Winter Is Time to Clean Out Cupboards and Freezers
go.ncsu.edu/readext?982408
en Español / em Português
El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.
Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.
Português
Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.
Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.
English
English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.
Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.
Collapse ▲
Winter is when I take some time to dig deep into my pantry and cupboards and see what food has been forgotten in the back. Usually, I do a good job of following FIFO – First In First Out, but every so often, I find there is a can or box that gets pushed to the back. That is why I make the time to pull things out and look deep to see what might have been there a little too long.
I noticed this especially after we did a lot of storing with COVID and being at home more. As things have gotten a little more normal for us, I occasionally find a can that might even be past its “best by” or “use by” date. For most items, these are safe to eat but might have loss some flavor or quality as well as some nutrient value. I make a point to use them right away when I find those cans.
Next, I make a point of checking out what I have in the freezer. It is so easy to just put newer items on top of older items and again, before long I have some items that are hidden that I need to use. With my frozen items, there is not a food safety concern, but many will lose their quality over time. Especially if I have expensive meat or other items, I want to make sure that when I do go to use them, they have the best taste and quality.
Check out this publication from North Dakota State University for a list of recommended storage times for various foods to ensure quality as well as safety. It covers the following:
- Staples
- Breads, Pastries, Cakes
- Dairy Products – Real and Substitutes
- Fruits and Juices
- Fresh Vegetables
- Fresh Uncooked Meat, Fish, Poultry
- Wild Game
- Cooked Meat
- Cured and Smoked Meats
- Baby Food
- Other Foods
- Mixes and Packaged Foods
- Spices, Herbs, Condiments, Extracts
- Miscellaneous Foods, such as nuts, popcorn, sodas etc