 Food Storage Possibilities
 On the Shelf - In the Refrigerator - Or Out of the Freezer
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Food Storage and Shelf Life
The following shelf life chart was originally prepared by Virginia Cooperative Extension of Virginia State University and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and is being used here with permission. This food storage chart provides "general recommended storage times from date of purchase for various food products stored under optimum conditions. Storage generally is not recommended under conditions where no time is listed in the chart. For maximum shelf-life, consumers should always purchase fresh food and never temperature abuse food."
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Food
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Pantry (Room Temperature)
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Refrigerator (33°F to 40°F)
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Freezer (0°F)
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Bread and Cereal Products
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Baked quick breads
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4-5 days
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1-2 weeks
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2-3 months
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Bread
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5-7 days
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1-2 weeks
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3 months
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Bread crumbs and croutons
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6 months
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Bread rolls, unbaked
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2-3 weeks
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1 month
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Cereals, ready-to-eat
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1 year
2-3 months*
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Cereals, ready-to-cook
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6 months
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Corn meal
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1 year
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18 months
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2 years
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Doughnuts
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4-5 days
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3 months
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Flour, cake, all-purpose
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1 year
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1-2 years
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Flour, whole wheat
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6-8 months
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1-2 years
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Pasta
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2 years
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Pies and pastries
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3 days
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4-6 months
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Pies and pastries, baked
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1-2 months
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Pies and pastries, cream filled
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2-3 days
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3 months
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Pizza
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3-4 days
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1-2 months
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Rice, brown
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6 months
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Rice, white
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1 year
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6-7 days+
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6 months+
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Tacos, enchiladas, and burritos (frozen)
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2 weeks
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1 year
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Waffles
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4-5 days
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1 month
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Packaged Foods and Mixes
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Biscuit, brownie, and muffin mixes
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9 months
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Cakes, prepared
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2-4 days
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2-3 months
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Cake mixes
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6-9 months
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Casserole mix
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9-12 months
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Chili powder
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6 months
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Cookies, packaged
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2 months
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8-12 months
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Crackers, pretzels
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3 months
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Frosting, canned
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3 months
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Frosting, mix
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8 months
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Fruit cake
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2-3 months
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1 year
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Hot roll mix
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18 months
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Instant breakfast products
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6 months
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Pancake and piecrust mix
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6 months
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Pancake waffle batter
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1-2 days
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3 months
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Toaster pastries
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3 months
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Sauce and gravy mixes
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6 months
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Soup mixes
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1 year
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Spices, Herbs, Condiments, Extracts
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Catsup, chili, and cocktail sauce
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1 year
1 month*
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6 months
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Herbs
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6 months
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1-2 years
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Herb/spice blends
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2 years
1 year *
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1-2 years
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Mustard
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2 years
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6-8 months*
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8-12 months
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Spices, ground
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6 months
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1-2 years
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Spices, whole
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1-2 years
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2-3 years
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Vanilla extract
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2 years
1 year*
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Other extracts
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1 year
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Other Food Staples
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Bacon bits
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4 months
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Baking powder
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18 months
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Baking soda
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2 years
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Bouillon products
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1 year
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Carbonated soft drinks (12 oz. cans)
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6-9 months
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Carbonated soft drinks, diet (12 oz. cans)
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3-4 months
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Chocolate, premelted
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1 year
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Chocolate syrup
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2 years
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6 months*
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Chocolate, semisweet
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2 years
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Chocolate, unsweetened
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18 months
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Cocoa mixes
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8 months
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|
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Coconut, shredded
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1 year
6 months*
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8 months
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1 year
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Coffee cans
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2 years
2 weeks*
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2 months
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6 months
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Coffee, instant
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6 months
2 weeks*
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Coffee, vacuum-packed
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1 year ^
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Coffee lighteners (dry)
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9 months
6 months*
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1 year
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Cornstarch
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18 months
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2 years
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Gelatin
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18 months
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Honey, jams, jellies, and syrup
