Mambo Sprouts has updated their programs, and now offer coupon booklets, printable coupons, free samples, consumer surveys, and education materials through direct mail, email, and in-store distribution. When you sign up for Mambo Sprouts

here – Mambo Sprouts Sign up

you will receive:

• Coupon books for natural & organic products mailed directly to your home (3 times a year).
• Mambo Messenger (an educational and informative printed newsletter) and free product samples sent occasionally.
• E-Coupon alerts, special offers and chances to win great products and prizes.
• Monthly E-Newsletter with healthy living tips and recipes

Coupons Booklets and Home Mailer Program:
The Mambo Sprouts Messenger coupon booklet is mailed three times a year to 385,000 health, natural, and organic product consumers in the metro and suburban areas of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver/Boulder, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. MORE LOCATIONS ARE BEING ADDED, so check on their website for delivery in your area.
 

Mambo Sprouts Printable Coupons:
Mambo Sprouts also provides online printable coupons, redeemable at any store carrying the product and accepting printable coupons.

Mambo Sprouts Printable Coupons

 
Mambo Sprouts Booklet Coupons In Stores:
The Mambo Sprouts program is also shipped directly to almost 1,000 retail locations three times a year. Additionally, the Mambo Mailer is sent to retail locations four times a year and a special Holiday booklet is also distributed in-store during the busy holiday season.

You can search for stores where they are available in your area

here

Stores that typically carry the booklets at the Customer Service desk (free of charge) include:

• Bigg’s
• Earth Fare
• Henry’s
• Lazy Acres
• Lowe’s Foods
• MOM’s
• Mrs. Green’s
• Mustard Seed
• Native sun
• PCC
• Ralph’s
• Shop Rite
• Sun Harvest
• Ukrop’s
• Wild Nature
• Whole Foods

If you store does not carry the Mambo Sprouts booklets, you can contact Mambo Sprouts

here

and they will contact the store to see if they would be interested in providing them.

Coupons at Whole Foods Market
Mambo Sprouts publishes the Whole Foods Whole Deal coupons and coupon booklets, which can only be used in Whole Foods Markets. You can find Mambo Sprouts coupons inside The Whole Deal in-store value guide available at your local Whole Foods Market. It’s chock-full of coupons, budget recipes, money saving tips and more! Visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com to find your closest store.

Go Mambo! Mobile Sampling Tour
Mambo Sprouts also provides a sampling program.

The Go Mambo! van will be traveling to four different regions this year with FREE samples and coupons just for you. We’ll be sampling at retailers and special events in Texas during April/May, California around June/July, New England around July/August and Mid-Atlantic around Sept/Oct.

Contests and Give aways
Mambo Sprouts Contests and Give aways

Join Mambo Track

Participating in MamboTrack surveys is your chance to give natural and organic product manufacturers, stores and retailers feedback about the kinds of healthy products and services you really want, not what they might think you want. Your opinion, combined with opinions from other natural, organic, and eco-minded consumers is important in shaping new health and natural products, improving current products, new product packaging designs and much more!

Receive free health, natural and organic food and product samples and valuable coupons as our way of saying “thanks” for your input! Each time you complete a survey we offer you the chance to receive healthy product samples, special natural and organic coupon offers or other giveaways from manufacturers.

Being a MamboTracker is quick, easy and confidential. You can take our surveys at your leisure when it’s most convenient for you – whether during the day or late at night. And, your individual information is kept strictly confidential (Read our Privacy Statement), so there’s no risk to you.

Innovative companies like General Mills, Kraft, and Kellogg’s/Kashi, Proctor and Gamble, Clorox… are but a few of the companies than have recently developed “consumer advisor” programs to allow consumers to purchase full size products at the store for free. Consumers then have the opportunity to give feedback to the companies on everything from taste to pricing, and of course to spread the word with coupons on products to friends and family.

We have recently researched and updated our guides to brand sampling programs, brand consumer advisor panels, and other coupon sources on our individual brand pages. Look through your favorite brands, and sign up for their panels. Many programs are “invitation only”, so if you don’t see a program listed, contact the company and ask if they have one, or sign up for their newsletter and be on the invite list when one is developed.

Here are two of my favorite free product programs:

General Mills Pssst advisory board. Pssst is the new consumer advisory board from General Mills. This program is similar to the Kraft First Taste program, sending out free product coupons, as well as samples and coupons to share, with members.

From the Pssst homepage

Pssst… also offers a behind-the-scenes look at General Mills and occasionally an opportunity to give your opinion about products and initiatives. Pssst… is fun and it’s free to Join.

Pssst…is all about some of the best known food and consumer brands in the country. If you would like to receive news about new products (and even samples and coupons from time to time), you can become a member.

To date, many of the coupon programs have been for ‘favorite’ existing products, like Pillsbury Pizza Dough, Progresso Soups, Yoplait Yogurt, as well as some of the new products. Typically members are provided one coupon for a FREE PRODUCT, by mail, along with 10 high value dollar off coupons to share with friends (such as $1.50 off one pizza dough, which typically is sale priced at $1 – $2). Other offers have included free product printable coupons, with links to share high value coupons with friends via email. There are also sweepstakes, games, recipes, and surveys.

Kraft First Taste community program. Kraft First Taste is a “redo” of their previous Food and Family consumer program. Since Kraft F&F sent out regular newsletter emails, the free sample promotions often got lost in inboxes. Under this new program, the invitations come out under a separate email address and the subjects lines are fairly clear that it’s time to try a new products.

From the Kraft First Taste home page:

Coupons are usually sent by postal mail, and include one free product coupon and up to 3 high value coupons. After you have tried a products and provided feedback, links are typically provided to invite friends to receive their own free product coupons, or high value coupons. You can invite up to ten friends at a time, and the second round coupons go quickly.

Free products from Kraft are always for new products. They are often fairly high value, such as full size DiGiorno pizzas, but also include Jell-O singles and Flat Bread melts. It all depends upon your profile, and the feedback you provide; the more feedback you give, the more likely you are to be invited to receive more free products and to be given choices as to the products you would like to try.

To find more about these and other brand consumer testing programs, as well as newsletters, coupons, and other current offers, start with our new brand resource guide page, click on the link for the brand you are interested in, and you’ll be taken to a new page of all current resources, advisory panels, newsletters, coupons, contacts, and other information for that brand.

If you know of a program not currently listed, just email us or post a comment, and we’ll get the appropriate links added in.

Return to Where to Find Coupons

Prescription Costs

The cost of health care is rising, and with it the cost of prescriptions and over-the-counter pharmacy items. At the same time, there have been major changes in most major insurance medical and prescription coverage plans, including Medicare, and in the availability of generic medications. The rules covering Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) have also been changing.

In the midst of this, pharmaceutical companies are stepping up the competition for your business, and your loyalty to their brand name medications. Coupons, rebates, and co-payment coverage are all available from most major manufacturers. Grocery store pharmacies are also competing for your business, with FSA promotions, coupon offers, and discount generic medications.

There are several ways to save significantly on prescription and over-the-counter pharmacy products:

Compare Prices

It may be obvious, but no matter what coupons, offers, or other promotions available to your, the bottom line to saving money on prescriptions is to compare prices at different stores. Why? First, for name brand prescriptions, the drug companies do invest in developing the drug, and need to recover the costs from selling the drug. So while the medication itself may not cost much to manufacturer, a portion of the cost of research and development are passed on to the consumer. When a drug goes generic, other companies produce the drug without the R&D costs, and the price can be fairly low. But…store pharmacies have their own costs to recover. Grocery stores typically have small pharmacies, with few customers, yet must recover the same costs of employing pharmacists, technicians, keeping fresh medications on shelves, and so on, as the large pharmacies and warehouses. A grocery store may fill 10 prescriptions a day while a warehouse pharmacy fills 1000, yet the overhead costs of staff and keeping shelves stocked are comparable. The grocery store ‘tacks on’ a mark up to the prescription price to cover their costs, and in this example it would add 100 times more to the cost of a prescription than at the warehouse.

While most grocery stores have given in to the competition for low price generics (see our list of stores that offer $4 generic medications HERE), the mark-ups lost on generic medications simply get added on to the name brand medications. A 30 day supply of Lamictal, an epilepsy drug, is typically priced at $100 at Costco, and $500 at Giant. Do a bit of research, and you might be surprised.

Tip: While Costco itself is a membership warehouse, the Costco Pharmacy is not. You do not need to be a Costco member to purchase your medications at Costco.

