Ground meat and poultry, two days. Chicken and fish, two days. Luncheon meats, hot dogs, five days. Most leftovers, two to three days. In the pantry or cupboard Pantry foods should be stored in cool, dry, dark places, not near stoves, or heating or water pipes.
Dry foods keep fresh the longest in airtight containers, which also help keep out insects.
After shopping, date your purchases. Check your food storage areas every six months or so to be sure you use the oldest items first. If you see any signs of insects, get rid of the infested packages, and vacuum the area thoroughly before returning unaffected foods to airtight containers. With long storage, flavor, quality and nutrients may be lost. This document is printer friendly and can be printed as is.