Do you have something in the freezer you need to throw out?
Are your leftovers trying to kill you, or are they just a little gross? How about Dairy? Or
even coffee? Stay tuned to see what unassuming frozen items you may need to chuck in the trash!
Using leftovers or batch cooking are both great ways to stretch a meal
and to make sure there are future dinners in the freezer to heat up on a busy night.
But, they can't live in the freezer forever! Megan Byrd, of The Oregon Dietitian, said:
"Freezer meals don't last forever. [...] It's important to label and date them so you know
exactly what they are and when you made them. [...] Well-packaged freezer meals should last
at least six months in your freezer, but the general rule of thumb is about three months."
Of course, if it's unlabeled or not dated in any way, you simply don't know how old it is. So,
when in doubt, throw it out and remember to label your leftovers for next time!
It may seem like ice cubes will last forever. It's not like water can spoil,
right? While that's technically true, there are other aspects to consider.
After a long time in the freezer, even ice cubes can start smelling and tasting not so fresh.
Ice cubes will absorb the flavors of your refrigerator over time.
Rochelle Wilkinson, owner of Dirt Detectives Cleaning, told Mashed:
"The ice cubes will just clump together and after a while can
take on the taste and smell of some items in your freezer, such as onions or garlic."
So next time, take the time to clean out the tray and just make some fresh ice.
While you can safely eat most freezer-burned food, you may not really want to.
"Look under the protective ice."
"The protective ice? You've actually named the clear hard crap that sits on the top?"
For example, meat that's freezer burned looks shriveled, discolored, and dry. It also carries
a pretty peculiar smell. Melanie Musson, a food safety expert with Clearsurance, told Mashed:
"You'll learn to recognize the smell and use your
memory to identify freezer-burned food that may not look too bad."
If you freeze leftovers in a plastic container with a tight lid,
they should be okay in your frost-free freezer for a month and up to three months in a deep freeze.
While it's great to have a tub of ice cream in the freezer for when a craving hits,
that sweet treat can't hang out in the deep freeze forever.
Items like dairy do not hold up more than one to three months in a freezer.
That includes products like ice cream, milk, and yogurt. Rochelle Wilkinson told Mashed:
"When you go to thaw them to use after too long in
the freezer they will clump up and have a curdled texture."
However, there is one dairy exception that can last a pretty long time in the freezer,
and that's butter! It can stay frozen and not lose taste or texture for up to twelve months.
According to Healthline, meat can be refrozen as long as it was in the
refrigerator while it thawed. It also must be refrozen within 3 to 4 days.
That's all under the assumption that the meat was not left out of the refrigerator
for more than two hours. It's also under the assumption the meat was never in a
place for more than one hour where the temperature was more than 90 degrees.
If your meat has been safely stored in the freezer and wasn't at any point
thawed and refrozen, it should be good for about three months if it's ground meat.
If it's any other type of fresh meat, then it should be good for up to a year.
Frozen seafood can also spoil if the fish thaws during transport and is left at warm temperatures
for too long before cooking. Registered Dietician Rima Kleiner of Dish on Fish told Mashed:
"Pack your frozen seafood in an insulated bag
and keep [it] chilled on your drive home from the market."
Be sure that you don't refreeze seafood that has been thawed and avoid packages with signs
of frost or ice crystals. According to the USDA, if the fish has been safely stored,
for the best quality, you can only freeze cooked fish for up to 3 months.
Meanwhile, frozen raw fish is best used within 3 to 8 months
and shellfish should be consumed within 3 to 12 months.
Have you just picked up a big bag of your favorite coffee beans?
Some may think storing them in the freezer is a good idea, but don't fall for it.
It's better to grind those beans and then place them in an airtight container
than storing the beans whole in the freezer. According to Perfect Daily Grind,
the freezer can alter the cellular structure of the beans as the beans freeze.
Elliot Reimers, a certified nutrition coach of Rave Reviews
had this to say about storing coffee in the freezer:
"[Coffee grounds] can absorb the smell and taste of other stuff around them […] so if
they're sitting in the freezer for too long, it's better to throw them out."
Fresh produce has such a short shelf life in the fridge that it may sound like a good idea to go
with frozen instead. But how long can those frozen veggies and fruits really last in the freezer?
Turns out that they can last a pretty long time there, but not forever. Reimers revealed:
"Frozen vegetables can last for eight months in the freezer,
but if they're freezer-burned and more than three months, it's best to buy something fresh"
That's still a good amount of time to enjoy those frozen vegetables.
That said, it does serve as a reminder to take
a glance at the date on those veggies during your regular freezer cleanout.
Throwing bread in the freezer can actually be a great way to preserve it,
but it won't last forever.
"Now they're a day old! Homeless won't even touch 'em. We try to
fool 'em by putting a few fresh ones on top, but they dig. They test."
According to Kitchn, a loaf of bread can be safely stored in the freezer
once that bread has cooled completely and has been tightly wrapped in a few layers of plastic.
At that point, it can last up to six months in the freezer.
However, flavors will start to diminish after the first month!
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