Prescription Coupons, Rebates, and Co-payment Reduction Savings Programs

Manufacturers regularly offer printable coupons for dollar-off discounts, free trials, and co-payment reductions on many brand-name medications. There are also money-back mail-in rebates and savings. While these offers were previously limited to introducing consumers to new medications, economic changes have led companies to provide additional and regular savings on many medications.

You can find current offers, listed by medication, on our Rx prescription coupon page.

You may also find these offers in magazines, at the pharmacy counter, and at your doctor’s office.

Insurance information is typically not required to fill a sample or trial offer prescription. A doctor’s written prescription is required, however, to be submitted with the coupon or voucher.

Once you redeem a trial or other prescription coupon, the manufacturer will generally provide another coupon or rebate voucher by mail. Each time you redeem one, another is provided. With many competing prescription products on the markets, brand loyalty can (and should) be well rewarded.

Even if you are already taking a particular medication, manufacturer offers may be available. Regular “card holder” discounts, manufacturer coupons (also referred to as pharmacy checks), and rebates are increasingly common for brand name prescriptions when a generic alternative is not available but similar, competing, medications are.

Several manufacturers also have “Rewards Programs”, allowing you to submit your receipts for rebates and free gifts. $40 – $200 a year in cash back, as well as free samples and gifts, can add up quickly to reduce or offset prescription costs.

Tips for using these offers:

• As with most coupons, before you print, make sure your printer is turned on and has adequate ink and paper before printing your offer. Allow for pop-ups from the manufacturer’s page. Check that the offer has printed correctly before closing the page. Do not make copies of the printed coupon, as each print is usually coded with a unique number that can only be used once.
• Present prescription coupons to the pharmacist BEFORE you fill your prescription. While most pharmacists are familiar with prescription coupons, they may not be aware of a particular offer, or the requirements for redeeming a particular offer. Allow time in your schedule for the pharmacist to review the coupon or voucher, check for special requirements, and confirm that he or she is able to process it. If the pharmacy cannot process your offer, don’t be shy about taking the coupon, and your business, to another store.
• Read the terms of each offer carefully. Some coupons can only be used towards co-pays, while others can be used to reduce all out-of-pocket expenses. The coupon or rebate can never exceed your out-of-pocket expenses, so do not expect cash-back, no matter the coupon value.
• Read rebate forms carefully, complete the information and submit all required materials, including receipts, together as instructed on the rebate.

Store coupons and gift card offers

Most grocery store pharmacies are now offering enticements to keep and bring in new business. Alert shoppers can clip coupons from weekly store sales circulars offering store gift cards of $10 – $50 when you fill a new or transferred prescription. Simply present the coupon before filling a new or transferred prescription; the clerk or pharmacist will tell you exactly how to redeem their stores offer (usually honored when you pick up the filled prescription).

Most stores also accept “competitor’s coupons” for prescription offers. For example, if you have a coupon to receive a $25 gift card at Rite Aid when you transfer a prescription to a Rite Aid pharmacy, you can present that coupon at your local grocery store pharmacy prior to filling your prescription at your grocery store. If your store accepts competitor coupons, they will give you either a gift card, credit, or cash back equivalent to the coupon offer at the other store once you have filled your prescription.

Since these are store coupons, customers are allowed to “profit” from them, receiving the full value of the gift card offered, whether or not the out-of-pocket cost of the medication exceeded the value of the gift card. For example, you can fill a $4 generic prescription, or a free antibiotic prescription, at a participating grocery store and receive back the $25 gift card offered. There may be restrictions on the coupon, or the number of offers you may receive, so read the terms carefully and check with your pharmacist.

$4/30 day and $10/90 day Generics

Grocery store pharmacies have been known for having high prices on generic medications. These pharmacies are typically small, and their overhead costs can be high for stocking a large variety of medications and staffing the store with pharmacists and technicians. Now, however, these same pharmacies find themselves competing for consumers in an increasingly aggressive market. After Walmart and Target introduced bargain prices on generic prescriptions, most grocery store pharmacies followed suit.

Most grocery stores now offer discount generic prescription pricing, typically $4 for a 30 day supply, and $10 for a 90 day supply. Eligible generic medications vary between stores, but most grocery stores list between 300 and 500 qualifying prescription drugs. A list of grocery stores which offer $4/30 and $10/90 generic prescriptions is provided here.

Flexible Spending Accounts

A Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, or FSA, is a reimbursement account available through many employers. It allows you to set aside money from your paycheck for health care costs each year before taxes are taken out. The money is then used to reimburse healthcare expenses not paid for by your health insurance plan during that calendar year. At the end of the year, any unspent funds remaining in your FSA are lost, so careful planning and attention are required to ensure that your funds are fully put to good use before they expire.

Healthcare FSA funds can be used for prescription co-payments and many over-the-counter (OTC) medications and products. Your employer can provide you with a list of the specific items covered by your employers plan; the following OTC items are usually included:

• Allergy Prevention and Treatment
• Analgesics/Antipyretics
• Antacids and Acid Reducers
• Anti-arthritics
• Antibiotics
• Anticandial
• Antidiarrheal and Laxatives
• Antifungal
• Antihistamines
• Anti-itch Lotions and Creams
• Antiseptics
• Asthma Medicines
• Bandages
• Blood Pressure Monitor
• Bug Bite Medication
• Carpal Tunnel Support
• Cold and Flu Remedies
• Cold Sore/Fever Blister
• Contact Lens Solution
• Contraceptive Products
• Cough Suppressants or Expectorants
• Decongestants
• Dehydration
• Denture Adhesives
• Diabetic Supplies
• Diaper Rash
• Diuretics and Water Pills
• Ear Care
• Eye Care
• Eye Drops
• First Aid Supplies
• Head Lice Treatment
• Hearing Aid Batteries
• Hemorrhoidal Preparations
• Lactose Intolerance
• Migraine Relief
• Motion Sickness
• Muscle/Joint Pain
• Nausea/Vomiting Remedies
• NSAIDS
• Ophthalmic Preparations
• Pain Relievers/Fever Reducers
• Pediculicide
• Personal Test Kits
• Pinworm Treatment
• Poison Treatment
• Pregnancy Tests
• Prenatal Vitamins (Medically Necessary)
• Reading Glasses
• Respiratory Stimulant Ammonia
• Sinus Products
• Sleeping Aids (to Treat Insomnia)
• Smoking Cessation
• Teething/Toothaches/Mouth Pain
• Throat Pain Medications
• Topical Steroids
• Wart Removal
• Weight Loss Products (Medically Necessary)
• Wound Care (e.g., Gauze)

Photo Source: Fallsroad

Here are a few things you should know, and resources where you can find more information or receive updates on the recalls.

What is a Voluntary Recall?
A product recall is issued when a product is either defective or potentially harmful.

Product recalls typically involve products that may be unsafe, contaminated, mislabeled, do not conform to manufacturer’s specifications, or are missing allergen or other hazard warnings. Very rarely, recalls are issued for products that have been adulterated or tampered with in some way.

Almost all product recalls are voluntary actions, and are issued by the company responsible for manufacturing or producing the product. Their goals in recalling a product are:

• to locate the defective products
• to get unsafe and/or defective products out of consumer hands as quickly as possible, and
• to communicate information about the problems and remedies quickly and effectively.

The manufacturer decides the exact response based on the danger, where and how the product was marketed, who uses it, the estimated shelf life, etc. The specific recall actions also take into account the regulatory requirements, financial restraints, and manufacturer’s specific policies.

If the company does not initiate a recall, the government may request that the company do so. The government has limited authority, however. If a company refuses to recall a product, the government agencies have legal authority to:

• seize available (unsold) product
• stop operations
• and initiate a court request for a product recall.

The government itself cannot recall a product or require customers be reimbursed.

Why does a company voluntarily recall a product?
Recalling the product allows the company to destroy, replace, and/or alter the problem product. In addition to protecting consumer health, the company must demonstrate they have corrected the problem and are complying with existing rules and regulations. The company also needs to minimize the cost of the recall, while regaining and improving the company’s reputation for future sales and business.

What should I do if I have a food or drug product that has been recalled?
If you have a recalled medical product, talk to your health professional about the best course of action. For other products, take it back to the place of purchase and ask for a refund. Stores generally have a return and refund policy when a company has announced a recall of its products.  You can also contact the company for specific directions and information; you can find contact information and website for most name-brand products here.

Who pays for the Recall?
The manufacturer/company is responsible for all of the costs involved in this process. Most companies carry product recall insurance to assist with the costs of the recall.

Can I get my money back?
All recalls are voluntary, and the terms are determined by each company when a recall is announced. Each company evaluates the costs of removing products, replacing products or reimbursing customers, and of future “corrective” marketing (restoring the public’s trust in purchasing their products), as well as the amount of recall insurance they have purchased, to determine what they can afford and how to proceed.