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1 year
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6-8 months*
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Marshmallows
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2-3 months
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Marshmallow cream
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3-4 months
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Mayonnaise
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2-3 months
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12 months
2 months*
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Molasses
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2 years
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Nuts, shelled
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4 months
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6 months
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Nuts, unshelled
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6 months
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Nuts, salted
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6-8 months
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Nuts, unsalted
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9-12 months
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Oil, salad
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3 months^
2 months*
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Parmesan grated cheese
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10 months
2 months*
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Pasteurized process cheese spread
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3 months
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3-4 weeks*
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4 months
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Peanut butter
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6 months
2-3 months*
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Popcorn
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1-2 years
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2 years
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2-3 years
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Pectin
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1 year
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Salad dressings, bottled
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1 year^
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3 months*
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Soft drinks
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3 months
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Artificial sweetener
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2 years
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Sugar, brown
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4 months
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Sugar, confectioners
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18 months
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Sugar, granulated
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2 years
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Tea bags
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18 months
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Tea, instant
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2 years
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Vegetable oils
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6 months
1-3 months*
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Vegetable shortening
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3 months
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6-9 months
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Vinegar
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2 years
1 year*
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Water, bottled
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1-2 years
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Whipped topping (dry)
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1 year
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Yeast, dry
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Pkg. exp. date
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Vegetables
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Asparagus
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2-3 days
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8 months
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Beets
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2 weeks
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Broccoli
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3-5 days
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Brussels sprouts
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3-5 days
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Cabbage
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1 week
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Carrots
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2 weeks
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Cauliflower
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1 week
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Celery
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1 week
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Corn (husks)
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1-2 days
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8 months
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Cucumbers
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1 week
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Eggplant
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1 week
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Green beans
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1-2 days
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8 months
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Green peas
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3-5 days
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8 months
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Lettuce
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1 week
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Lima beans
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3-5 days
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8 months
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Mushrooms
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2 days
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Onions
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1 week
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3-5 days
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Onion rings (precooked, frozen)
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1 year#
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Peppers
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1 week
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Pickles, canned
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1 year
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1 month*
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Frozen potatoes
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8 month
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Sweet potatoes
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2-3 weeks
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White potatoes
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2-3 months
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Potato chips
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1 month
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Radishes
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2 weeks
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Rhubarb
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3-5 days
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Rutabagas
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1 week
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Snap beans
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1 week
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Spinach
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5-7 days
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8 months
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Squash, Summer
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3-5 days
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Squash, Winter
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1 week
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Tomatoes
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1 week
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Turnips
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2 weeks
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Commercial baby food, jars
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1-2 years^
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2-3 days
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Canned vegetables
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1 year^
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1-4 days*
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Canned vegetables, pickled
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1 year^
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1-2 months*
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Dried vegetables
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6 months
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Frozen vegetables
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8 months
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Vegetable soup
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3-4 days
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3 months
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Fruits
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Apples
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Until ripe
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1 month
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Apricots
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Until ripe
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5 days
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Avocados
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Until ripe
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5 days
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Bananas
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Until ripe
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5 days (fully ripe)
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Berries
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Until ripe
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3 days
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1 year
|
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Canned fruit
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1 year
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2-4 days*
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Canned fruit juices
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1 year
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3-4 days*
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Cherries
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Until ripe
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3 days
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Citrus fruit
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Until ripe
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2 weeks
