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Pick up or receive the food HOT...and enjoy eating within two hours.
Keeping food warm is not enough. Harmful bacteria can multiply between 40� and 140 degrees F.
Set oven temperature high enough to keep the hot food at 140 degrees F or above. Check internal temperature of food with a meat thermometer. Covering with foil will help keep the food moist.
It's not a good idea to try and keep the food hot longer than two hours. Food will taste better and be safely stored if you:
Reheat thoroughly to temperature of 165 degrees F or until hot and steaming. In the microwave oven, cover food and rotate so it heats evenly. Allow stand time for more even heating.
Consult your microwave owner's manual for recommended cooking time, power level and stand time. Inadequate heating can contribute to illness.
Eat or refrigerate immediately. Cold food should be held at 40 degrees F or colder.
Perishable food should not be at room temperature longer than two hours. Discard food which has been left at room temperature longer than two hours. For room temperatures over 90 degrees F, discard food after one hour.
We recommend the following:
Fresh ground beef, veal, lamb, pork | 160 degrees F |
Beef, veal, lamb-roasts, steaks, chops | |
Medium | 160 degrees F |
Well done | 170 degrees F |
Fresh pork-roasts, steaks, chops | |
Medium | 160 degrees F |
Well done | 170 degrees F |
Ham | |
Cook before eating | 160 degrees F |
Fully cooked, to reheat | 140 degrees F |
Poultry | |
Ground Chicken, Turkey | 165 degrees F |
Whole Chicken, Turkey | 180 degrees F |
Breasts, roasts | 170 degrees F |
Thighs and wings | Cook until juices run clear |
Egg dishes, casseroles | 160 degrees F |
Leftovers | 165 degrees F |
Product | Refrigerator (40 degrees F) | Freezer (0 degrees F) |
Eggs | ||
Fresh, in shell | 3 weeks | Don't freeze |
Hardcooked | 1 week | Don't freeze well |
TV Dinners Keep frozen until ready to use | 3-4 months | |
Deli prepared convenience foods such as egg, chicken, ham, and macaroni salads | 3-5 days | Don't freeze well |
Hotdogs and Lunch Meats | ||
Hotdogs, opened package | 1 week | 1-2 months |
Hotdogs, unopened package | 2 weeks, but not more than one week after the "sell-by" date | 1-2 months |
Lunch meats, opened | 3-5 days | 1-2 months |
Lunch meats, unopened | 2 weeks | 1-2 months |
Deli sliced luncheon meats | 3-5 days | Don't freeze well |
Soups and Stews Vegetable or meat added | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
Ground Meat and Poultry | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
Bacon | 7 days | 1 month |
Sausage | 1-2 days | 1-2 months |
Ham | ||
Ham, fully cooked--whole | 7 days | 1-2 months |
Ham, fully cooked--half | 3-5 days | 1-2 months |
Ham, fully cooked--slices | 3-4 days | 1-2 months |
Fresh Meat | ||
Beef, steaks and roasts | 3-5 days | 6-12 months |
Pork, chops and roasts | 3-5 days | 4-6 months |
Lamb, chops and roasts | 3-5 days | 6-9 months |
Veal | 3-5 days | 4-8 months |
Meat Leftovers | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
Fresh Poultry | ||
Chicken or turkey, whole | 1-2 days | 1 year |
Chicken or turkey pieces | 1-2 days | 9 months |
Poultry Leftovers | 3-4 days | 4 months |
Ways to save money AND help the environment:
Eat healthier AND save money: Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Pressure Cooker Combo with Multicooker Lids that Fries, Steams, Slow Cooks, Sautés, Dehydrates
Save water AND money with this showerhead adapter, it lets the water flow until the water is hot, then shuts off water flow until you restart it, ShowerStart TSV Hot Water Standby Adapter
Protect your health with these:
Mattress Dust mite-Bedbug protector, 100% Waterproof, Hypoallergenic, Zippered
Handheld Allergen Vacuum Cleaner with UV Sanitizing and Heating for Allergies and Pet, Kills Mite, Virus, Molds, True HEPA with Powerful Suction removes Hair, Dander, Pollen, Dust,
Immune Support Supplement with Quercetin, Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin D3
GermGuardian Air Purifier with UV-C Light and HEPA 13 Filter, Removes 99.97% of Pollutants
5 Stage Air Purifier, Features Ultraviolet Light (UVC), H13 True Hepa, Carbon, PCO, Smart Wifi, Auto Mode, Quiet, Removes 99.97% of Particles, Smoke, Mold, Pet Dander, Dust, Odors
Interesting Reads:
THE PREPPER'S CANNING & PRESERVING BIBLE: [13 in 1] Your Path to Food Self-Sufficiency. Canning, Dehydrating, Fermenting, Pickling & More, Plus The Food Preservation Calendar for a Sustainable Pantry
The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre! Paperback
The Citizens' Guide to Geologic Hazards: A Guide to Understanding Geologic Hazards Including Asbestos, Radon, Swelling Soils, Earthquakes, Volcanoes
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming
Book: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Paperback