In general, a company will refund the suggested retail value of the recalled item(s). The company may choose how to reimburse customers, including:

• cash or check covering the suggested retail price, or
• product exchange (damaged product is replaced with a new product without charge), or
• voucher (coupon for a free product that replaces the damaged product).

Are receipts required for a refund?
Recalls are based on returning a defective product to the manufacturer, and not the actual purchase. Receipts are generally not accepted, unless returns are made directly to the store at which it was purchased.

Manufacturers generally require the actual product to be returned (and tested or destroyed by their facility). Receipts are not generally required, since the manufacturer’s goal is not to prove that you paid for the product, but that you have it.  To prove that you have the product, they often require the entire product be returned, including any unused portion. This also allows the company to test returned product, and confirm which products, lot numbers, production lines, etc., have problems, and that any hazard has been removed and destroyed…and also helps the company protect against fraudulent claims.

How many can I return?
In general, all items recalled may be returned for full refund or exchange.

However, since all recalls are voluntary, the company issuing the recall may choose to evaluate “unusual” returns on a case by case basis, according to the actual distribution of the product, “resonableness”, and their own financial constraints.

Why the does Company/Manufacturer Need all that Information?
The goal of any product recall is to retrieve, repair, or replace products already purchased or on the shelves. Maintaining accurate records about each product is essential for a company to conduct an effective, economical product recall.

Generally, the following records are key both to identifying product defects and conducting recalls:

• Records of complaints, warranty returns, insurance claims, and lawsuits.
• Production records: lot numbers and product codes associated with each run, the volume of units manufactured, component parts or substitutes use, and other pertinent information which will help the company identify defective products or components quickly.
• Distribution records: location of each product by product line, production run, quantity shipped or sold, dates of delivery, and destinations.
• Quality control records.
• Product registration cards.

Role of Government Agencies
The FDA monitors the progress of a recall and perform audit checks at wholesale or retail customers to verify the recall’s effectiveness. You can learn more from the FDA FAQs page.

Is there an FDA food safety hotline?
For general food safety questions, call the FDA Food Safety Hotline at 1-888-723-3366. If the situation is critical, phone FDA’s emergency number, 301-443-1240, which is staffed 24 hours a day. If your questions involve meat or poultry products, call the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s hotline at 800-535-4555. More on food safety can be found at www.foodsafety.gov.

Is there an official site for updates on recalls?

The main point of information is at recalls.gov

Home pages for federal regulatory agencies participating in recalls.gov include:

Consumer products
Foods, Medicines, and Cosmetics
Meat and Poultry
Motor Vehicles
Child Safety Seats
Tires
Vehicle Emissions
Environmental Products
Boats and Boating Safety

If you are tired of receiving promotions labeled as “stimulus” or “bailout” savings, or just fatigued from sorting through the scams with similar labels, check out this new, and legitimate offer — free chocolate, via coupon, from the Mars REAL CHOCOLATE RELIEF ACT.

Every Friday, from now until September, the first 250,000 visitors to the site will receive a coupon for a bar of their favorite Mars REAL chocolate brand.

You can register for a reminder email here, as well as watch the clock count down. Or, just check back first thing Friday morning, starting at 9 am ET, and enter your information to receive your coupon.

Why? Mars is promoting their new health initiative, and real chocolate.

What is Real Chocolate Relief?Times are tough and we at Mars want to help. How, you ask? Every Friday through September, Mars will give away FREE* real chocolate to 250,000 people. That means you can enjoy your favorite Mars candy brands—M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, 3 MUSKETEERS®, MILKY WAY® and DOVE®— for free*!

U.S. Standards of Identity are government regulations that define which ingredients may be used to make a food product in order to be allowed to call it by a certain name. For chocolate, the Standards of Identity require that cocoa butter be the only source of fat (except for milk fat). There are several other requirements too, such as a specific amount of chocolate liquor, use of flavorings and sugar substitutes.

A telltale sign is the wording on the packaging. For 100% real, authentic chocolate, look for the words “milk chocolate,” “semi-sweet chocolate” or “bittersweet chocolate.” On the other hand, it’s probably not real if you see the words, “chocolate flavor,” “chocolate coating,” “chocolaty,” or “made with chocolate.” And beware of packaging that implies chocolate, but doesn’t even mention it. Would it be cheaper for us to use vegetable oil? Yes. Would it be real chocolate? No. The next time you’re choosing your chocolate, check the label. Chances are you could be getting something that’s, well, fake. If it’s Mars, you know it’s real chocolate.

Mars is proud to be a family-run business of candy manufacturers. We have the freedom to make the final decision regarding our recipes and commit ourselves to producing chocolate that contains 100 percent cocoa butter. With nearly 100 years in the candy business, we are leaders in the industry and at the forefront of chocolate research. That means no one knows more about chocolate than we do. Our customers expect chocolate that contains 100% cocoa butter, and that’s what we deliver.

As part of their new health initiative, they are also updating their labeling and ingredients, so stayed tuned for more news and offers.

T.G.I.F – almost!

HealthESavers is now teamed with Eating Well magazine and the Living Naturally Retailer network of Natural and Health Food stores to provide coupons focused exclusively on healthy-eating organic and natural brands.  These companies have previously had small independent sites with printable, in-store magazine, and periodic offers.  As a team, however, they are providing coupons to over 500,000 customers for hundreds of major brands and Natural Retail Stores.

HealthESavers.com
HealthESavers.com provides valuable printable coupons from all natural brands for food, groceries, natural remedies, natural beauty, nutritional supplements and pets at their website:

HealthESavers
HealthESavers printables (Coordinated with Living Naturally and Eating Well)
contact HealthESavers

EatingWell.com
Additional offers, and usually different coupons, are also available from the Eating Well websites. Eating Well Magazine offers:

Eating Well Magazine
Eating Well Printables from HealthESavers
Eating Well e-Newsletters:

EatingWell This Week

EatingWell Diet

EatingWell for Health

HealthESavers Coupons

EatingWell Store

Natural Market Health-E-Savers coupon sites
Health-E-Savers coupons can also be printed from the following natural market sites:

Please note that different sites offer different coupons, and not all offers are available from all sites. You can sign up for the e-Newsletter for the Natural Markets in your area to receive weekly or monthly updates on new coupon offers available to print, or simply check back regularly.

Health E Savers – The Andersons Market
Health E Savers – Arbor Farms
Health E Savers – B-Healthy
Health E Savers – Back to Earth Foods
Health E Savers – Blue Moon Market
Health E Savers – Clark’s Nutrition
Health E Savers – Clintwood Healthy U
Health E Savers – David’s Natural Market
Health E Savers – Eating Well
Health E Savers – The Genesis Store
Health E Savers – Good Earth Natural Foods
Health E Savers – Health Concepts
Health E Savers – Health Habit
Health E Savers – Healthway Natural Foods
Health E Savers – Ike`s Farmers’ Market
Health E Savers – Island Health Foods
Health E Savers – LifeSource Natural Foods
Health E Savers – Mango’s Market
Health E Savers – Martindale’s Natural Market
Health E Savers – MOM’s – My Organic Market
Health E Savers – Nature’s Cupboard
Health E Savers – Nature’s Oasis
Health E Savers – New Leaf Community Markets
Health E Savers – Nutrition S’Mart
Health E Savers – Pilgrim’s Market
Health E Savers – Plum Market
Health E Savers – Rainbow Blossom Natural Foods
Health E Savers – Rainbow Foods
Health E Savers – Raisin Rack Natural Food Market
Health E Savers – The Real Food Company
Health E Savers – Richard’s Whole Foods
Health E Savers – Rising Tide Community Market
Health E Savers – Scarsdale Eastchester
Health E Savers – Second Nature Markets
Health E Savers – Sevananda
Health E Savers – Sherry’s The Healthy Gourmet
Health E Savers – Sunflower Farmers Markets
Health E Savers – Sunrise Health Foods
Health E Savers – VitaminLife.com
Health E Savers – Whole Foods Cooperative
Health E Savers – Wind River Mercantile

The following pages provide specific information for buying and storing fresh vegetables and extending the shelf lives by freezing, canning, or drying, including

• when to buy/ when it’s in season
• what qualities, colors, and aromas to look for
• what the major difference is in organic growing
• pesticide contamination concerns
• how to store
• how to freeze
• basic shelf lives

Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Beans, dry
Beans, green beans, wax beans, and snap beans
Beans, lima, butter, and pinto beans
Beets
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Butter Beans
Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Celery Root or Celeriac
Chicory, Endive, Radicchio, Escarole, and Frisee
Chile Peppers
Collard Greens
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Endive, Belgian
Fennel
Garlic
Green Beans
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuces
Lima Beans
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Parsnips
Peas
Peppers, Bell and Sweet
Peppers, Hot
Potatoes, Sweet
Potatoes, White
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Spinach
Squash, summer (soft-skinned, including Italian marrow, yellow straightneck, pattypan, zucchini)
Squash, winter (hard-skinned, such as acorn, banana, butternut, Des Moines, green and golden delicious, green and blue Hubbard)
Swiss Chard
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Turnips
Wax beans
Yams
Zucchini
Photo Source: imageMD

Return to Buying and Storage Guides Main Page

It’s the first of the month, which means it’s time to look for this month’s prescription coupons good at local grocery stores. Rite Aid, CVS, Target, to name a few, regularly print coupon offers redeemable for $10 – $50 gift cards at their stores when you fill or transfer a prescription at their pharmacy. Offers can be found online, in sales flyers, in stores, or in store magazines and brochures. These promotions are generally limited to one prescription offer every six months, and the drug store prices on the medications you need may be higher than at some other large chain pharmacies. But you might be surprised to find they open the door to even better savings at your local grocery stores.

