One of my favorite purchases that my husband and I have made since I started couponing is my huge freezer. My freezer is stocked with cheese, chicken, fish, bread, frozen meals and so much more. The problem for me is that often I have a mentality that if something is frozen, it will last forever. That isn’t necessarily the case. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the chart and the tips below giving freezer storage “guidelines”. You might want to print this out and keep it near your freezer. And, this is also a good reminder to always note on your freezer bags the date that you put the item into your freezer. That way you can quickly decipher what needs to be used before spoiling.
Freezing Facts:
- Is frozen food safe? Food stored constantly at 0 °F will always be safe.
- Does Freezing Destroy Bacteria & Parasites? Freezing to 0 °F inactivates any microbes — bacteria, yeasts and molds — present in food. Once thawed, however, these microbes can again become active, multiplying under the right conditions to levels that can lead to foodborne illness.
- Freshness & Quality – the sooner your freeze an item, the better the quality will be when you thaw it out.
- Nutrient Retention – The freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients.
- Packaging – It is safe to freeze meat or poultry directly in its original packaging, however this type of wrap is permeable to air and quality may diminish over time
- Freezer Burn – Freezer burn does not make food unsafe, merely dry in spots.
- Freezer – Refrigerator Temperatures – Use a free-standing freezer set at 0 °F or below for long-term storage of frozen foods.
- Safe Thawing – There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave.
- Refreezing – Once food is 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 thawing.
- Power Outage in Freezer – A freezer full of food will usually keep about 2 days if the door is kept shut; a half-full freezer will last about a day.
Freezer Storage Chart Assuming Your Freezer is at 0 Degrees
Chart pictured courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
Thanks for coming to Addicted to Saving! Here’s a little bit about me so you can know who’s behind all these posts!
My name is Liza and I began my money-saving journey in the Spring of 2009 as a way to stretch a limited household income. I had lost my job and my hubby was self-employed. I launched Addicted to Saving in November of 2009 and it has grown by leaps and bounds. Since then, my hubby and I have struggled with the ups and downs of two failed adoptions and are now LOVING being parents to our little man Asher who we brought home from Ethiopia in August of 2013. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to help you save money. My goal is that you will have FUN and become empowered to save more and more money each week..
This is awesome. I worked on food storage today. I got like 20 bags of Starbucks coffee beans for $3.50 each. [The ones that are $12.00 at Starbucks.] You can usually air seal a coffee bag with a regular vacuum cleaner. I had to re-seal most of them. Most high end coffee bags come with a little circle on the front, and that is where you can stick your vacuum and it will make it air tight again. I think it is meant for C02 escape, but works great when forced with a vacuum. For the next question…I went to Gulleys an awesome discount grocery in the middle of nowhere, known as Ruskin, FL. I usually drive out there to chill out.
I have a freezer also on my back patio. A $120 investment 10 years ago and it’s still doing its job. I don’t think I’ve ever spent $120 in any better way. I used to fill it with meat. Now I have oodles of things in it since couponing took over my life in July. I love your sight and can’t tell you how much I appreciate helping me learn to save on my grocery bill.
Lisa! So great to hear you are enjoying your freezer as much as I am! I hope my freezer lasts 10+ years like yours! What an awesome investment you made 🙂 Thank you for the kind words. Please let me know if I can ever help you!
Thank you for the list. I have often asked the question what works and what doesnt work when you freeze it? I have found when freezing cheese shreaded works well and cheese that is in a block will sometimes be better as crumbles when it thaws. I have tried to freeze yogurt. It worked when i froze it in small amounts like in ice trays for smoothies. However in the tub it did not turn out too well. How bout you all any do’s and don’ts when freezing.
Thank you