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Dried fruit
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6 months
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2-4 days+
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Frozen fruit
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1 year
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Fruit juice concentrate
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6 days
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1 year
|
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Fruit pies, baked
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2-3 days
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8 months
|
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Grapes
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Until ripe
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5 days
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Melons
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Until ripe
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5 days
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Nectarines
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Until ripe
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5 days
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Peaches
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Until ripe
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5 days
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1 year
|
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Pears
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Until ripe
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5 days
|
1 year
|
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Pineapple
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Until ripe
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5-7 days
|
1 year
|
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Plums
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Until ripe
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5 days
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Dairy Products
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Butter
|
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1-2 months
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9 months
|
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Buttermilk
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2 weeks
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Cottage cheese
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1 week
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3 months
|
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Cream cheese
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2 weeks
|
|
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Cream-light, heavy, half- and-half
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3-4 days
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1-4 months
|
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Eggnog commercial
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3-5 days
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6 months
|
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Margarine
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4-5 months
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12 months
|
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Condensed, evaporated and dry milk
|
12-23 months^
|
8-20 days*
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Milk
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8-20 days
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Ice cream and sherbet
|
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2 months
|
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Hard natural cheese (e.g. cheddar, swiss)
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3-6 months
4 weeks*
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6 months
|
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Hard natural cheese, sliced
|
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2 weeks
|
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Processed cheese
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1 month
|
6 months
|
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Soft cheese (e.g. brie)
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1 week
|
6 months
|
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Pudding
|
|
1-2 days*
|
|
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Snack dips
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1 week*
|
|
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Sour cream
|
|
2 weeks
|
|
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Non-dairy whipped cream, canned
|
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3 months
|
|
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Real whipped cream, canned
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3-4 weeks
|
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Yogurt
|
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2 weeks
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1-2 months
|
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Meats, Poultry, Eggs and Fish
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Meats
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Fresh beef and bison steaks
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3-5 days
|
6-9 months
|
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Fresh beef and bison roasts
|
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3-5 days
|
9-12 months
|
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Fresh pork chops
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2-3 days
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4-6 months
|
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Fresh lamb chops
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3-5 days
|
6-8 months
|
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Fresh veal
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1-2 days
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4-6 months
|
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Fresh ground meat (e.g. beef, bison, veal, lamb)
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1 day
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3-4 months
|
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Cooked meat
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2-3 days
|
2-3 months
|
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Canned meat
|
1 year
|
3-4 days*
|
3-4 months
|
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Ham, whole
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1 week
|
1-2 months
|
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Ham, canned
|
1 year
|
1 week*
|
3-4 months
|
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Ham, canned "keep refrigerated"
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|
6-9 months
1 week*
|
3-4 months
|
|
Shelf-stable unopened canned meat (e.g. chili, deviled ham, corn beef)
|
1 year
|
1week*
|
|
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Ham, cook before eating
|
|
1 week
|
|
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Ham, fully cooked
|
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2 weeks
1 week*
|
|
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Ham, dry-cured
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1 year
|
1 month
|
|
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Ham salad, store prepared or homemade
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3-5 days
|
|
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Bacon
|
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2 weeks
1 week*
|
1 month
|
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Corned beef, uncooked
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5-7 days
|
1-2 months
|
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Restructured (flaked) meat products
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|
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9-12 months
|
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Sausage, fresh
|
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1-2 days
|
1-2 months
|
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Smoked breakfast sausage links, patties
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1 week
|
2 months
|
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Sausage, smoked (e.g. Mettwurst)
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1 week
|
1-2 months
|
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Sausage, semi-dry (e.g. Summer sausage)
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2-3 weeks*
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6 months
|
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Sausage, dry smoked (e.g. Pepperoni, jerky, dry Salami)
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1 year
|
1 month*
|
6 months
|
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Frankfurters, bologna
|
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2 weeks
3-5 days*
|
1-2 months
|
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Luncheon meat
|
|
2 weeks
3-5 days*
|
1 month
|
|
Meat gravies
|
|
1-2 days
|
2-3 months
|
|
TV beef and pork dinners
|
|
|
18 months#
|
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Meat based casseroles
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3-4 days
|
4 months
|
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Variety meats (giblets, tongue, liver, heart, etc.)
|
|
1-2 days
|
3-4 months
|
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Vinegar pickled meats (e.g. pickled pigs feet)
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1 year^
|
2 weeks*
|
|
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Fish
|
|
Breaded fish
|
|
|
4-6 months
|
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Canned fish
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1 year
|
1-2 days*
|
|
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Cooked fish or seafood
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|
3-4 days
|
3 months
|
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Lean fish (e.g. cod, flounder, haddock)
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|
1-2 days
|
6 months
|
|
Fatty fish (e.g. bluefish, salmon, mackeral)
|
|
1-2 days
|
2-3 months
|
|
Dry pickled fish
|
|
3-4 weeks
|
|
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Smoked fish
|
|
2 weeks
|
4-5 weeks
|
|
Seafood-clams, crab, lobster in shell
|
|
2 days
|
3 months
|
|
Seafood-oysters and scallops
|
|
1-2 days
|
3-4 months
|
|
Seafood-shrimp
|
|
1-2 days
|
1 year
|
|
Seafood-shucked clams
|
|
1-2 days
|
3-6 months
|
|
Tuna salad, store prepared or homemade
|
|
3-5 days
|
|
|
Poultry and Eggs
|
|
Chicken nuggets or patties
|
|
1-2 days
|
|
|
Chicken livers
|
|
1-2 days
|
3 months
|
|
Chicken and poultry TV dinners
|
|
|
6 months
|
|
Canned poultry^
|
1 year
|
1 day*
|
|
|
Cooked poultry
|
|
2-3 days
|
4-6 months
|
|
Fresh poultry
|
|
1 day
|
1 year
|
|
Frozen poultry parts
|
|
|
6-9 months
|
|
Canned poultry
|
|
1 day
|
3 months
|
|
Poultry pies, stews, and gravies
|
|
1-2 days
|
6 months
|
|
Poultry salads, store prepared or homemade
|
|
3-5 days
|
|
|
Poultry stuffing, cooked
|
|
3-4 days
|
1 month
|
|
Eggs, in shell
|
|
3-5 weeks
|
|
|
Eggs, hard-boiled
|
|
1 week
|
|
|
Eggs, pasteurized
|
|
10 days
3 days*
|
1 year
|
|
Egg substitute
|
|
10 days
3 days*
|
1 year
|
|
Egg yolks (covered in water)
|
|
2-4 days
|
1 year
|
|
Egg whites (For each cup of egg yolk add 1 Tbs. of sugar or salt)
|
|
2-4 days
|
1 year
|
|
Wild Game
|
|
Frog legs
|
|
1 day
|
6-9 months
|
|
Game birds
|
|
2 days
|
9 months
|
|
Small game (rabbit, squirrel, etc.)