Grocery store pharmacies have been known for having some of the highest prescription prices. These pharmacies are typically small, and their overhead costs can be high for stocking a large variety of medications and staffing the store with pharmacists and technicians. All of these factors have resulted in higher prescription prices for the consumer in the past. Now, however, these same pharmacies find themselves competing for consumers in an increasingly aggressive market. After Walmart and Target introduced bargain prices on generic prescriptions, most grocery store pharmacies followed suit.

Most grocery stores now offer discount generic prescription pricing, typically $4 for a 30 day supply, and $10 for a 90 day supply. Eligible generic medications vary between stores, but most grocery stores list between 300 and 500 qualifying prescription drugs.

A few grocery stores also offer gift card promotions or other store discounts when new prescriptions are transferred or filled. These offers, usually found in local weekly circulars, are fairly rare. However, almost all grocery stores, and even drug stores, all will honor the competing drug store coupons for these offers. Savvy consumers may just find that transferring their prescription from their usual drug store to a local grocery store with a generic savings program not only saves them up to $100 a month on the medicine, but earns them up to $50 credit at the grocery store for use on other purchases.

To find out more on generic programs or updates on these programs, check the store’s website. Listed below are links to a number of grocery stores that currently offer generic discount programs. If you are aware of others, please Email Us so we can add it to our list.

A&P
The Live Better! Plan covers up to a 90 day supply of over 400 generic medications for $9.99.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Baker’s
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Bashas Market
The discount program, offered at more than 65 Bashas’ and Food City pharmacy locations statewide, allows customers to fill their prescriptions for more than 300 generic drugs for only $3.99.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Big Y
Big Y Prescription Savings Club
http://www.bigy.com/market/phar/pharm_save_club.php
Only $9.99 for a 90 day supply on over 300 generic prescriptions
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Brookshire Brothers
$4 for 30 prescription of generic brands, or $10 for 90 days.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Buehler’s
$4 for 30 prescription of generic brands, or $10 for 90 days
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

City Market
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

D&W Food Centers
$4 for 30 day supply of generic medications
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Dierbergs
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Dillons
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Econo Foods
100 day supply of generics, $10.88
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Food Basics
The Live Better! Plan covers up to a 90 day supply of over 400 generic medications for $9.99.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Fry’s Food and Drug
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Gerbes
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Giant / SuperG
$9.99 for up to a 90-day supply of 350 of the most commonly prescribed generic medications.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Giant Eagle
$4 30 day, or $10 90 day supply of generic medications
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Hy-Vee
$4 for 30 day and $10 for 90 day generics
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Jay C
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

King Soopers
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

K-Mart
$5 generics and $10 90 day generics
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Kroger
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Marcs
400 generic medications for $3.99 for 30 days
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Pathmark
The Live Better! Plan covers up to a 90 day supply of over 400 generic medications for $9.99.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Price Chopper
Generics, $10 for 90 days
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Quality Food Centers
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Ralphs
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Sams Club
$4 for 30 day, $10 for 90 day
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Schnucks
$4 30 day, $10 90 day, and free antibiotics
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Shop Rite
90 day for $9.99
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Smith’s Food and Drug
30-day supply on hundreds of prescriptions for only $4, or get a 90-day supply for only $10.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Stater Brothers
$4 generic
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Stop & Shop
90 day generics for $9.99
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Super 1 Foods
90 day for $9.99
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

SuperFresh
The Live Better! Plan covers up to a 90 day supply of over 400 generic medications for $9.99.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

SweetBay Supermarket
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Target
$4 for 30 days, $10 for 90 days
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

The Food Emporium
The Live Better! Plan covers up to a 90 day supply of over 400 generic medications for $9.99.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Waldbaums
The Live Better! Plan covers up to a 90 day supply of over 400 generic medications for $9.99.
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list.

Walmart
$4 for 30 day, $10 for 90 day generics
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Wegmans
$4 for 30 days, $10 for 90 days, free antibiotics
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Weis
90 days, $9.99
Click here to download the qualifying generic drug list

Photo Source: P.J.M.

Comon guidelines are determined on unopened products stored under normal conditions: Room temperature is usually 60 – 70F, refrigerators are 40oF, and freezers are kept below 32F, or freezing. Once opened, or if the optimum storage conditions aren’t met, the shelf life will be less than these guidelines.

Dates indicated on product packages include:

• Sell-by: Tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
• Best if used by: Date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
• Use-by: The last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
• Closed or coded: These dates are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer.

Product dates are not the ultimate guide for the safe use of a product. Here are some additional tips on using food at top quality:

• Purchase the product before the date expires.
• If perishable, take the food home immediately after purchase and refrigerate promptly.
• Freeze products if you can’t use them within times recommended on the chart.
• Once a perishable product is frozen, it doesn’t matter if the date expires because foods kept frozen continuously are safe indefinitely.
• Follow handling recommendations on product.

If you follow these recommendations, you can use the following shelf life ranges for specific products:

APPLES
Fresh: store in the refrigerator up to three weeks
Frozen: up to 8 months
Canned: 2 – 3 years unopened
Home canned: up to 12 months

APRICOTS
Fresh: store in the refrigerator 2 – 3 days
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: 2 – 3 years
Home canned: 12 months
Dried: 6 months at room temperature, up to 12 months in freezer

ARTICHOKE, GLOBE
Fresh: refrigerate in a plastic bag with a few drops of water, use within 3 days
Frozen: Up to 6 months
Canned (hearts): 8 – 12 months

ASPARAGUS
Fresh: refrigerate in crisper or loose plastic, use within 2 days. Shelf life can be increased by periodically removing moisture that accumulates.
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: up to 12 months, some brands up to 3 years

AVOCADOS
Fresh: room temperature to ripen, then refrigerate 3 – 5 days
Frozen: up to 3 months

BACON
Fresh: refrigerate up to 7 days
Frozen: sealed, up to 1 month; the Food Marketing Institute recommends that opened bacon never be frozen.
Pouch: room temperatue up to 4 months; refrigerate or freeze for longer storage

BAKING POWDER
Shelf Life: Room temperature: up to 1 year or until expiration date
Keep dry and covered

BAKING SODA
Shelf Life: room temperature 1-2 years, keep dry and covered

BANANAS
Fresh: room temperature until ripe; shelf life can be extended by refrigerating up to 3 days, but the skins will become dark brown.
Frozen: up to 3 months
Dried: 6 – 12 months at room temperature; indefinite in freezer

BARBEQUE SAUCE, BOTTLED
Shelf life:
2 years, unopened
1 month after opening

BEANS (Green beans, Lima beans, Butter beans, Pinto Beans, Snap beans, or Wax beans)
Fresh: Refrigerate 1 – 2 days, stored in crisped or loose bags
Frozen: 6 months
Canned: 24 months

BEANS, DRY
Shelf life dry: 1 -2 years, indefinite if sealed and stored properly
Refrigerate or freeze after cooking.

