These short but safe time limits will help keep refrigerated food from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat, and will keep frozen food at top quality.
| Product | Kind | Refrigerator (40°F) | Freezer (0°F) |
| Eggs | Fresh in shell Raw yolks, whites Hard-cooked Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, opened carton unopened carton | 3 weeks 2-4 days 1 week 3 days 10 days | Don’t freeze 1 year Don’t freeze Don’t freeze 1 year |
| Deli and Vacuum- Packed Products | Store-prepared (or home made) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads Store-cooked convenience meals | 3-5 days 1-2 clays | These products don’t freeze well |
| Soups and Stews | Vegetable or meat added | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Hamburger, Ground, and Stew Meats | Hamburger and stew meats Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb | 1-2 days 1-2 day | 3-4 months 3-4 months |
| Hot Dogs and Lunch Meats | Hot dogs, opened package unopened package Lunch meats, opened package unopened package | 1 week 2 weeks 3-5 days 2 weeks | In freezer wrap, 1 -2 months |
| Bacon and Sausage | Bacon Sausage, raw from pork, beef, turkey Smoked breakfast links, patties Hard sausage, pepperoni, jerky sticks | 1 week 1-2 days 1 week 2-3 weeks | 1 month 1-2 months 1-2 months 1-2 months |
| Ham, Corned Beef | Corned beef in a pouch with pickling juices Ham, cooked whole Ham, cooked half or slices | 5-7 days 1 week 3-4 days | Drained, wrapped 1 month ‘1-2 months 1-2 months |
| Fresh Meat | Steaks, beef Chops, pork Chops, lamb Roasts, beef Roasts, iamb Roasts, pork, and veal | 3-5 days 3-5 days 3-5 days 3-5 days 3-5 days 3-5 days | 8-12 months 4-6 months 6-9 months 6-12 months 6-9 months 4-6 months |
| Meat Leftovers | Cooked meat and meat dishes Gravy and meat broth | 3-4 days 1-2 days | 2-3 months 2-3 months |
| Fresh Poultry | Chicken or turkey, whole Chicken or turkey pieces | 1-2 days 1-2 days | 1 year 9 months |
| Cooked Poultry, Leftover | Fried chicken, plain pieces Cooked poultry dishes Pieces covered with broth, gravy | 3-4 days 3-4 days 1-2 days | 4 months 4-6 months 6 months |
