Knowing how to get the best outyour freezer helps withmeal planning and avoiding food waste.
Freezing is a great way to store food. It will help you save money by planning ahead. And it will help you to cut the amount of food you waste if you get it in the freezer before it goes off.
If food is properly frozen it will stay safe to eat indefinitely, although after a time the taste and texture may suffer.
Whether you have a chest freezer or upright freezer, the principles of good freezing are the same.
What is the correct storage time and temperature for foods in my freezer?
Storage times for frozen foods differs depending on the type of food and type of freezer you have. Freezers have a star rating to let you know how long the food can safely be stored. You should check the star rating, as well as the instructions on packaged frozen food. This will allow you to work out how long you can store the packaged frozen food in your freezer. Also, be aware that freezers should ideally run at -18°C.
Freezer star ratings| * Frozen food compartment | Runs at - 6° C and should only store food for up to one week |
| ** Frozen food compartment | Runs at -12° C and should only store food for up to one month |
| *** Frozen food compartment | Runs at -18° C and should only store food for up to three months |
| **** Freezer | Runs at -18° C and is suitable for long-term storage (three months or longer) |
Food you can freeze
Please note freezer storage times are for quality only. Frozen food will remain safe indefinitely if frozen properly.
Food type | Recommended freezing time frames (if your freezer runs at -18oC) |
|---|
Uncooked meat (roasts, steaks, chops etc) | 4-12 months |
Uncooked mince meat | 3-4 months |
Cooked meat | 2-3 months |
Cured meats (ham & bacon ) | 1-2 months |
Uncooked poultry (chicken, turkey etc) | 9-12 months |
Cooked poultry | 4 months |
Fish-raw & cooked | 2-4 months |
Frozen dinners ( e.g. lasagne, pizza, shepherd’s pie) | 3-4 months |
Soups, stews and casseroles | 2-3 months |
Milk | Up to 1 month |
Butter | Up to 3 months |
Grated cheese | Up to 4 months |
Vegetables | Up to 12 months |
Fruit | Up to 6 months |
Eggs – either separate the yolk and white, or beat the eggs before freezing | Up to 6 months |
Cakes and baked goods without icing | 6-8 months |
Bread | Up to 3 months |
Raw pastry | 6 months |
Food you can't freeze
Some foods simply are not freezer friendly.
Foods with a crumb base | These can go soggy when defrosted and reheated |
Vegetables and fruits with a high water content, like lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, radishes and watermelons | These go limp and mushy |
Soft herbs, like parsley, basil and chives | These will go brown |
Egg-based sauces, such as mayonnaise | They will separate and curdle |
Milk based sauces | They will separate |
Plain yogurt, low-fat cream cheese, single cream and cottage cheese | These will go watery |
Raw eggs in their shells | These will expand and crack |
Hard-boiled eggs | These go rubbery |
Canned foods | |
Top tips for using your freezer
1. Cool the food before you freeze it
Freezing food when hot will raise the temperature of the freezer and could cause other foods to start defrosting. Dividing the food into smaller parts can speed up the cooling process.
2. Wrap the food properly or put it in sealed containers
If you do not seal your food it can get “freezer-burn”. This means that water escapes from the food and moves to the coldest part of the freezer – leaving your food dehydrated. While this affects the quality of the food, it will still be safe to eat.
3. Freeze food in realistically sized portions
You don't want to have to defrost a stew big enough to feed eight when you're only feeding a family of three.
4. Label everything you freeze
If you don’t label foods or ingredients clearly, you might not remember what they are, let alone when you froze them. Buy a blue marker for raw foods and a red marker for cooked foods. Always add the date it was frozen.
5. Check the use-by date
Do not freeze any foods after their "use-by-date", because they will not be safe to eat.
6. Don’t let ice build up
An icy freezer is an inefficient one, so make sure you defrost your freezer if ice builds up. Don't worry about the food; most things will remain frozen in the fridge for a couple of hours while the freezer defrosts.
7. If in doubt, throw it out
Freezing does not kill bacteria. If you are not sure how long something has been frozen or are a bit wary of something once defrosted, don't take any chances.
8. Follow these steps to freeze fresh vegetables
- Boil a handful of vegetables at a time for 30 sec in a pot of boiling water - this will stop them going brown when frozen.
- Scoop them out into a bowl of heavily iced water - this is called blanching.
- Once chilled, drain the veg and scatter them onto a tray lined with kitchen paper.
- Freeze them on the tray and then transfer them to a freezer bag.