BEEF
Beef cuts may be refrigerated in supermarket packaging for 1 – 3 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks; for increased storage rewrap tightly in foil or freezer wrap

Roasts and Steaks:
Fresh: refrigerate 3 – 5 days
Freeze: 6 – 12 months

Ground Beef:
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Freeze: 3 – 4 months

BEETS
Fresh: refrigerate beets and tops separately, use tops as soon as possible and beet within a week
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: up to 2 years

BELL PEPPERS
Fresh: refrigerate 3 -5 days
Frozen: up to 6 months
Jars, Roasted: 6 – 12 months at room temperature

BERRIES
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Freeze: 8 – 12 months
Canned: 1 year

BISCUIT, REFRIGERATED DOUGH
Fresh: refrigerate, use by the “use-by” date on the package, usually within 2 weeks
Unfrigerated: use within two hours
Freeze: not recommended by the manufacturers
Freeze baked biscuits for up to one month

BLUEBERRIES
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Freeze: 8 – 12 months
Canned: 12 months

BOUILLON CUBES OR GRANULES
Shelf life: 2 years
Tips: keep dry and covered

BREADS and BREAD DOUGH

Yeast breads
Fresh: store at room temperature, cool and dry, 5 – 7 days
Refrigerate: will limit formation of mold, but bread will go stale more quickly.
Frozen: up to 3 months if tightly wrapped

Quick Breads
Fresh: refrigerate, tightly wrapped, up to 7 days
Frozen: up to 3 months

Quick Bread Mix:
Shelf life: up to 2 years, use by “best if used by date” for best quality
After this date, the mix is still safe to use and consume, but there may be changes in product flavor, volume, or texture.

BREAD CRUMBS, DRIED
Shelf life: 4 – 6 months

BREAD DOUGH AND BISCUITS, REFRIGERATED
Fresh: refrigerate, use by the “use-by” date on the package, usually within 2 weeks
Unfrigerated: use within two hours
Freeze: not recommended by the manufacturers
Freeze baked bread or biscuits for up to one month

BREAD and BISCUITS “OVEN BAKED”, Frozen
Keep Frozen. If stored in the refrigerator, use within 24 hours or discard.
Once baked, they can be stored in the freezer for up to one month.

BREAKFAST MIX, INSTANT BREAKFAST, PROTEIN SHAKE POWDERS
Shelf life: 6 months

BROCCOLI
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Frozen: up to 6 months

BROWNIE MIX
Shelf life: 9 months

BROWNIES
After baking, brownies may be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Frozen: up to 6 months

BUTTER
Fresh: refrigerate up to 3 months
Freeze: up to 9 months

BUTTERMILK
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 weeks; will keep several days past expiration date on package.
Freeze: no recommended

CABBAGE OR CHINESE CABBAGE
Fresh: refrigerate in crisper or plastic bag, use within 2 weeks
Frozen: up to 6 months.
Packaged cabbage/cole slaw shreds (such as Fresh Express) may be frozen directly in the bag for later use in soups and recipes, for up to 2 months; place in freezer packaging for longer storage.

CAKES
Fresh: 2 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the refrigerator
Frozen: 4 – 6 months unfrosted, 2 – 3 months if frosted

Cakes with whipped cream frosting or cream filling must be stored in the refrigerator.
Cakes with custard or fruit filling should not be frozen, as they become soggy when thawing.

CAKE MIX
Shelf life: two years, longer if ingredients are stable

CASSEROLES, MEAT & GRAVY
Refrigerate: 3 to 4 days
Freeze: 2 to 3 months

CASSEROLE MIX (Hamburger Helper, Campbell’s Supper Bakes, etc)
Shelf life: 9 – 12 months

CARROTS
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 weeks, chill in ice water to crispen if needed
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: up to 2 years
Dehydrated/Dried: up to six months, or freeze indefinitely

CATSUP OR KETCHUP
Shelf life: unopened, 12 months
Shelf life: opened, 1 month

CAULIFLOWER
Fresh: refrigerate 3 – 5 days
Frozen: up to 6 months

CEREALS

ready to eat (Cold)
Shelf life: unopened, 6 – 8 months
Shelf life: opened, 2 months
Tips: freezing extends shelf life indefinitely. close tightly or transfer to plastic container after opening

hot, dry mix (grits, cream of wheat, cream of rice, etc)
Shelf life: 12 months

CELERY
Fresh: one week
Frozen: six months (will become soft, but okay for baking, casseroles, soups etc)

CHEESE

Hard cheeses (Cheddar, Edam, Swiss):
(The harder the cheese, the longer it will keep without deteriorating).
Unopened hard and wax-coated cheeses: refrigerate for 3 – 6 months.
Opened: refrigerate up to 3 – 4 weeks
Freeze up to 3 months

Grated Hard Cheeses: Parmesan, Romano
Unopened: store at room temperature up to 6 months
Opened: Refrigerate 2 – 3 weeks
Freeze up to 3 months

Soft cheeses:
cream cheese and Neufchatel: 2 weeks,
Cottage and ricotta: up to 5 days.
Ripe Brie or Camembert: used immediately, within 2 days
Freeze up to 3 weeks

American cheese food
Unopened: store at room temperature up to 6 months
Opened: Refrigerate 2 – 3 weeks
Freeze up to 3 months

CHEESECAKE
Fresh: refrigerate 3 – 7 days
Frozen: 4 – 6 months

CHERRIES
Fresh: refrigerate 2 – 3 days
Frozen: 8 – 12 months
Canned: 3 years
Home canned: 6 months
Dried: 3 months at room temperature, or indefinitely in the freezer

CHILI SAUCE
Shelf life: unopened, 24 months
Shelf life: opened, 1 month
Refrigerate to extend shelf life

CHOCOLATE

chips and baking
Shelf life: 18 months
Tips: keep cool, but do not refrigerate or freeze

Chocolate Syrup
Shelf life: unopened, 2 years
Shelf life: opened, 6 months

Cocoa Mixes
Shelf life: 8 months

CLAMS
Fresh: refrigerate to up 7 days, do not use if liquid is frothy
Frozen: 3 – 4 months
Canned: 2 years

COCONUT
Fresh: store unprepared in the refrigerator for up to 1 week
Fresh: store raw coconuts shreds in the refrigerator 1 – 2 days
Pre-packaged/bagged/prepared: 12 months, unopened, freeze indefinitely

COFFEE
Shelf life at room temperature:

• cans, unopened: 2 years
• cans, opened: 2 weeks
• instant, unopened: 2 years
• instant, opened: 2 weeks
• fresh whole bean, unopened: 2 weeks

Shelf life in refrigerator or freeze: refrigeration or freezing extends the shelf life significantly. Some people believe that the flavor is altered once refrigerated or frozen.

COFFEE CREAMER, IMITATION (Coffeemate, Cremora, International Delight, etc.)

Liquid:
Store: refrigerate up to 3 weeks.
Freeze: see package

Powder:
Shelf life at 70F: unopened, 9 months
Shelf life at 70F: opened, 6 months

COOKIES
Fresh:
Homemade: 2 days – 3 weeks, highly variable depending upon the type (crisp, moist, bar, drop, etc).
Packaged: (grocery store items), shelf life at room temperature: 2 months

Frozen: up to six months, baked

COOKIE DOUGH:
Refrigerated, unopened: until expiration date
Refrigerated, opened: use within one week
Frozen: 2 – 6 months unbaked
Baked: freeze up to 6 months

COOKIE MIX
shelf life at 70F: 9 – 12 months

CORN
Fresh: refrigerate, use within 2 days
Frozen: 6 months
Canned: 24 months

CORNMEAL
Shelf life at 70F: 4 – 6 months

CORNSTARCH
Shelf life at 70F: 18 months
Tips: seal tightly. Moisture can cause lumps to form

CRACKERS
Shelf life at 70F: 3 months, sealed

CRANBERRIES
Fresh: 2 -3 days
Frozen: up to 2 years
Canned: 1 – 3 years
Dried: 6 – 12 months at room temperature, indefinitely in the freezer

CREAM OR CREAMER

Cream, Light or half and half:
Refrigerator:
Unopened, 4 weeks
Opened, 1 week

Cream or heavy whipping cream:
Refrigerator: 1 week
Frozen: can be frozen for up to 2 weeks; whipped cream may not ‘whip’ after thawing but is safe to use

Coffee Whitener/Imitation Creamer (liquid)
Store: refrigerate up to 3 weeks.
Freeze: see package

Coffee Whitener/Imitation Creamer (powder)
Shelf life at 70F: unopened, 9 months
Shelf life at 70F: opened, 6 months

CUCUMBERS
Fresh: refrigerate up to 5 days
Frozen: up to 6 months

CURRANTS
Fresh: 2 – 3 days in refrigerator
Frrozen: up to 6 months
Canned: 1 – 3 years
Dried: up to 6 months at room temperature, freeze indefinitely

DATES:
Fresh: several days
Frozen: indefinitely
Dried: room temperature indefinitely, can easily be frozen indefinitely

