Stock Up and Save at the Supermarket | Shaoxing Chocolate Chip Group Co.,Ltd

Buying beef and poultry on sale can be a great way to save money if you have the space in your freezer to store them properly. Ground beef is safe indefinitely if frozen, but the USDA says it's best to use it within four months. Raw chicken can be frozen for up to one year, while parts can last for nine months and giblets or ground chicken can stay frozen for three to four months, according to the USDA. Bodge recommends buying them in bulk, breaking them down into smaller portions and putting a date on them. "It's always a good idea to date each item and eat them within a few weeks," she says.

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If you consume a lot of cheese, milk and other dairy products, buying them on sale is a great way to save money. But if you want to stock up for the future be careful which dairy products you purchase because their shelf life varies broadly. In the freezer, hard cheese can last six months, milk about three months and yogurt between one and two months, though the texture may be affected by thawing. Shredded cheese freezes the best, cheese experts say, while soft cheese and processed cheese slices don't freeze well. In the refrigerator, hard cheese stores for six months before opening (and three to four weeks after it's opened), processed cheese slices last one to two months, soft cheese about a week and yogurt one to two weeks, according to the USDA.

Oatmeal has a lot of nutritional value and as a result is a mainstay for countless households. It also has a long shelf life, making it a perfect supermarket staple to stock up when it's on sale. Oatmeal and cereals can be stored in a pantry for six to 12 months unopened and three months after opening. White rice and dried pasta can last two years.

Donna Fuscaldo is a contributing writer and editor focusing on personal finance and health. She has spent over two decades writing and covering news for several national publications including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Investopedia and HerMoney.

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