[1]Homepage

Accessibility links

     * [2]Skip to content
     * [3]Accessibility Help

   [4]BBC Account
   [5]Notifications
     * [6]Home
     * [7]News
     * [8]Sport
     * [9]Weather
     * [10]iPlayer
     * [11]Sounds
     * [12]CBBC
     * [13]CBeebies
     * [14]Food
     * [15]Bitesize
     * [16]Arts
     * [17]Taster
     * [18]Local
     * [19]Three
     * [20]Menu

   [21]Search
   Search the BBC ____________________ (BUTTON) Search the BBC

   [22]Food
   ____________________ Submit (BUTTON)
     * [23]Home
     * [24]Recipes
          + [25]In Season
          + [26]Occasions
          + [27]Cuisines
          + [28]Ingredients
          + [29]Dishes
          + [30]Collections
     * [31]Budget Recipes
     * [32]Chefs
     * [33]Stories
     * [34]Diets
     * [35]Programmes
     * [36]Techniques
     * [37]Your Favourites

   ____________________ Submit (BUTTON)

How to make the most of your freezer

   The freezer can be an important extension to your store cupboard. It
   can help you fight food waste and keep you from being tempted by the
   ready-meal aisle, saving you money. On the other hand, you may recall
   throwing bags of frozen food into the bin as you puzzle over what they
   are and what year they went into the freezer. With a little
   organisation and careful labelling, you can eat well and keep your
   cool.

Does food keep in the freezer forever?

   Freezing food stops the growth of bacteria. In theory, food can be
   frozen indefinitely without going ‘off’. However, foods that are
   exposed to the air in the freezer can be affected by ‘freezer burn’,
   and fats can go rancid. Over time, the quality, taste and texture of
   all food will be affected by being frozen. Meat with a greater surface
   area, such as bacon, mince or sausages, keeps less well than large cuts
   of meat.

   The tables below are guidelines for how long foods can be frozen for
   and still taste good, but this is subjective and affected by other
   factors. The faster food is frozen, the less likely it is to become
   ice-damaged and mushy – better to freeze little and often than to add
   large quantities of unfrozen food to your freezer all at once.
   Flat-packing food in thin layers in plastic bags will help it to freeze
   faster. Keep in mind that some industrial freezing processes can extend
   the freezer life of foods, but home-frozen foods may only taste good
   for a fraction of the time.

How long does food keep for in the freezer?

   Food How long Special instructions
   Bacon 1 month
   Sausages 2 months
   Mince or cubed meat (beef, lamb, turkey) 4 months
   Whole chicken 1 year Wrap well to minimise contact with air
   Roasting joints (beef, lamb) 9-12 months
   Chops and steaks 6-9 months
   Chicken pieces (breast, leg, thigh) 6-9 months
   Oily fish fillets (salmon, mackerel) 2-3 months
   White fish fillets (cod, haddock) 6 months
   Pesto, curry paste 6 months Freeze in ice-cube trays, then store in
   bags
   Chillies, ginger (whole) 6 months Grate or chop while frozen
   Stock 6 months
   Nuts 1 year
   Unsalted butter 6 months
   Salted butter 1 year
   Cheese – firm (cheddar, mozzarella, Gruyere, emmental) 3 months Grated
   cheese can be used from frozen
   Eggs 3 months Do not freeze in shell. Freeze beaten egg in a box, or
   freeze cooked egg dishes like frittata
   Egg whites 1 year
   Milk 3-6 months Skimmed milk keeps longer than full-fat milk
   Bananas 6 months Bananas will brown in the freezer, but can be added to
   smoothies from frozen
   Berries 6 months Freeze on a tray and decant when frozen into a box/bag
   to use a few at a time
   Blanched or par-cooked vegetables (carrots, potatoes, cauliflower,
   green or broad beans) 1 year
   Cooked meals (soups, stews, etc) 3 months
   Cooked beans, grains or pulses 3months
   Cakes (un-iced) 3 months Defrost unwrapped
   Bread (loaf, slices, pitta, breadcrumbs) 3 months Slice before freezing
   to defrost in the toaster

How to make frozen food last longer

   Wrapping food well and eliminating exposure to air will help keep its
   flavour and texture. It’s tempting to throw a packet from the
   supermarket into the freezer, but you may get better results from
   rewrapping the food so there’s minimum of exposure to air. If you’re
   storing food in a resealable bag, seal the bag almost completely and
   then use a straw to suck out any air (don’t do this with raw meat,
   though!).