DOUGHNUTS, DANISH, PASTRIES
Fresh: 1 – 3 days
Frozen: 3 months

EGGS
Fresh: store in the refrigerator-
In shell: 2 – 5 weeks, organic may have longer freshness dates
Fresh yolks or whites: 4 days
Boiled in shell, hard boiled: 2 weeks

Frozen:Whole eggs: blend yolks and whites, store up to 12 months
Boiled: remove shells, freeze up to 12 months

EGGPLANT
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Frozen: up to 3 months

EVAPORATED MILK
Canned (evaporated or condensed): store room temperature up to 1 year
Canned, opened: refrigerate and use within 7 days

EXTRACTS (bottled)
Shelf life at 70F: 4 years

FENNEL
Fresh: refrigerate 2 – 5 days
Frozen: up to 6 months

FIGS
Fresh: use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days
Frozen: up to 1 year
Dried: room temperature up to 4 months, or freeze indefinitely

FISH
Fresh: refrigerate and use within one day
Frozen Fillets and steaks from lean fish: 6 months
Frozen Fillets and steaks from Fat fish: up to 3 months
Breaded frozen fish products: up to 3 months
Canned: up to 4 years
Pouch: up to 3 years

FLOUR
White Flour Shelf life at 70F: 6 – 12 months
Whole Wheat Flour Shelf life at 70F: 6 – 8 months
Flour may be refrigerated for up to 2 years

FOOD COLORING
Shelf life at 70F: 4 years

FRANKFURTERS
Fresh: refrigerate up to 1 week
Frozen: 2 – 3 months for best flavor and texture

FROSTING
Fresh: refrigerate up to 2 weeks
Canned: unopened 8 months
Canned: opened, refrigerate up to 2 weeks

FRUIT, GENERAL
Fresh: 1 – 2 days in refrigerator; refer to specific fruits for individual requirements
Frozen: up to 12 months; citrus fruits up to 6 months
Canned, commercial: up to 3 years unopened. Once opened, refrigerate up to 2 weeks
Canned at home: up to 1 year is recommended.
Dried: up to 6 months at room temperature, indefinitely if frozen

FRUIT JUICE
Fresh: 3 weeks unopened, 7 – 10 days after opening
Frozen: 8 – 12 months

GARLIC
Fresh, unpeeled: up to six months if kept dry
Fresh, peeled: refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 year
Dried/powder: store at room temperature up to 3 years

GELATIN
Shelf life at 70F: 18 months
Dry flavored mix: 24 months
see also Jell-O

GINGER
Fresh: refrigerate up to 3 weeks
Freeze: up to two months
Dried: up to 2 years
Crystallized: up to 3 months at room temperature, can be frozen indefinitely

GRAPEFRUIT
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 weeks
Freeze: up to 3 months
Canned at home: 3 – 6 months
Canned commercially, up to 3 years
Dried peel: 6 – 12 months at room temperature, indefinitely in freezer

GRAPES
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 weeks
Frozen: 6 – 12 months
Canned: 1 – 3 years
Dried (raisins): up to 4 months at room temperature, freeze indefinitely

GRAVY
Fresh: refrigerate up to 3 days
Freeze: up to 3 months
Canned (commercial): store at room temperature up to 12 months

GRAVY MIX
Store: at room temperature up to 6 – 12 months

HAM

Ham, Whole
Refrigerate: 7 days
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

Ham, Half or Slices
Refrigerate: 3 to 5 days
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

Ham, Canned-Opened
Refrigerate: 3 to 5 days
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

Ham, Canned-Unopened
Freeze: 6 to 9 months

HERBS
Fresh: 3 – 4 days, refrigerated
Dried: 1 – 3 years
Frozen: not recommended, freezing accelerates the loss of flavor and aroma

HONEY
Shelf life at 70F: indefinite, keep tightly sealed
Refrigerate is not recommended
Honey will darken with age, but does not spoil.

HORSERADISH SAUCE
Shelf life at 70F: 12 months

HOT DOGS

Beef and/or Pork:
Fresh: refrigerate up to 1 week
Frozen: 2 – 3 months for best flavor and texture

Chicken and/or Turkey:
Fresh: sealed package should be refrigerated and stored up to the use by “date” on package, use within 3 days of opening
Frozen: 2 months

Corn Dogs: refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months

ICE CREAM
Freeze: up to 1 month in store container; up to 1 year if repackaged or over wrapped to resist moisture vapor.

JELL-O GELATIN
Fresh: refrigerate up to 3 days after preparation
Sugar free, Fresh: Refrigerate up to 2 days, may become watery.

JELLIES, JAMS
Store: unopened 12 – 24 months, refrigerate after opening

KETCHUP
Shelf life at 70F: unopened, 12 months
Shelf life at 70F: opened, 1 month
Tips: refrigerate to extend shelf life

KIWI or KIWIFRUIT
Fresh: up to 2 weeks

KOHLRABI
Fresh: refrigerate up to 3 days
Frozen: up to 6 months

LAMB -— CHOPS, ROASTS, STEAKS, GROUND
Fresh: refrigerate 3 – 5 days
Frozen: 6 – 9 months

LEEKS
Fresh: refrigerate 3 – 5 days
Frozen: up to 6 months

LEMONS
Fresh: refrigerate up to 3 months
Canned, home: 3 – 6 months
Canned, commercial: up to 3 years
Dried peels: 6 – 12 months at room temperature, indefinite in freezer

LETTUCE, OTHER SALAD GREENS
Crisp head lettuces: refrigerate up to 5 days
Loose leaf and baby green lettuces: refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Tips: Organic lettuces generally have a longer storage life, up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

LIMES
Fresh: refrigerate up to 3 months
Canned, home: 3 – 6 months
Canned, commercial: up to 3 years
Dried peels: 6 – 12 months at room temperature, indefinite in freezer

LOBSTER (SHELLED OR NOT)
Fresh, raw: refrigerate 1 -2 days
Fresh, cooked: refrigerate up to 4 days after cooking
Frozen, raw: up to 4 months
Frozen, cooked: up to 2 months

LOQUATS
Fresh: 1 – 2 days
Frozen: 3 months
Canned: up to 1 year

LUNCHEON MEATS
Luncheon Meats- Opened
Refrigerate: unopened up to 14 days, opened up to 3 to 5 days
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

MANGOES
Fresh: 1 – 2 weeks at room temperature, refrigerate once ripe 1 -2 days
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: up to 3 years
Dried: 12 months at room temperature, up indefinitely frozen

MARGARINE
Store: refrigerate up to 2 months
Freeze: sticks up to 6 – 12 months; soft spread margarine should not be frozen

MARSHMALLOWS
Shelf life: 2 – 3 months, keep air tight
Freezer: keep sealed away from moisture, will keep indefinitely

MARSHMALLOW CREME
Shelf Life: 2 – 3 months

MAYONNAISE
Shelf life at 70C: unopened, 2 months or longer, check expiration dates.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate after opening, up to 2 months
Freezer: not recommended.

MELONS
Fresh: room temperature, refrigerate up to 3 weeks. Store separately from other sensitive produce. Once cut open, use within 2 -3 days
Frozen: 8 – 12 months

MILK

Fresh, conventional: refrigerate up to 7 days, usually fresh up to 3 days after the “sell by” date listed on the carton.
Fresh, organic: refrigerate up to 2 months, usually fresh up to 1 week after the “sell by date” listed on the carton
Frozen: not recommended, may become watery.

Canned (evaporated or condensed): store room temperature up to 1 year, once opened, refrigerate and use within 7 days

MOLASSES
Shelf life at 70F: unopened, 2 years
Shelf life at 70F: opened, 6 months

MUFFINS
Fresh: 1 – 2 days at room temperature, or refrigerate up to 7 days
Frozen: 2 – 3 months, if sealed tightly

MUFFIN MIX
Shelf life at 70F: 9 – 12 months
Safe to use after the “best if used by date” but may be changes in quality or texture

MUSTARD
Squeeze bottles: store at 70F unopened for up to 12 months, up to 4 months after opening
Glass bottles: store at 70F unopened up to 18 months, up to 6-8 months after openi
Packets unopened, 70F: 6 months

Refrigeration: Dijon & Horseradish Mustard should be refrigerated after opening to preserve heat and distinct flavor. Refrigeration is not required for food safety of mustards.