- Cook the vegetables from frozen in a large pan of boiling water. Do not steam them, as they tend to go soggy.
FAQs
Use a free-standing freezer set at 0 °F or below for long-term storage of frozen foods. Keep an appliance thermometer in your freezing compartment or freezer to check the temperature. This is important if you experience power-out or mechanical problems.
What temperature should freezer be kept at _______ or lower for safe food storage? ›
The guidelines for freezer storage are for quality only—frozen foods stored continuously at 0°F (-18°C) or below can be kept indefinitely.
What should be done to help keep frozen food safe in a freezer Servsafe? ›
Pathogens can grow when food is not stored at the correct temperature. Follow these guidelines to keep food safe: Store TCS food at an internal temperature of 41°F (5°C) or lower or 135°F (57°C) or higher. Store frozen food at temperatures that keep it frozen. Do not overload coolers or freezers.
What is the recommended temperature for the storage of frozen food ______? ›
Frozen food should be stored at -18°C or colder, as this is the temperature at which the majority of bacterial growth stops. Just like fridges, this is the temperature that the food itself should be, so a freezer may need to be set to a cooler temperature as a result.
What is the healthiest way to store food in the freezer? ›
The best containers for freezing food
The key to ensuring your food tastes great after it's thawed is how you store it: Food stays freshest when it's frozen in airtight containers and thick, durable wrappings. The biggest enemies of frozen foods are air and ambient moisture.
How long should you keep food in the freezer? ›
The quality and taste of your favorite foods can be preserved in the freezer anywhere from one to 12 months at the right freezer temperature.
What temperature should foods kept in frozen storage be kept at? ›
Food that is properly handled and stored in the freezer at 0° F (-18° C) will remain safe. While freezing does not kill most bacteria, it does stop bacteria from growing. Though food will be safe indefinitely at 0° F, quality will decrease the longer the food is in the freezer.
What is the temperature of a freezer must be kept at? ›
The recommended freezer temperature to keep your food safe is at or below 0°F (-18°C), but your freezer may need to be set higher or lower depending on its environment and other factors.
What temperature does the FDA recommend for a freezer? ›
Chilling foods to proper temperatures is one of the best ways to slow the growth of these bacteria. To ensure that your refrigerator is doing its job, it's important to keep its temperature at 40 °F or below; the freezer should be at 0 °F.
What is the proper freezer storage? ›
How to Store Frozen Foods: Guidelines and Safety
- Maintain proper freezer temperature — no higher than 0°F (-18°C). ...
- Rotate and clearly date your frozen foods — first in, first out. ...
- Organize and arrange the contents of your freezer accordingly. ...
- Thaw with care, preferably at refrigerated temperatures less than 40°F.
Information. To store frozen foods at best quality, keep the freezer set to maintain zero (0 °F or -17.8 °C). Some combination refrigerator-freezers cannot keep the freezer air that cold.
What temperature should frozen food be received at? ›
What temperature should frozen food be upon delivery? In addition to watching for the warning signs listed above, you should take the temperature of frozen foods before accepting a delivery. Frozen food should be received frozen, or at 0°F (-18°C).
What is the 2 hour 4 hour rule? ›
Food held between 5oC and 60oC for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later. Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can't be put back in the fridge. Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.
What is the freezing temperature? ›
Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezing point is the temperature by which a liquid turns into a solid. When liquid water freezes, internal energy is removed from the system.
What is the safe temperature for food? ›
Keep hot food hot—at or above 140 °F. Place cooked food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers. Keep cold food cold—at or below 40 °F.
How does keeping food in a freezer avoid spoiling? ›
Freezing keeps food safe by slowing the movement of molecules, causing microbes to enter a dormant stage. Freezing preserves food for extended periods because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness.
What are the guidelines for frozen food safety? ›
How to Store Frozen Foods: Guidelines and Safety
- Maintain proper freezer temperature — no higher than 0°F (-18°C). ...
- Rotate and clearly date your frozen foods — first in, first out. ...
- Organize and arrange the contents of your freezer accordingly. ...
- Thaw with care, preferably at refrigerated temperatures less than 40°F.
Summary
- Keep high-risk food at 5 °C or below or above 60 °C to avoid the temperature danger zone and food poisoning.
- Store raw foods below cooked foods.
- Store food in suitable, covered containers.
- Avoid refreezing thawed foods.
- Check and observe the use-by dates on food products.
- Take special care with high-risk foods.