   By using freezer bags, you can ensure all excess air is removed, and
   they take up the minimum of space. You can wash and re-use bags. If you
   would rather use a plastic box, select one that can be filled as
   completely as possible.

   When you label a box or bag, use the table above to work out the use-by
   date, and write this on the label. This will helps you know at a glance
   what to use first and what can be left for another night.

   (Ed. Accurate labelling will also eliminate the egg-white-fish-stock
   mix-up I made when trying to make a pavlova!)

   Try portioning your leftovers into smaller sizes. They’ll be easier to
   reheat or defrost. If the food requires defrosting before cooking, do
   this in the fridge.

   And, of course, always ensure food is completely cooled (ideally
   refrigerated) before you put it in the freezer.

How to freeze vegetables

   Blanching vegetables is often recommended before freezing. Blanching
   simply means partially cooking food in boiling water before draining
   and cooling it in iced water. This helps to retain the colour and
   texture of vegetables and kills any lingering microbes. The length of
   time you should cook vegetables for varies depending on the size, but
   most bite-size pieces require 2-3 minutes at a rolling boil. Peppers
   are the exception – they can be frozen cooked or uncooked, though
   they’ll always come out less than crisp.

   Cooking leafy greens before freezing reduces the space they take up.
   Freeze them in silicone muffin cups or in ice-cube portions to make it
   easy to use what you need.

   Keep a bag in the freezer for parsley stalks, celery ends, the tough
   outsides of fennel bulbs, leek ends, even mushroom stalks. It can all
   go into making an excellent stock when you have time.

   Cooked potatoes such as par-boiled [38]roast potatoes or buttery
   [39]mash will freeze well, but raw potatoes will not.

How to freeze fruit

   Spread berries, peach slices, cherries, melon slices and the like out
   on a baking tray and fast-freeze before tipping into a bag and sealing.
   Some fruits, such as nectarines, peaches and apricots, benefit from a
   toss in sugar and lemon juice to retain their colour.

   Whole lemons, limes and oranges can be frozen, allowing you to zest
   them before they fully defrost. Or you can freeze the grated zest in a
   container and the juice in ice-cube trays. Frozen Seville oranges still
   make great marmalade if you haven’t got time to make it during their
   short season.

   Bananas go brown and mushy when frozen, but they have some advantages.
   They make amazing instant [40]banana ice cream, [41]smoothies and
   [42]banana bread. Just remember to slice them into bags before
   freezing, to make them easier to use.

   Apples and pears should ideally be cooked before being frozen. Stew or
   roast them with a sprinkling of lemon juice and sugar, leave to cool
   completely, then pack into containers and freeze.

How to freeze herbs

   If you end up with more herbs than you can use, the best way to retain
   their flavour and texture is to chop them up and mix them with a little
   neutral-tasting oil before freezing. The oil helps reduce freezer
   damage to the delicate leaves and prevents air from getting in and
   reducing their flavour. If you spread this oily paste thinly in a
   resealable bag, you can chop off as much as you need from the frozen
   pack. Ice-cube trays also work.

   [43]Pesto is a great way to keep herbs, and can be made with many
   different flavour combinations. Herb butter also works well.
   Learn how to freeze raw ingredients, leftovers and batch meals with our
   top tips

Foods not to freeze

   Soft cheeses such as camembert, brie and cream cheese don’t freeze
   well. Parmesan can be frozen, but its flavour may be affected and, as
   it can be kept in the fridge for a long time, freezing probably isn’t
   necessary. Opinions differ on freezing cheese at all, with most
   agreeing that the best use for frozen cheese is in a cooked dish. The
   structure will be affected and you may not be able to slice it.