MUSHROOMS, WHITE
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: up to 12 months

NECTARINES
Fresh: ripen at room temperature, refrigerate 3 – 5 days after ripening
Frozen: 8 – 12 months
Canned: 1 – 4 years
Dried: 6 – 12 months at room temperature, indefinite in freezer

NUTS
Fresh in shell: 4 months
Jars and cans: up to 1 year unopened, 1 -2 weeks after opening
Refrigerate up to four weeks
Freeze: up to 2 years

OKRA
Fresh: refrigerate 1 -2 days
Frozen: 6 months

OLIVES
Fresh: 1 – 2 months in refrigerator after curing
Canned: 1 year, refrigerate after opening
HOME CANNING is not recommended

OLIVE OIL
Classic, 70F: 20 months
Extra Light, 70F 20 months
Extra Virgin, 70F: 17 months

Shelf life of olive oil is variable, so smell and taste product to confirm freshness.

ONIONS
Fresh: keep cool and dry, with good air circulation, for several months. Do not refrigerate
Frozen: up to 6 months
Dried/Dehydrated: up to 6 months; freeze for indefinite storage

ORANGES
Fresh: store at room temperature 3 days, or refrigerate up to 2 months
Canned, home: 3 – 6 months
Canned, commercial: up to 3 years
Dried peels: 6 – 12 months at room temperature, indefinite in freezer

PANCAKES
Fresh: 1 – 2 days at room temperature, or refrigerate up to 7 days
Frozen: 2 – 3 months, if sealed tightly

PANCAKE MIX
Shelf life at 70F: 6 – 9 months

PAPAYAS
Fresh: ripen at room temperature, store refrigerated 3 – 4 days
Frozen: 6 months
Canned: 2 years
Dried: 6 months, or freeze indefinitely

PARSNIPS
Fresh: refrigerate up to 2 weeks
Frozen: 6 months

PASTA
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days or freeze
Frozen: up to 30 days, longer if package is well insulated
Dried, regular: 1 – 2 years room temperature
Dried, egg noodle: 6 months at room temperature
Cooked: toss with oil to coat and seal, store for up to 2 days in refrigerated, or 1 month in freezer

PEACHES
Fresh: store at room temperature. Once ripened, use immediately or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Frozen: 6 – 12 months
Canned: 8 – 12 months home canned, 4 years commercially canned
Dried: 6 – 12 months, freeze for indefinite storage

PEANUT BUTTER
Shelf life at 70F: unopened, 6 – 12 months
Shelf life at 70F: opened, 2 – 3 months

PEARS
Fresh: ripe at room temperature, refrigerate up to 5 days
Frozen: 8 – 12 months
Canned: 1 year home canned, 2 years commercially canned
Dried: 6 months, or freeze for indefinite storage

PEAS
Fresh: refrigerate, use within 2 days
Frozen: 6 months
Canned: 2 years
Refrigerate opened canned peas and use within 2 days

PECTIN
Shelf life at 70F: 12 months

PEPPERS, Red or Sweet
Fresh: refrigerate 3 -5 days
Frozen: up to 6 months
Jars, Roasted: 6 – 12 months at room temperature

PERSIMMONS
Fresh: store at room temperature until ripe, use immediately
Frozen: pulp may be frozen up to 1 year

PESTO
Fresh: Cover with olive oil and refrigerate up to 2 weeks
Jar/Canned: up to 12 months

PICKLES
Shelf life at 70F: 12 months; refrigerate after opening

PIE

Fruit Pie:
Fresh: room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 7 days
Frozen: up to 4 months

Custard or Cream pies:Fresh: refrigerate up to 2 days
DO NOT FREEZE

Nut Pies/Pecan pies:
Fresh: room temperature up to 2 days, refrigerate up to 7 days
Frozen: up to 4 months

Unbaked Pies:
Fruit pies may be frozen before baking, up to 2 weeks

Quiche:
Fresh: refrigerate up to 2 days

PIE CRUST, REFRIGERATED DOUGH
Fresh: store up to 1 week, see USE BY date on packaging
Frozen: unbaked, freeze up to 2 months

PIE CRUST MIX
Shelf life: up to 9 months, use by “best if used by date” for best quality

PINEAPPLE
Fresh: room temperature or refrigerate 1 – 2 days. Will not ripen on standing
Frozen: 8 – 12 months
Canned: 12 months (commercial)
Dried: 6 – 12 months at room temperature. Freeze dried fruit for indefinite storage.

PIZZA DOUGH
Fresh: use by date on packaging
Frozen: use by date on packaging
Once baked, freeze pizza dough up to 1 month.

PLUMS and PRUNES
Fresh: ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate up to 5 days
Frozen: 8 – 12 months
Dried: 6 months

POMEGRANATES
Fresh: keep for several weeks at room temperature, or up to 1 month in the refrigerator
Frozen: 6 – 12 months

POPCORN
Microwave packets: Store unopened on shelf for 12 months
Jar/kernel: Store unopened on shelf for 2 years
Pre-popped: unopened room temperature 2 -3 months, 1 -2 weeks after opening

PORK

Pork Roasts
Refrigerate: 3 to 5 days
Freeze: 6 to 12 months

Pork Chops
Refrigerate: 3 to 5 days
Freeze: 4 to 8 months

Ground Pork & Stew Meat
Refrigerate: 1 to 2 days
Freeze: 3 to 4 months

Pork Sausage
Refrigerate: 1 to 2 days
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

Variety Meats
Refrigerate: 1 to 2 days
Freeze: 3 to 4 months

See also Ham, Bacon, Frankfurters, Sausage, Luncheon Meats

POTATOES, WHITE or SWEET
Fresh: store in a cool dark dry place 2 – 4 weeks, longer if conditions are suitable
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: up to 2 years
Dried/Dehydrated/Instant: room temperature up to 3 months, can be frozen indefinitely

PUDDING
Fresh: Prepared pudding can be refrigerated up to two days.
Ready to Eat refrigerated pudding should be used within the “use by date” on the package.

PUDDING MIX
Shelf life at 70F: 6 – 12 months

PUMPKIN
Fresh: store in cool dry location up to 1 month
Frozen: up to 3 months
Canned: up to 12 monthsStore opened canned pumpkin in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

POULTRY
Fresh: Refrigerate 1 – 2 days
Frozen: whole – 1 year, pieces – 9 months, giblets – 3 months
Ready to use portions: freeze up to 9 months

QUINCE
Fresh: store at room temperature until ripe, refrigerate up to 2 weeks away from apples and pears

RAISINS
Store up to 4 months at room temperature, freeze indefinitely

RICE

White Rice (regular or enriched), uncooked
Shelf life at 70F: room temperature 1 – 2 years or more
Freezer: indefinitely
Cooked: Refrigerate up to 6 days, freeze up to 6 months

Brown, uncooked
Shelf life at 70F: Store at room temperature up to 6 months
Refrigerator or Freezer: up to 18 months
Cooked: Refrigerate up to 6 days, freeze up to 6 months

Instant Rice
Shelf life: white, indefinite at room temperature
Shelf life: brown, one year; longer if refrigerated

RICE MIX
Shelf life at 70F: 6 -18 months
Freeze: up to 18 months

RHUBARB
Fresh: refrigerate 3 – 5 days
Frozen: 8 – 12 months

SALAD DRESSING
Bottled:
unopened, room temperature 10 – 12 months
Opened: refrigerate for up to 2 weeks

SALAD DRESSING MIX
unopened: room temperature up to 8 months
Prepared: refrigerate up to 2 weeks

SALAD OIL/VEGETABLE OIL
Shelf Life at 70F: unopened, up to 24 months
Once opened, store at room temperature up to 3-12 months

Tips: Certain oils are more delicate, and become rancid quickly. Refrigeration is not necessary, but store in a cool, dark place in a tightly sealed container.

SAUCE MIX
Shelf life at 70F: 6 – 12 months

SAUSAGE, SMOKED, DRY AND SEMI-DRY SAUSAGE

Sausage, fresh, Pork
Refrigerate: 1 to 2 days
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

Sausage, Smoked
Refrigerate: 7 days
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

Sausage, Semi-dry & Dry
Refrigerate: 2 to 3 weeks
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

Summer Sausage-Opened
Refrigerate: 3 weeks
Freeze: 1 to 2 months

Summer Sausage-Unopened
Refrigerate: 3 months

Pepperoni, Sliced
Refrigerate: 2 to 3 weeks

SCALLOPS
Fresh: Refrigerate 1 to 2 days, or freeze 3 to 4 months
Frozen: commercially frozen scallops can be frozen up to 18 months if properly frozen

SHORTENING
Can, unopened, store up to 2 years at room temperature.
Once opened, the canned shortening will remain fresh up to 12 months

Sticks, sealed, store up to 2 years at room temperature.
Once opened, shortening sticks remain fresh up to 6 months

SHRIMP
Fresh: refrigerate and use within 2 days or freeze 3 – 6 months
Frozen: commercially frozen shrimp can be frozen up to 18 months if properly stored

SOUP
Fresh vegetable: refrigerate up to 7 days, or freeze up to 4 months
Fresh with Meat: Refrigerate 3 to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months
Fresh Meat Broth: Refrigerate 1 to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months
Canned: unopened up to 12 months, refrigerate up to 7 days after opening

SOUP MIX
Shelf Life at 70F: up to 12 months

SOUR CREAM
Store sour cream in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks (manufacturer recommendation).

