Recipes

Freezing chart

Nov 30 11:11am

How long should food be kept in the freezer?

Use this chart to label any food that goes in your freezer. Be sure to package the food properly and ensure the freezer is set at -18C. Never refreeze food or thaw it in the sink. Never merely warm leftovers which encourages bacteria, always thoroughly reheat to piping hot.

1-2 Months
Bread (sliced)
Milk
Soups
Stews
Sausages
Pancakes, pikelets and waffles
Shellfish (raw and cooked)
Scones (unbaked)
Cakes (unbaked)
Biscuits (unbaked)
Sandwiches (2 wks - 1 mth, depending on the filling

2-3 Months
Cream
Cottage cheese
Cakes
Scones
Ice cream
Bread (unbaked)
Pastry (baked and unbaked)
Offal and bacon
Oily fish (such as sardines, trout, mullet)
Filled pies (unbaked)
Minced meat (except beef)
Poultry giblets
Leftover dishes

3-4 Months
Ham
Lamb
Cheddar cheese (grated)
Butter (salted)
White-fleshed fish
Fruit cake (unbaked)

4-6 Months
Minced beef
Veal
Game
Pork
Butter (unsalted)

6-8 Months
Bread (unsliced)
Biscuits
Pizza
Filled pies

8-12 Months
Beef
Poultry
Fruit
Vegetables
Fruit cake

Source: Cooking, a commonsense guide (Murdoch Books)

16 Comments Report Abuse

1. roseman41 - Dec 28 02:55am

i have a ham with a use boy of 02-07-2007. it was frozen when bought-is it safe to eat

2. saffronaaron - Dec 30 08:52am

Roseman, short & definite answer: No. //
To say more about it, the advice on this page says ham can be kept in the freezer for 4 months maximum. Your ham goes way over that. //
And, dude, I like the way you spell the way you speak. (i.e. "use boy") That's the way the English language was once!

3. melissa_lapadula - Dec 30 09:15am

i only eat fresh food or food from good restaurants. i only purchase fresh veg and fruit. i only purchase and consume organic pasta and breads...i hope to live till 110 years old. have a nice day.

4. millwood_s - Dec 30 09:41am

Well done Melissa - your plan is sound........ so long as you also drive safely, don't drink alcohol, smoke, take drugs or p!ss anyone off too much!

5. jeanettemaynard@ymail.com - Dec 30 02:21pm

If i remove frozen meat from the freezer, thaw it and cook a meal with it, can I then freeze the cooked meal?

6. murray_harper - Dec 30 02:31pm

to jeanettemaynard@ymail.com yes you can freeae a meal that was cooked from stuff that was froozen. as long as the meal has been cooked through. and it is cold before you put it in the freezer. I do it all the time.

7. deedylandon2006 - Dec 30 02:37pm

yes you can refreeze once its cooked...

8. robbak88 - Dec 30 03:22pm

What a crock....I've stored food in the freezer for 5 years. Still ok to eat. Just loses it's flavour a bit. Frozen food never goes off. Just the quality diminishes.

9. racemate1961 - Dec 30 06:46pm

Oh Melissa, I certainly hope your food from good restaurants are fresh, some appear not to be..Do you have any idea what goes on in their kitchens (shudder) at the thought of some restaurants. Best wishes.

10. racemate1961 - Dec 30 06:48pm

Jeepers robback . I wouldn't like to eat at your place :-s