage
Publication 3606 (POD-12-21)
By Samantha Willcutt and Carly Terp, Mississippi State University Extension Service.
This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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