I think the world comes down to 2 types of people – Those who freeze food, meat etc and those who don’t. I am a freezer-er for sure – Frozen berries for convenience, I freeze bread because I eat it occasionally but I also freeze because I cook for 6 people when in fact most of the time I only need to feed myself (how does someone cook lasagne for one?!) therefore I freeze…a lot. Digging deep into the freezer the other day I realised I have a frozen turkey (un-cooked) from Christmas, nearly 5 months, and I thought, “can I cook / can I eat this?!” After some investigation I found safely freezing food can vary a lot so here’s the 411 on freezer food and hopefully to prevent any form of self inflicted salmonella.
How long do frozen foods last? The precise answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions.
- Freeze your food in freezer-quality containers or freezer bags to keep moisture off of your food.
- Leave a small amount of space at the top of your container to allow your food to expand as it freezes. …
- When using freezer bags, squeeze as much air as you can out of the bags as possible.
Berries
About 12 months.. Properly stored, frozen mixed berries will maintain best quality for about 12 months in the freezer, although they will usually remain safe to eat after that.
Bananas
2-4 months – Peeled bananas can last for roughly three to four months, while unpeeled bananas usually last for about two months just remember to thaw before peeling bananas.
Fresh Meat
3-12 months..uncooked meat has a longer keep time then cooked meat. But it varies for all types of meat:
Mince meat: Freezes well only for 3 months
Chicken breast/steaks etc: 9 Months
Whole chickens/turkeys: 12 months (noted I have another 7 months to invite everyone around for a belated Christmas dinner)
Soups & Stews
2-3 months.. These left overs will keep for with or without meat added.
Seafood
3 months.. Fish with a higher fat content like salmon don’t have a great freeze time and also prawns. The Food Safety Gov only recommend freezing seafood for only 3 months.
Left Overs
1-6 months dependent..Meat cooked from whole pieces, eg chicken breast, can store for 2-6 months but foods such as meatballs, hamburgers etc made from mince meat last only for 1-3 months.
Also DYK that you can freeze left over pizza? I didn’t! Food safety gov says you can keep that left over pizza for your next hangover for up to 2 months.
OTHER FREEZER FACT..
What about when your food is ‘icy’ AKA freezer burn. Is that safe to eat? Food Safety Government says, “Food that has freezer burn is safe to eat, but you may find the texture and taste not to your liking.”
