This is a list Hally put in another thread so I thought I'd give it a thread of it's own so that it will be easier to find.For reference from
http://www.sausagemaker.com/vacuumsealers-1.aspx How long will the vacuum sealed food last?
If properly done, vacuum sealing will drastically extend the life of your food. The following are approximate shelf lives for vacuum sealed products:
Fresh Meat: To maximize product life, store fresh meat in the freezer. Fresh meat should maintain its freshness for 2-3 years. Under refrigeration alone, fresh meat should last 2-4 weeks.
Ground Meat: To maximize product life, store ground meat in the freezer. If vacuum sealed properly, this product should last for up to 1 year.
Fish: To maximize product life, store fish in the freezer. Once frozen, vacuum packaged fish will last for up to 2 years. If refrigerated, fish should last 1 week.
Fresh Produce: To maximize product life, store fresh produce in the freezer. This product may also be stored in the refrigerator, but this storage method will considerably reduce the shelf life. Vegetables, if blanched, will last in the freezer for 2 1/2 years. If refrigerated, the shelf life is reduced to 3 weeks. Fruits, if frozen, will last for up to 2 years, yet if refrigerated they should maintain their freshness for 2 weeks.
Cheese: Cheese should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage. If sealed properly, cheese will have a shelf life of approximately 6 months. Please note that if you plan open and reseal the cheese, you should start with a larger bag to allow for multiple uses.
Breads: Breads, which includes items such as cookies or crackers, may be stored at room temperature. They should maintain their freshness for up to 6 weeks.
Grains: Grains, including pasta and nuts, may be stored at room temperature. They will have a shelf-life of 1 1/2 - 2 years.
Do I have to use vacuum seal bags?
Yes. Vacuum seal bags are the only type of bag that will work properly in a vacuum sealer. The seal bar on these machines gets quite hot, and ordinary kitchen bags will melt under this kind of heat, ruining your vacuum sealer.
