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Reviewed September 2002

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Contents

• Winning the proper food storage
• Safety first
• Refrigerator storage tips
• Preventing bacterial growth
• Foods that need special care
• For safety sake
• Dairy
• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables
• Fresh uncooked meat, fish, poultry
• Cured and smoked meats
• Other foods

Related publications

• MP556, Storing Food in the Freezer
• MP557, Storing Food in the Cupboard
• MP562, Home Storage of Fruits and Vegetables in Root Cellars

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Storing Food in the Refrigerator

Dairy

Storage recommendations are for 37 degrees Fahrenheit

Butter

• Wrap or cover tightly
  1 to 2 weeks

Buttermilk

• Cover tightly
• Flavor not affected if buttermilk separates; remix before serving
  3 to 5 days

Cottage, ricotta cheese

• Keep tightly packaged in moisture-resistant wrap
  5 days

Cheddar, edam, gouda, Swiss, brick cheese (Hard and wax-coated in large pieces)

• Keep tightly packaged in moisture-resistant wrap
• If outside of cheese gets slightly moldy, just cut away cheese one-half inch beneath and beside the mold — it won't affect flavor
• If cheese is covered with heavy mold, discard entire block
• Unopened
  1 to 2 months
• Opened
  3 to 4 weeks
• Sliced
  2 weeks

Cream, light, heavy, half-and-half

• Cover tightly
• To prevent spoilage, don't return unused cream to original container
  3 days

Cream cheese, neufchatel cheese

• Keep tightly packaged in moisture-resistant wrap
  2 weeks

Coffee lightener, liquid

• Cover tightly
• Don't return unused portion to original container
  3 weeks

Dips

• Keep tightly covered
• Commercial
  2 weeks
• Homemade
  2 days

Egg whites

• Store in covered container
• For longer storage, see freezer storage chart
  3 days

Egg yolks

• Cover yolks with water
• Store in covered container
• For longer storage, see freezer storage chart
  3 days

Eggs

• Store covered
• Keep small end down to center yolks
  2 to 3 weeks

Margarine

• Wrap or cover tightly
  4 to 6 months

Milk, evaporated

• Keep covered
• Opened
  4 to 5 days

Milk, homogenized, reconstituted dry nonfat, skimed

• Keep containers tightly closed
• To prevent spoilage, don't return unused milk to original container
  5 days

Milk, sweetened, condensed

• Keep covered
• Opened
  4 to 5 days

Parmesan, romano, grated cheese

• Keep tightly packaged in moisture-resistant wrap
• Refrigerate after opening
• See cupboard storage chart
• Opened
  2 month

Process cheese and cheese food

• Keep tightly packaged in moisture-resistant wrap
• Refrigerate slices, loaves and jars after opened
• Most squeeze packages and aerosol cans don't need refrigeration, but check label
• Opened
  3 to 4 weeks

Sour cream

• Keep covered
  2 weeks

Whipped topping bought frozen and thawed

• Keep covered
  2 weeks

Whipped topping in aerosol can

• 3 months

Whipped topping prepared from mix

• Keep covered
  3 days

Yogurt

• Keep covered
  7 to 10 days

MP558, reviewed September 2002

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