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- Technically, frozen food will last forever if stored at 0°F. However, we’re only talking about the safety here; foods will not be dangerous to eat. However, food is all about taste. The food’s color, flavor, and texture will start to deteriorate.
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Jul 29, 2024 · How long should you keep food in your freezer? Time to clean it out? See this frozen food storage chart to find out whether you can freeze cheese, how long you can freeze chicken, how long uncooked meat keeps in the freezer, and much more.
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Feb 4, 2023 · Here’s how long you can keep food in the freezer before the quality starts to degrade.
- Overview
- Understanding expiration dates on frozen food
- How long does frozen food last past the expiration date?
- How to increase storage time for frozen food
- Signs that frozen food has gone bad
- The bottom line
Your freezer is likely packed with various foods, including vegetables, fruit, ice cream, meat, and prepared foods just waiting to be thawed and cooked.
If you notice that the date on the frozen food package has already passed, you may be wondering if that food is still safe to eat.
The good news is that you can eat frozen food that has passed its expiration date — although in some cases, the flavor, color, or texture may have decreased in quality (1).
This article explains everything you need to know about eating frozen food past the expiration date.
An expiration date is somewhat of a myth. In the United States, manufacturers can include a variety of dates on food products, but the only food that is mandated to include a product date is infant formula.
The regulations for food product dating vary by country, with some countries prohibiting the sale of foods past the product date (2, 3, 4).
Here are some types of product dates you might see on your food (2):
•“Best if used by” or “use by”: the date that the product is expected to maintain its highest quality
•“Sell by”: the date that a store should try to sell the product by so that it’s purchased while the food still has top flavor and quality
•“Freeze by”: when a food should be frozen to maintain top flavor and quality
While food is often safe to eat past its expiration date, that doesn’t mean you’ll want to eat it.
Storing certain foods too long can make them look or taste “off” due to freezer burn or drying out. To avoid food waste, get creative in how you use frozen foods that may have dried out by using them in casseroles, baked dishes, or smoothies (1).
If food has been stored improperly or allowed to reach temperatures above 0°F, it may not be safe to eat, even if the food is not expired. If a food has an “off” or rotten smell after thawing, it’s safest to toss it out (6).
Here are some steps you can take to make sure your frozen food stays safe:
•Keep a thermometer in your freezer to check that the temperature stays at 0℉.
•Avoid placing warm foods in your freezer. Always cool in the refrigerator before placing cooked items in the freezer.
Besides the food itself, the way that the food was prepared, packaged, and stored will also influence how long it will maintain its quality and freshness in the freezer (8).
Preparing, packaging, and storing food correctly keeps it from spoiling quickly by limiting air exposure and the buildup of ice crystals in the food (5).
Blanching vegetables before freezing preserves their nutritional value, color, taste, and texture. To blanch a vegetable, submerge it in boiling water for a short period of time, then quickly placed it in ice-cold water to stop the cooking process (5, 8).
Store food in vapor-resistant, airtight containers or packaging to avoid exposure to air and odors that cause off-flavors in the food (8).
Freeze food as quickly as possible to avoid the build-up of ice crystals that can cause the food to dry out when thawed. Spread food out into an even layer to freeze quickly (5).
Summary
While food that has been frozen is safe to eat (provided that it was frozen properly and in a quality state), here are some obvious signs that it has lost its quality and may have gone bad:
•Freezer burn. This happens when frozen food has been exposed to air. The food is safe to eat, but may be dry and have an undesirable texture. If only small sections of the food are freezer-burned, you can just cut off the freezer-burned portions and eat the rest (6).
•Smell. Once thawed, give food a sniff test. If it smells foul, rancid, or otherwise rotten, it’s best to toss it (6, 10).
•Texture. A mushy or slimy texture is an indicator of spoilage caused by bacteria (11).
•Color. Color is not the only indicator of spoilage since many fresh foods will change in color once frozen. Fading or darkening of a food in addition to changes in smell or texture can indicate spoilage (12).
Summary
The expiration date, or use-by date, on food helps to estimate the expected timeframe that the food will still be at its highest quality. Eating frozen food past the expiration date can be safe, but the food may no longer have the best flavor or texture.
Keeping frozen food at or below 0℉ will help maintain the quality and safety of that food for the longest amount of time.
Fridge and freezer storage. The following recommended refrigeration times are for safety, and the freezing times are for quality. If you store properly wrapped food in your freezer the quality may be maintained for longer periods of time.
FoodRefrigerator At 4 °c (40 °f) Or LowerFreezer At - 18 °c (0 °f) Or LowerBeef2-4 days10 - 12 monthsPork2-4 days8 - 12 monthsLamb2-4 days8 - 12 monthsVeal3-4 days8 - 12 monthsJul 1, 2022 · Follow these guidelines to know exactly how long you can keep every type of food in the fridge and freezer—and what to toss. Wondering how long cooked chicken lasts in the fridge, or how many months frozen beef is still safe to eat?
Sep 19, 2023 · The short time limits for home-refrigerated foods will help keep them from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. The guidelines for freezer storage are for quality only—frozen foods stored continuously at 0°F (-18°C) or below can be kept indefinitely.
Knowing how long a particular food can be stored in the freezer is not as simple as it sounds. The storage times listed below are approximate months of storage for some food products assuming the food has been prepared and packaged correctly and stored in the freezer at or below 0°F.
