We have to eat to survive and often we have to store our food stash, either recent purchases, or leftovers. Spoilage is expensive and dangerous. Here are some tips to store food safely
Store Food Safely
How to safely store leftovers
Cold food storage:
– Products that have been baked – 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator – 34 to 40 degrees
– Cheese cake and fruit pies – 3 to 5 days – 34to 40 degrees
– Unbaked pie shells should stay in the freezer till ready for use at 0 degrees or below
– Dairy products like cheese and cream 1 to 10 days 34 to 40 degrees
– Cottage and ricotta cheese are not recommended for the freezer
– Milk products no longer than a week but yogurt can go about 3 weeks in refrigerator -34 to 40 degrees
– I don’t recommend freezing buttermilk and sour cream
– Eggs – raw eggs should last about 3 weeks in the refrigerator -34 to 40 degrees
– Hard boiled should last about 1 week in refrigerator
– Don’t freeze eggs
– Spreads and oils last about 2 weeks to 1 month in the refrigerator
– You can freeze butter and margarine for up to 2 months but mayonnaise and salad dressings are not recommended
– Ground beef and pork chops for example should not be frozen longer than 4 months at a stretch.
– Deli meats and most processed meats should never be frozen
– Although canned hams can be refrigerated for up to 9 months unopened, it’s not recommended for freezer
– Cooked meats can last up to 4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer
– Hot dogs can last up to 2 weeks unopened and about one week after they’ve been opened. Cooked hot dogs should only remain in your refrigerator no more than a couple of days and never cook hot dogs and freeze
– I never freeze cured bacon and only allow it to sit after it’s been opened for no more than a few days – it tends to get slimy like deli meat. If your deli meat gets slimy or smells weird even though it has a longer expiration date listed on the package, go ahead and get rid of it!- Game birds, ducks and geese for example can be freezer stored for up to 1 year.
– Cooked birds can last up to 3 months in the freezer and about 3 days in the refrigerator
Storing Seafood:
– Uncooked fish can last a couple of days in the refrigerator. Make sure to cover any uncooked meat and always place it in the lowest part of your refrigerator so in case it leaks, it won’t contaminate other foods.
– Shellfish that has not been cooked can be stored in the refrigerator up t0 2 days and can last in the freezer about 3 to 4 months.
-Cooked shellfish can last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and about 2 months frozen
The cold life of food and its handling and storage safety is extremely important in your quest for frugality. When meats are on sale you can buy a bunch and freeze it. If you do the once a week cooking and freeze routine, it’s important to know what to cook and how long it will last. If you happen to be really self-sufficient and hunt for all of your meat products as well as prepare your meats, you need to know how long to store it for and how much you should actually hunt for. Some hunting licenses only allow a certain amount of game per year as well as specific game allowances. Information on safety of storing your meat, how much and how long can be crucial to your budgeting plans. This also works well if you only grocery shop several times a year.
It is essential to store food safely.
Later,g