Opinions differ about how long to store various frozen foods. In short, the less a food is processed (ground up, cooked, or seasoned), the longer it will keep in the freezer. Here’s a general rule of thumb regarding storage times:
Most fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, and fruit jams and jellies: one year
Fresh cuts of meat such as steaks, chops, and roasts (not ground) including those from beef, lamb, veal, venison, chicken, and turkey: one year
Fresh pork (not ground): six to eight months
Ground meats, sausages, and organ meats: three to four months
Fish and shellfish: three months
Cured meats (bacon, cold cuts, sausages): one month. These have a substantially shorter freezer life, because the salt reduces the freezing temperature, which can cause meat to go rancid.
Prepared main dishes: one to four months
Bread and pastries: less than six months
Milk, ice cream, and soft cheeses: one to two months
Butter and hard cheeses: six months
Note: After these suggested storage times, the frozen food won’t be unsafe to eat (as long as it’s been stored at the proper temperature); it just won’t be very tasty or nutritious any longer.
FREEZERS AND FREEZER FACTS
When choosing and using your freezer, there are a few things to consider:
Type of freezer (chest, upright, freezer/refrigerator). Uprights are most popular because they make it easy to see and reach all of your food. Chest freezers allow you to store more food because you can stack packages without the risk of them falling out, and they tend to be more efficient because the cold air doesn’t escape as easily as it does from an upright. The freezer compartment of your refrigerator is convenient, but it is generally small and often won’t keep foods as cold as a stand-alone freezer.
Size of freezer (3 cubic feet up to 25 cubic feet). Choose the largest size that you think you will keep full. (Full freezers run more efficiently than partially full ones.) Fifteen cubic feet is good for an average family of four.
Frost-free or manual defrost. Frost-free freezers are more convenient, but they cost more to buy and to run and can remove moisture from frozen food. Conversely, manual-defrost freezers cost less initially and are cheaper to run. Yes, you must defrost them (usually about once a year), but if you do it when the freezer is close to empty, it’s not such a burdensome task—and it’s a good chance to find some forgotten food treasures!
Placement. Freezers work best in cool, dry areas such as basements and garages.
Safety (thermometers and locks). If your freezer doesn’t have a built-in thermometer, buy one at your local hardware store and check the temperature periodically to make sure your food is at a temperature no warmer than 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Locking your freezer is always a good idea, but it’s a must if you have little ones around.
Because a freezer is a big investment, you might find it helpful to search the Web for some brand comparisons and recommendations.
If you have row after row of healthy fruits and vegetables in your backyard garden, and you plan to freeze them all, you’ll need a stand-alone freezer.
RED ALERT! FREEZER OR POWER FAILURE
One major concern with freezing food is the potential for freezer failure because of malfunction, power outage, or simply forgetting to close the door (it happens). This is a distressing thought—especially if your freezer is full, like it should be—but take heart; in most cases, the situation’s not as bad as you think. Just remember a few things: If the door has been left open, as long as the freezer continues to produce cool air, foods should be safe overnight. A full freezer should keep foods safely frozen for about two days, sometimes longer. Half full = half as long. Chest freezers stay cold longer than uprights. The freezer compartment in your refrigerator won’t stay cold as long as a dedicated freezer will.
You can also take certain precautions to prevent food loss. If you are unsure of how long your freezer will be out, take one or more of the following actions, bearing in mind that you want to keep the door closed as much as possible:
Add dry ice. A fifty-pound block of dry ice can keep an average full freezer at a safe temperature for three to four days. If the freezer is half full or less, that time will be reduced to two to three days. If you can’t find dry ice, bagged ice is an alternative—although a less-effective one—that may keep foods safe for a day or so.
If your freezer is not full, group packages together so that they retain the cold better (the same as huddling for warmth).
