Healthy, versatile, delicious but perishable, dairy is a key ingredient not only in recipes, but in our day-to-day lives. But if you plan well and keep an eye on expiry dates, many dairy products freeze and thaw well. Here’s a list of what can be frozen and what can’t. Remember that all frozen products should be thawed in the refrigerator.
It's important to keep your fridge and freezer at the correct temperature to ensure food safety. The guidelines below are provided by Health Canada. The recommended refrigeration times are for safety, the freezing times are for quality.
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Product.
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Refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or lower.
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Freezer at -18°C (0°F) or lower.
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Un-opened milk
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Best before date
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6 weeks
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Opened milk
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3 days
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Don't freeze
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Un-opened cottage cheese.
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Best before date
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Doesn't freeze well
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Opened cottage cheese
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3 days
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Don't freeze
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Un-opened yogurt
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Best before date
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1-2 months
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Opened yogurt
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3 days
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Don't freeze
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Soft cheese
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1 week
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Doesn't freeze well
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Semi-soft cheese
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2-3 weeks
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8 weeks
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Firm cheese
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5 weeks
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3 months
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Hard cheese
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10 months
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1 year
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Processed cheese
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5 months
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3 months
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Un-opened salted butter
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8 weeks
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1 year
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Un-opened unsalted butter
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8 weeks
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3 months
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Opened butter
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3 weeks
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Don't freeze
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For more information about safe food storage visit Health Canada.