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Thurston County Extension
Food Safety: Food Preserving
What you should know about freezing food
The Olympia, February 11, 1998
What do cold weather and frozen food have in common? Actually, more than you might imagine.
Freezing has been used as a preservation method since prehistoric times. Until frozen storage cabinets were invented in the late 1880’s, people used naturally occurring ice and snow to keep foods cold. In fact, Sir Francis Bacon contracted fatal pneumonia after attempting to freeze chickens by stuffing their cavities with snow.
Clarence Birdseye introduced frozen food to America in the 1930’s making all kinds of food available to us year round. The winter season is also the time when many of us begin to use frozen food that was preserved from our summer gardens or family fishing trips.
Question: How long can I keep food in the freezer?
Answer: If foods are prepared for freezing appropriately and kept in a freezer at 0 degrees F or below, they can be held for 3 to 12 months.
Fruits can retain good quality for 12 months, vegetables for 8 to 12 months, beef 8 to 12 months, and poultry 6 to 12 months. Generally speaking, sliced foods, cured foods such as ham and bacon, and foods containing larger amounts of fat lose quality more rapidly during frozen storage.
Here are some other examples of other recommended storage times:
Lean Fish: Cod & Flounder, 6 months
Fatty Fish: Salmon & Swordfish, 3 months
Shellfish : 3-4 months
Whole, beaten Eggs: 12 + months
Cakes and Cookies: 4–6 months
Ham: 4-7 months
Bacon: 3 months
There are several good ways of making certain that you use frozen food in a timely manner. All frozen food prepared at home should be labeled with the amount of food and pack date. In our home, we keep a frozen food log near the freezer so we can keep track of what goes in and what comes out. It makes quick family dinners much easier.
Question: I have several foods in the freezer that have been frozen longer than recommended. What should I do with the food?
Answer: It’s safe to eat, but the quality may not be acceptable to you and your family.
Delicate fruit and vegetables can have tissue damage as ice crystals form during the freezing process. Also, foods that contain higher amounts of fat can become rancid during storage.
Finally, many foods are susceptible to freezer burn when foods are poorly wrapped or stored for long periods of time.
B. Susie Craig
Area Faculty
Washington State University Cooperative Extension
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