How Long Does Food Last in the Freezer?

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. For example, most food, including cooked meat, will be kept for a few months before quality begins to suffer. No matter how well foods are packaged, air sneaks in, and moisture gets sucked out; this results in freezer burn, negatively affecting texture and taste. This is one reason why we recommend freezing in bags instead of stiff containers. 

Below is an excellent chart for people who use the freezer often to store food for a long time. You might be surprised to find that you can freeze most foods much longer than you imagined without losing quality.

NOTE: These times assume that the freezer temperature is maintained at 0°F (-18°C) or colder. The storage times are for quality only. Frozen foods remain safe almost indefinitely.

Note: When freezing liquids or foods with liquid, be sure to leave space in the container for expansion.

Food-Freezing Tips

• To freeze or not to freeze? Foods that shouldn’t be frozen include eggs in shells and food in cans. (Once food is out of a can, it may be frozen.) Pressurized liquids also shouldn’t be frozen, as they can expand and burst.
• Freeze at 0°F (-18°C). To retain vitamin content, color, flavor, and texture, freeze items at peak freshness and store at 0°F or lower. Food stored constantly at 0°F will always be safe to thaw and eat; only quality suffers with lengthy freezer storage. (However, freshness and quality at the time of freezing will affect the condition of frozen foods.)
• Label foods for easy identification. Write the dish name/contents, number of servings (1 quart=4 servings; 1 pint=2 servings), and date on containers or bags.
• Freeze individually. To prevent sticking, spread food to be frozen (berries, hamburgers, cookies, etc.) on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid. Then, place it in plastic bags and into the freezer. Freezer burn happens when food isn’t stored properly in the freezer, causing moisture to escape and turn into ice crystals. Although the food is still edible, this coating of ice “burns” the food, causing it to have a drier texture and less flavor.
• Avoid freezer burn (ice crystals) by using plastic freezer bags instead of storage containers. You’ll often see a layer of freezer burn with ice cream. Food with freezer burn is still edible, but it has a drier texture and less flavor. 
• Freeze for guests. Most cookies freeze well and thaw quickly—a convenience when entertaining. Simply cover a plate of assorted cookies with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put it in the freezer.
• Freeze foods more quickly by placing them directly against the side of the freezer.
• Organize your freezer by food. Arrange the freezer’s contents by food category to make things easier to find and minimize the time the freezer door is open.
• Leave the freezer be. If power is interrupted or if the freezer is not operating normally, do not open the freezer door unless absolutely necessary. Food in a loaded freezer usually stays frozen for up to 2 days. 

Refreezing Foods

• Once food has thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting.
• After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. And if previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion.
• If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry, or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly and kept at 40°F or below at all times.

Effects of Freezing

If frozen for too long, the quality of some foods will suffer. Here are some examples:

• Canned ham … will become watery and soft
• Cottage cheese, sour cream, cooked eggs, yogurt, mayonnaise … texture will suffer
• Crumb toppings … will become soggy
• Fried foods … may become rancid
• Home-stuffed whole poultry on the carcass … may become contaminated due to freezing or thawing
• Lettuce, cabbage, radishes, green onions, celery … will become mushy
• Milk, cream, custard, and meringue filings … will separate
• Sauces heavy in fat … may separate or curdle
• Whipping cream … may not re-whip

If any food changes from its original color, this doesn’t mean that the food is unsafe to eat, but it’s a sign that it will not necessarily taste the same or it will lack flavor.

Learn More

Discover the best way to freeze blueberries! Plus, find out how to freeze other foods, such as cookies, corn, and spinach.

Do you have any freezer storage tips? Let us know in the comments!