Freezing Food

mancitychick

I always thought food lasted for months in a freezer, well the inside of my freezer door has a guide that for example beef can last 9 - 12 months.

However whenever I buy fresh food that says suitable for home freezing on it from Morrisons it always says freeze and use with one month. This includes fresh meat to.

Is this correct or is this just supermarket policy. Basically I find myself throwing away quite a bit of food out of the freezer as I don't use it within the month. When you buy already frozen food it doesn't say use within a month and always has a pretty far off use by date.

I'm confused

Would it be safe to use or shall I carry on putting it in the bin it (trying to train myself to actually use it within a month but it doesn't always happen)?

thriftlady_2

No don't bin it! It will be absolutely fine.

See this thread

joedenise

I freeze meat and other foods bought in supermarket for ages and haven't had a problem. Definitely don't just throw away if it's been in the freezer for more than a month. Use your sense of smell, particularly with meat, when it's defrosted.

The only thing I try and use within a month is bacon because I find that the fat gets a bit rancid if left in the freezer for much longer than that.

HTH.

Denise

BitterAndTwisted

I think the "freeze and use within a month" instructions are the retailers covering their backs as they have no control over how cold your freezer is. If food was fresh when you bought it, was frozen quite soon after purchase and has remained completely frozen it should be perfectly good to eat for YONKS.

That you've probably been chucking out perfectly edible food when you didn't need to is such a shame.

If you're not comfortable about keeping food in the freezer for extended periods you could consider defrosting it, cooking it and then re-freeze it as a meal or meals.

pelirocco

Its to do with the quality of the food , its not a health risk

mummy2jack

I don't take any notice of the labels either.. My food stays in the freezer till I am ready to use it, sometimes upto 6 months if not a little longer and I am still here

MoneyQueen

mummy2jack wrote: »

I don't take any notice of the labels either.. My food stays in the freezer till I am ready to use it, sometimes upto 6 months if not a little longer and I am still here

So am I

Moneybubbles

mummy2jack wrote: »

I don't take any notice of the labels either.. My food stays in the freezer till I am ready to use it, sometimes upto 6 months if not a little longer and I am still here

Yup, same here lol!

mancitychick

Thanks for the replies. I am cringing at all the meat I have binned because it had been in the freezer for say 7 or 8 weeks instead of recommend month

Well at least I know to ignore that now, thanks again!

doire_2

Thanks for the info everyone