|
|
2 days
|
9-12 months
|
|
Venison ground meat
|
|
1-2 days
|
2-3 months
|
|
Venison steaks and roasts
|
|
3-5 days
|
9-12 months
|
* Opened + Cooked ^ Refrigerate after opening # After manufacture date
Food Storage Guidelines
How long can you safely store food? The guidelines which are reproduced above will provide some paramaters for that safe food storage. Be aware, however, that these are indeed "guidelines." Foods will often remain edible, and safely edible, beyond the timelines shown. Commercially prepared canned and packaged foods often have "Best Before" dates imprinted. Use of foods after these expiry dates means you may find that the quality of these foods in the form of color or texture has been affected, and possibly but not necessarily the nutrition. In the case of the fresh foods that have been placed into your food storage, there is, of course, definitely a need to be wary. Spoilage is much more likely to accompany that decrease in quality. Note, too, that the signs of spoilage are not always obvious. A slight slimy feel to meat, for instance, is easily missed but often means that bacterial action has begun, even without the presence of telltale odors.
In any case, err on the side of caution. Rotate your foods. Use the oldest first. Be aware of the guidelines, even if you don't follow them exactly. When in doubt, throw it out. Be safe, not sorry.
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Shelf Life
n. The length of time a product may be stored without becoming unsuitable for use or consumption.
 Remember, Guidelines are Guidelines
I Disagree!
It seems this shelf life chart as prepared by Virgina State University and the Virginaia Polytechinic Institure and State University and last updated in May of 2009 lacks credibility to some. Such is the case with one of our readers, who comments:
Come on, folks, you're so far off on so many items, it's just silly.
Honey lasts FOR EVER, you put it at one year.
Sugar? Forever. You put it at 2 years.
Popcorn? 10-20 years. You say 1-2 years. White rice? 10 years. You say 1 year.
Update all your numbers using some kind of sense, please.
- Scott
Charts such as these are provided as a handy reference tool to the visitors to Store-It Foods. Should you take exception to some of the findings provided, or wish to share the results of other researchers, such input would be most welcome.
Looking for Ways to Extend That Shelf Life?
Consider the following options:
It is important to note that not all food storage bags are alike. You may pay a little more for them, but some are designed and manufactured with extended storage life in mind.
Yes, storage containers can also make a difference. Some really do lengthen safe storage times, and consequently extend that product's shelf life.
100 Year Old Canned Goods
A portion of a report from the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture
"Canned food has a shelf life of at least two years from the date of processing. Canned food retains its saftey and nutritional level well beyond two years, but it may have some variation in quality.... Canning is a high-heat process that renders the food commercially sterile. Food safety is not an issue in products kept on the shelf or in the pantry for long periods of time. In fact, canned food has an almost indefintite shelf life at moderate temperatures (75 degrees and below). Canned food as old as 100 years has been found in sunken ships and it is still microbiologically safe! We don't recommend keeping canned food for 100 years, but if the can is intact, not dented or bulging, it is edible."
A Food Storage Thought
Maintaining a food’s quality depends on a number of different factors including the quality of the raw product, the way the food was processed, storage methods, and the length of storage. The recommended storage time, in the form of "shelf life", is determined using these considerations.
The vacuum packaging of foods to be frozen can prevent or delay freezer burn, and that, of course, can have a positive impact upon the shelf life of frozen foods.
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Note: All prices in US Dollars
Can it, freeze it, dehydrate it, use it fresh, or keep it on hand for emergencies. At Store-It foods it is our desire to see to it that each food storage choice is a possibility for you.
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