   Egg yolks can be frozen for use in baking or as an egg wash, but won’t
   work for all recipes. Mayonnaise will split if frozen and hard-boiled
   egg whites will go rubbery. Whole, raw eggs should not be frozen.

   Milk can be frozen with some (generally) acceptable changes to its
   structure – the fat is separated from the liquid suspension and can
   have a grainy texture that’s usually fixed with a quick shake. While
   frozen custard (ice cream) and yoghurt are a real treat, if you thaw
   them they also develop this texture. If you want to freeze double
   cream, give it a light whipping first.

   Raw vegetables with a high water content, such as tomatoes, cucumbers,
   mushrooms, courgettes and lettuces, will never be appealing when
   defrosted. The same is true of many fruits, including citrus fruits,
   watermelons and grapes, but these often taste refreshing when eaten
   frozen.

More from BBC Food

What I ate when I ran out of rice and pasta

Dalgona coffee: does the internet’s new favourite drink actually work?

How to make bread with no yeast or bread flour

Freezer friendly meals

Recipes using frozen foods

   Using frozen foods reduces waste and means you have a ready supply of
   fruit, fish and veg whenever you need it.

Make and freeze recipes

   Make double and freeze leftovers to make your food shop go further.

Easy ice creams

   [44]FAQs about BBC Food

Find us here

Explore the BBC

     * [45]Home
     * [46]News
     * [47]Sport
     * [48]Weather
     * [49]iPlayer
     * [50]Sounds
     * [51]CBBC
     * [52]CBeebies
     * [53]Food
     * [54]Bitesize
     * [55]Arts
     * [56]Taster
     * [57]Local
     * [58]Three

     * [59]Terms of Use
     * [60]About the BBC
     * [61]Privacy Policy
     * [62]Cookies
     * [63]Accessibility Help
     * [64]Parental Guidance
     * [65]Contact the BBC
     * [66]Get Personalised Newsletters

   Copyright © 2020 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of
   external sites. [67]Read about our approach to external linking.

References

   Visible links
   1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/
   2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/how_to_freeze#orb-modules
   3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/
   4. https://account.bbc.com/account
   5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/how_to_freeze
   6. https://www.bbc.co.uk/
   7. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news
   8. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport
   9. https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather
  10. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
  11. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds
  12. https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc
  13. https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies
  14. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food
  15. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
  16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/arts
  17. https://www.bbc.co.uk/taster
  18. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/localnews
  19. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree
  20. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/how_to_freeze#orb-footer
  21. https://search.bbc.co.uk/search
  22. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food
  23. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/
  24. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes
  25. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/seasons
  26. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/occasions
  27. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/cuisines
  28. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/ingredients
  29. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/dishes
  30. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections
  31. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/budget
  32. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs
  33. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles
  34. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/diets
  35. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes
  36. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/techniques
  37. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/my/favourites
  38. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/roastpotatoes_92811
  39. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mashedpotatoes_90230
  40. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/instantbananaicecrea_86115
  41. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/banana_smoothie_17334
  42. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bananabread_85720
  43. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/how_to_make_pesto_18843
  44. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/faqs
  45. https://www.bbc.co.uk/
  46. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news
  47. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport
  48. https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather
  49. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
  50. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds
  51. https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc
  52. https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies
  53. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food
  54. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
  55. https://www.bbc.co.uk/arts
  56. https://www.bbc.co.uk/taster
  57. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/localnews
  58. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree
  59. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms/
  60. https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc
  61. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/privacy/
  62. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/cookies/
  63. https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/
  64. https://www.bbc.co.uk/guidance
  65. https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact
  66. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcnewsletter
  67. https://www.bbc.co.uk/help/web/links/

   Hidden links:
  69. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/no_rice_or_pasta
  70. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/dalgona_coffee
  71. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/how_to_make_bread_with_plain_flour
  72. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/using_frozen_ingredients
  73. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/make_and_freeze_recipes
  74. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/5_easy_ices
  75. https://twitter.com/bbcfood
  76. https://www.facebook.com/bbcfood
  77. https://www.instagram.com/bbcfood
  78. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/bbcfood