SPICES AND SEASONINGS
whole spices and seeds: 3 – 4 years
ground spices: 2 – 3 years
leafy herbs: 1 -3 years
seasoning blends: 1 – 2 years

SPINACH
Fresh: refrigerate 1 – 2 days, or freeze up to 6 months
Frozen: 6 months
Canned: 1 year

SQUASH, SUMMER (soft-skinned, such as Cocozelle, Crookneck, Pattypan, Straightneck, White Scallop, Zucchini)
Fresh: refrigerate and use within 7 days
Frozen: up to 6 months

SQUASH, WINTER (hard-skinned, such as Acorn, Banana, Buttercup, Butternut, Golden Delicious, Hubbard, Spaghetti)
Fresh: store at room temperature and use within 3 weeks
Frozen: up to 6 months

SUGAR
Brown, Shelf life at 70F: 4 months
Confectioners or Powdered. Shelf life at 70F: 18 months
Granulated. Shelf life at 70F: 2 years

SWEET POTATOES
Fresh: store in a cool dark dry place 2 – 4 weeks, longer if conditions are suitable
Frozen: up to 4 months
Canned: up to 2 years

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK
Canned (evaporated or condensed): store room temperature up to 1 year
Canned, opened: refrigerate and use within 7 days

SYRUPS
Shelf life at 70F: 12 months

TARTAR SAUCE
Shelf life at 70F: 12 months

TEA
Bags Shelf life at 70F: 18 months
Instant Shelf life at 70F: 3 years
Loose Shelf life at 70F: 2 years

TOASTER PASTRIES
Shelf life at 70F: 2 – 3 months

TOFU
Fresh: 1 week in the refrigerator
Frozen: up to 5 months

TOMATOES
Fresh: ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate up to 2 days
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: up to 12 months
Dried: 3 months at room temperature, or indefinite if stored frozen

TOMATO SAUCE
Canned: up to 24 months

TOMATO PASTE
Canned: up to 24 months

TORTILLAS
Fresh: 1 week
Frozen: 3 months

TURKEY
Fresh: refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months
Frozen: up to 3 months

TUNA, canned
Canned: up to 4 years at room temperature
Pouch: up to 3 years at room temperature
Once opened, refrigerate up to 3 days or repackage and freeze up to 3 months

TURNIPS OR PARSNIPS
Fresh: use tops as soon as possible, store turnips or parsnips in the refrigerator for up to 7 days
Frozen: 3 months

VEGETABLES, GENERAL
Fresh: 1 – 2 days in refrigerator; refer to specific vegetables for individual requirements
Frozen: 6 – 12 months
Canned, commercial: up to 3 years unopened. Once opened, refrigerate up to 3 days
Canned at home: up to 6 months is recommended.
Dried: store up to 6 months

VANILLA EXTRACT
Shelf life at 70F:
unopened, 2 years
opened, 12 months

VINEGAR
Shelf life at 70F, unopened:

• Apple Cider Vinegar: 18 Months
• Distilled White Vinegar: 42 Months
• Malt Vinegar: 24 Months
• Salad Vinegar: 42 Months
• Tarragon Vinegar: 30 Months
• Wine Vinegar: 18 Months

Use within one year of opening

WHIPPING CREAM
Fresh: Refrigerate up to 7 days unopened.
Frozen: Sweetened whipped cream, but product may not “whip” after freezing

WHIPPED TOPPING (cool whip)
Fresh: refrigerate up to 2 weeks
Frozen: 2 – 3 months
Thaw and refreeze up to 5 times

YAMS
Fresh: store in a cool dark dry place 2 – 4 weeks, longer if conditions are suitable
Frozen: up to 6 months
Canned: up to 2 years

YEAST
Shelf life at 70F: see package expiration date
Tips: refrigerate to extend shelf life

YOGURT
Fresh: refrigerate up to 45 days
Probiotic products may have shorter storage life, and should not be frozen

WAFFLES
Fresh: 1 – 2 days at room temperature, or refrigerate up to 7 days
Frozen: 2 – 3 months, if sealed tightly

A limited supply is available, so if you want them, hurry to the Kraft Food and Family site and print! Here’s a link:

Kraft Delicious Summer Savings

Just register, or sign on to your existing Kraft account, and select any, or all, of these offers to “clip” and print.

Save $1.00
when you buy ANY ONE(1) package of GENERAL FOODS INTERNATIONAL Coffee

Save $2.00
when you buy ANY TWO (2) packages of GENERAL FOODS INTERNATIONAL Coffee

FREE* Crystal Light Skin Essentials
when you buy ANY TWO (2) Crystal Light Drink Mix Products (*Up to $3.50)

Save 50¢
when you buy ANY TEN (10) or TWO (2) 5-packs of Regular Kool-Aid Unsweetened packets

Save $1.50
when you buy 1 package of ANY 12 oz Seattle’s Best Coffee® (not valid at Seattle’s Best Coffee® café)

Save $1.50
off Tazo® filterbag tea or tea latte concentrate (coupon not redeemable at Starbucks stores)

Save $1.50
off any Starbucks coffee 10 oz. or 12 oz. bag (coupon not redeemable at Starbucks stores)

Save $1.50
when you buy ANY TWO (2) Country Time Canisters

Save $2.00
when you buy ANY TWO (2) packages of Maxwell® House Coffee (8oz. or larger)

Save $1.00
when you buy ANY ONE (1) Crystal Light Drink Mix product

Save $1.00
on NEW DIGIORNO Crispy Flatbread Pizza when you buy any ONE (1), 12-inch variety.

Save $1.00
on Any VELVEETA Shells & Cheese or KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

Save $1.00
on any TWO (2) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese bricks

Save $1.00
on Any ONE (1) WHEAT THINS variety (7.5 oz. – 10 oz.)

Save $1.00
on Any KRAFT Salad Dressing

Save $1.00
on Any ONE (1) RITZ cracker variety (13.6 oz. – 16 oz.)

Save $1.00
on any TWO (2) packages of KRAFT Singles (8 oz. or larger)

Save $1
On Any TWO (2) VELVEETA Shells & Cheese Cups

Save $1.00
On Any ONE (1) TRISCUIT variety (8 oz. – 9.5 oz.)

Save $1.00
on any TWO (2) KRAFT Natural Cheese (Shredded, Chunks or Slices)

Save $1
on the purchase of TWO (2) KRAFT® EASY MAC Cups

Save $1.00
on Any GREY POUPON Mustard

Save $1.00
on TOMBSTONE Pizza when you buy any TWO (2), 12-inch varieties.

Save $1.00
on Any ONE (1) RITZ or WHEAT THINS Toasted Chips variety (8.1 oz. or larger)

Save $.75
on any ONE (1) package of KRAFT DELI DELUXE Cheese (8 oz. or larger)

Save $1.00
on any TWO (2) packages of BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Cottage Cheese or Sour Cream (16 oz. or larger)

Save $1.00
on Any KRAFT BBQ Sauce

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on Any A.1. Steak Sauce

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on any TWO (2) packages of PHILADELPHIA Soft Cream Cheese Spread

Save $1.00
When you buy ANY TWO Kool-Aid Canisters (Sugar Sweetened or Sugar Free)

Save $1.00
on CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN Pizza when you buy any ONE (1), 12-inch variety.

Save $1.00
on the purchase of TWO (2) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping in a Can

Buy ONE (1) package of any OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh MeatOSCAR MAYER
and Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) KRAFT Cheese

Save $1.00
on Any KRAFT® MIRACLE WHIP Dressing

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on Any ONE (1) NABISCO Multi-packs (9.44 oz. – 26 oz.)

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on the purchase of any TWO (2) JELL-O Gelatin or Pudding Snacks

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on the purchase of any THREE (3) JELL-O Brand Gelatin or Pudding

Save $1.00
on any ONE (1) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product (1 lb or larger)

Save $1.00
on Any KRAFT Mayonnaise

Save $1.00
on any ONE (1) KRAFT BAGEL-FULS

Save $1.00
on the purchase of any TWO (2) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping or Dips