| Safe Handling of Mail Order Foods |
Food
Item |
Condition Upon Arrival |
STORAGE
Pantry |
STORAGE
Refrigerator 40 °F |
STORAGE
Freezer 0°F |
| Meats |
| Beef and Lamb; steaks and roasts |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
3-5 days |
1 year |
| Game Birds |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
1-2 days |
1 year |
| Pork, chops, and roasts |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
3-5 days |
6 months |
| Turkey— smoked, cooked |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
7 days |
6 months |
| Turkey— whole, uncooked |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
1-2 days |
1 year |
| Ham— country |
Room temperature |
1 year |
Sliced, 2-3 months |
1 month |
| Ham— whole, fully cooked |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
7 days |
1-2 months |
| Ham— canned, labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
Refrigerator cold |
N/A |
6-9 months unopened;
7 days opened |
1-2 months opened |
| Ham— canned, shelf stable |
Room temperature |
2 years |
3-4 days opened |
1-2 months opened |
| Ham— fully cooked, vacuum sealed at plant, undated, unopened |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Ham— fully cooked, vacuum sealed at plant, dated, unopened |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
Use by date |
1-2 months |
| Sausage— dry fermented, not labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
Room temperature |
4 -6 weeks |
6 months unopened;
2-3 weeks opened |
1-2 months |
| Sausage— Summer, not labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
Room temperature |
4-6 weeks |
6 months unopened; 2-3 weeks opened |
1-2 months |
| Sausage— Summer, labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
3 months unopened;
3 weeks opened |
1-2 months |
| Frozen entrees— meat or vegetable |
Frozen |
N/A |
3-4 days after cooking |
2-3 months, cook frozen |
| Seafood |
Caviar— non-pasteurized (fresh)
|
Refrigerator cold |
N/A |
6 months unopened;
2 days opened |
Do not freeze |
| Caviar— pasteurized, vacuum package |
Room temperature |
Refrigerate upon arrival |
1 year unopened |
Do not freeze |
| Hors d'Oeuvres / Pastries |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
3-4 days after cooking |
3 months |
| Lobster— live |
Alive in sea water |
N/A |
1-2 days, alive |
Do not freeze |
| Salmon— smoked, clear vacuum package (e.g., Nova Lox) |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
7 days unopened;
2 days opened |
2 months |
| Salmon— vacuum packaged, and/or labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
7 days unopened;
2 days opened |
2 months |
| Salmon— smoked, heavy metallic pouch in outer cardboard container, shelf stable |
Room temperature |
1 year unopened |
2 days opened |
N/A |
| Frozen entrees— seafood |
Frozen |
N/A |
2 days after thawing |
1 year |
| Cheese Products |
| Cheese— soft (e.g., cream cheese) |
Refrigerator cold |
N/A |
2 weeks opened |
N/A |
| Cheese— processed or hard |
Safe at room temperature, but refrigeration prolongs quality |
N/A |
3-6 months unopened;
3-4 months opened;
2 weeks sliced |
small pieces
6 months |
| Cheesecake |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
N/A |
7 days |
3 months |
| Fruit Products |
| Fruit— fresh whole* |
Refrigerator cold or room temperature |
*Fruit storage varies by type. After refrigerating, store from 3 days to 3 weeks; prepared for freezing, fruits can be frozen for up to 1 year. |
| Fruit— dried |
Room temperature |
1 month |
6 months after opened |
N/A |
| Fruit Cakes / Plum Pudding |
Cold or room temperature |
1 month, quality better if refrigerated or frozen |
6 months |
1 year |
| Fruit / Nut Breads |
Cold or room temperature |
N/A |
7 days |
6 months |
| Other |
| Frosted cakes, layered tortes, petit fours |
Frozen or refrigerator cold |
2 days |
3 days |
2 months |
| Chocolate candy / other confections |
Cold or room temperature |
1 year |
1 year |
1 year |
| Jams / Jellies |
Room temperature |
12 months unopened |
6 months |
N/A |
| Pickles, pickled vegetables |
Room temperature |
1 year |
2 months opened |
N/A |
| Olives |
Room temperature |
1 year |
2 weeks |
N/A |
| Oil, olive or vegetable |
Room temperature |
6 months unopened;
3 months opened |
N/A |
N/A |
| Oils, nut |
Room temperature |
6 months unopened |
4 months opened |
N/A |
| Vinegar |
Room temperature |
2 years unopened; 1 year opened |
N/A |
N/A |
| Mustard |
Room temperature |
1 year unopened; 1 month opened |
1 year opened |
N/A |
| Honey |
Room temperature |
1 year |
N/A |
N/A |
| Pure Maple Syrup |
Room temperature |
2 years unopened |
1 year opened |
N/A |
| Nuts — cans, jars, or cellophane |
Room temperature |
1 year unopened |
6 months opened |
1 year opened |
Tea—
Bags
|
Room temperature |
18 months |
N/A |
N/A |
| Tea — Loose |
Room temperature |
2 years |
N/A |
N/A |
| Tea— Instant |
Room temperature |
3 years |
N/A |
N/A |
| Coffee — Whole beans, non-vacuum bag |
Room temperature |
1-3 weeks |
2 weeks |
3-4 months |
| Coffee — Ground, in can |
Room temperature |
2 years |
2 weeks |
3-4 months |
| Coffee — Instant, jars, & tins |
Room temperature |
1 year unopened; 2-3 months opened |
2 weeks |
3-4 months |
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