Keeping it fresh and safe
San Jose Mercury News
Wednesday, May 3, 2000

Orange County Register
JUST HOW long can food items be stored safely? Here are guidelines from "The Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cookbook" (Hearst Books, $30) and "Keeping Food Fresh" by Janet Bailey (Perennial Library, $14):

* Raw poultry, fish and meat: two-three days in the refrigerator, three-six months in the freezer
* Raw ground meat or poultry: one-two days in the refrigerator, three months in the freezer
* Cooked whole roasts or whole poultry: two-three days in the re-frigerator, nine months in the freezer
* Cooked poultry pieces: one-two days in the refrigerator, one month in the freezer
* Bread: three months in the freezer
* Ice cream: one-two months
* Soups and stews: two-three days in the refrigerator, one-three months in the freezer
* Casseroles: two-three days in the refrigerator, two-four weeks in the freezer
* Cookies: six-eight months in the freezer
* Baking powder: six months tight-ly sealed at room temperature
* Baking soda: 18 months fairly well-covered at room temperature
* Bouillon cubes: 1 year at room temperature
* Extracts: three-four months tightly sealed at room temperature
* Honey: indefinitely if tightly sealed; if it has crystallized, place opened jar in bowl of hot water and stir until crystals dissolve
* Gelatin (dry powder): up to one year for flavored gelatin, three years for unfiavored, at room temperature
* Peanut butter. one year, un-opened, at room temperature; three-four months after opening, stored in the refrigerator
* Salt: indefinitely; up to one year for seasoned salt, stored tightly capped at room temperature
* Soy sauce: up to one year, un-opened, at room temperature; one year after opening if refriger-ated
* Spices and dried herbs: up to one year if whole and stored tightly capped on a cool shelf; six months if ground; store red spices such as paprika, ground red pepper and chili powder in the refrigerator or freezer, along with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, which can become rancid. 
* Vinegar: indefinitely if unopened; six months once opened at room temperature.

STORAGE TIPS

* Store restaurant leftovers in resealable plastic bags rather than their foam containers.
* Group leftovers together so you can see what you have.
* Keep things used often at the front of shelves.
* Store lettuce in the salad spinner in the fridge. You'll be more likely to use it up.
* Write dates on leftovers or things going into the freezer.
* Pay attention to "sell by" dates and expiration dates.
* Don't use anything that you're unsure of. Leftovers should be refrigerated immediately.