What would we do without our refrigerators? When it comes to appliances that keep our foods safe, the refrigerator may be the most important because it slows down the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning. At temperatures between 40 and 140°F, bacteria grow most rapidly. That’s why we call this temperature range “the Danger Zone.”
A refrigerator set to 40°F or below will protect most foods – but not forever. The cool temperatures slow down bacterial growth but they don’t stop the growth completely. So, it’s important to use food in a timely fashion to help maintain freshness and quality. Over time, even chilled foods will spoil.
Here are some basic guidelines for storing meat in the refrigerator.
- Raw ground meats, all poultry, seafood, and variety meats: Refrigerate 1 to 2 days.
- Raw roasts, steaks, and chops (beef, veal, lamb, and pork): Refrigerate 3 to 5 days.
- Cooked meat, poultry, and seafood: Store in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days.
This chart lists storage times for all sorts of meats and meat products:
| Category | Food | Refrigerator (40°F or below) |
Freezer (0°F or below) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salads | Egg, chicken, ham, tuna & macaroni salads | 3 to 5 days | Does not freeze well |
| Hot dogs | opened package | 1 week | 1 to 2 months |
| unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months | |
| Luncheon meat | opened package or deli sliced | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months | |
| Bacon & Sausage | Bacon | 7 days | 1 month |
| Sausage, raw — from chicken, turkey, pork, beef | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 months | |
| Hamburger & Other Ground Meats | Hamburger, ground beef, turkey, veal, pork, lamb, & mixtures of them | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb & Pork | Steaks | 3 to 5 days | 6 to 12 months |
| Chops | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 6 months | |
| Roasts | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months | |
| Fresh Poultry | Chicken or turkey, whole | 1 to 2 days | 1 year |
| Chicken or turkey, pieces | 1 to 2 days | 9 months | |
| Soups & Stews | Vegetable or meat added | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Leftovers | Cooked meat or poultry | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months |
| Chicken nuggets or patties | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 3 months | |
| Pizza | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
This article reprinted from USDA FoodSafety.gov website
