March 15 - freezer

This one is the rest of our "frig" one....

Thursday, March 15:

***Clean out your freezer!***
(no complaining, I still have a 2nd frig/freezer in the mudroom to tackle ;)  Use baking soda & warm water to wipe it down.


I know it's hard to throw-out food, but see it as a chance to clear-out and start fresh so next time you think about stocking up on frozen bags of veggies, you'll walk right past that special!  and even frozen food isn't "good" forever! (see some guidelines below). 


See you Friday already!
Aim

guidelines on how long you can safely keep food in the refrigerator
or freezer, by U.S. Department of Agriculture. Here's a chart with
the times for various foods.

STORAGE PERIOD 
PRODUCT  In Refrigerator
40 degrees Fahrenheit
(5 degrees Celsius)  In Freezer
0 degrees F
(-18 degrees C) 
Fresh Meat: 


Beef: Ground 1-2 days 3-4 months
Steaks and roasts 3-5 days 6-12 months
Pork: Chops 3-5 days 4-6 months
Ground 1-2 days 3-4 months
Roasts 3-5 days 4-6 months
Cured Meats: 


Lunch Meat 3-5 days 1-2 months
Sausage 1-2 days 1-2 months
Hot dogs Unopened, 2 weeks
Opened, 1 week

Prepared salads (egg, tuna, etc) 3-5 days Don't freeze
Gravy  1-2 days 2-3 months
Soups or stews  3-4 days 2-3 months
Fish: 


Lean (such as cod,
flounder, haddock) 1-2 days up to 6 months
Fatty (such as blue, perch,
salmon) 1-2 days 2-3 months
Chicken: Whole 1-2 days 12 months
Parts 1-2 days 9 months
Giblets 1-2 days 3-4 months
Dairy products: 


Swiss, brick, processed
cheese 3-4 weeks *
Soft cheese 1 week 6 months
Milk 5 days 1 month
Ice cream, ice milk - 2-4 months
Butter 1-3 months 6-9 months
Buttermilk 7-14 days 3 months
Cream cheese 2 weeks -
Cream 3-5 days 4 months
Sour cream 7-21 days -
Yogurt 7-10 days -
Eggs: Fresh in the shell 3 weeks -
Hard-boiled 1 week -
Pasteurized liquid 3 days (opened)
10 days (unopened) 1 year
Mayonnaise 2 months don't freeze
TV dinners - 3-4 months
Store-bought convenience meals 1-2 days -
Cooked meat leftovers 3-4 days 2-3 months
Pizza 3-4 days 1-2 months
Stuffing, cooked 3-4 days 1 month
Dough - tube can, cookies use-by date 2 months (don't freeze tube cans)
* Cheese can be frozen, but freezing will affect
the texture and taste.
SOURCES: Food Marketing Institute for fish and
dairy products, USDA for all other foods