If you have ever wondered how long you can keep ham burgers in your freezer or how long to keep butter in your refrigerator, here are some tips and recommended storage times for both your freezer and refrigerator.

Keep refrigerator temperature between 34 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep foods wrapped or placed in airtight containers, unless otherwise noted, to keep food from drying out and odors from transferring to other foods. Meats should be kept in the coldest part of the refrigerator and vegetables stored in the crisper.

Keep your freezer set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit for storage that is longer than a week or two. Always wrap foods in heavy-duty foil or freezer paper, or place in freezer containers to guard against freezer burn.

Label and date all foods that go into the freezer so it is easy to identify the packages and use within the recommended dates. [Another option is to put the "use by" date on the package when you freeze it. Then you won't have to figure it out when you take it out later.] For large freezers, make an inventory list that includes the date each item was placed in the freezer. Then post it on the freezer door for quick reference.

Fresh Meat

Refrigerator

Freezer

Chops (pork)

3 to 5 days

4 to 6 months

Ground, stew meats

1 to 2 days

3 to 4 months

Roasts (beef)

3 to 5 days

6 to 12 months

Roasts (lamb)

3 to 5 days

4 to 6 months

Roasts (pork, veal)

3 to 5 days

4 to 6 months

Sausage
(fresh pork)

1 to 2 days

1 to 2 months

Steaks

3 to 5 days

6 to 12 months

Cooked Meats

Cooked meat, meat dishes

3 to 4 days

2 to 3 months

Processed Meats

Bacon

1 week*

1 to 2 months

Frankfurters

1 week*

1 to 2 months

Ham (Fully Cooked, Half)

3 to 5 days

1 to 2 months

Luncheon Meats

3 to 5 days*

1 to 2 months

Sausage (Smoked)

1 week

1 to 2 months

Fresh Poultry

Chicken , Turkey (Whole)

1 to 2 days

1 year

Chicken Pieces

1 to 2 days

9 months

Duck, Goose (Whole)

1 to 2 days

1 year

Turkey Pieces

1 to 2 days

9 months

Cooked Poultry

Covered with broth or gravy

1 to 2 days

6 months

Pieces not in broth or gravy

3 to 4 days

4 months

Cooked Casseroles

3 to 4 days

4 to 6 months

Eggs

Whites

2 to 4 days

12 months

Whole Eggs (Fresh in Shell)

3 weeks

Can't Freeze

Yolks

2 to 4 days

12 months

Cheese & Milk Products

Cottage Cheese

5 days

Can't Freeze

Hard Cheese

3 to 4 months

6 months

Soft Cheese

2 weeks

4 months

Ice Cream

Can't Refrigerate

1 to 3 months

Butter, Margarine

1 month

3 to 6 months

*Dates apply to opened vacuum-sealed packages. Unopened vacuum-sealed packages can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or until "use by" or "sell by" date expires.