How long is frozen meat good? Well, that depends.
It depends on how it was stored, where it was stored, and how long it was stored for.
You see, there are many factors in determining how long something will last in the freezer.
Frozen meat isn’t the only thing stored in a freezer, so I’ll share all my best tips for freezer storage so you won’t waste money having your food freezer burned.
Plus, since there are freezer storage times, you’re gonna need this FREE printable download so you can keep track of how long something should be stored.
And, with these freezer storage ideas, you’ll be set up for freezer storage success.
Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of how long can you store something in the freezer and how long is frozen meat good!
The Best Ways To Freeze Food
Food is expensive. So let’s not let it go to waste.
There are some items that will go bad in the packaging you brought it home in.
Meat
The meat packaging you bought your meat in is great if you were going to use it right away. But it won’t last long if you put it in the freezer in its original packaging.
In order for the meat to last in your freezer without getting freezer burnt, is to seal it up without air. Air is the enemy and will cause the meat to dehydrate and “burn”.
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While freezer burnt meat is not harmful to consume, it doesn’t taste good. Think cardboard sounds tasty? That’s about the texture, taste, and quality of freezer burnt meat.
So how long is frozen meat good? Let’s find out!
So How Long Is Frozen Meat Good?
The USDA gives some clear guidelines that can help you store frozen meat.
Store For 1-2 Months:
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Ham
- Hotdogs
- Lunchmeat
- Cooked meat
Store For 3-4 Months:
- Ground, uncooked meat
- Cooked poultry
Store For 4-12 Months:
- Uncooked steak or chop
- Uncooked poultry
- Wild game
What Else Are You Putting In Your Freezer?
So now that you know how long is frozen meat good, what else are you putting in your freezer? Veggies? Fruit?
If you aren’t a big fan of frozen, take another look! There have been many advances in the industry. The freezer section of your local grocery store is chock full of healthy, preservative-free frozen food options for your family.
To get the freshest, best tasting frozen food be sure to check that the product has been flash-frozen or IQF (Individually Quick Frozen). This means the product was brought down to the lowest temperature as quickly as possible. This not only preserves all the nutrients of the vegetable or protein, but it also helps ensure that the product tastes better too.
That means Freezing is the preservative, so unlike canned foods that require a lot of extra salt or chemicals, frozen food is preserved food, no chemicals, or extra sodium required.
Plus frozen foods are 30 to 50% cheaper than their fresh counterparts from the get-go and more nutritious due to this rapid freezing process.
How To Get The Deals On Frozen Food
Frozen Food Month is that one month of the year where frozen food manufacturers get together to drop the prices on freezer aisle finds, to introduce new frozen food products, and encourage shoppers to revisit old favorites.
Fortunately for shoppers, Frozen Food Month is a great time to stock up the freezer with lots of FANTASTIC deals on products that make meal planning easier.
You’ll want to check your local grocery store flyer for frozen food shopping deals each week. Most grocery stores will celebrate Frozen Food month, but also have some deals almost every week.
But that’s not the only time during the year that you can get good deals on frozen food.
Keep a price book of the frozen items you normally buy so that you know what the lowest price is. That way you can stock up on those items and fill your freezer when they are at their lowest price.
Plus, when you know how long is frozen meat good, you can stock up for what your family needs without it ruining before you can eat it.
What You Need For Freezer Storage Success
FoodSaver: A FoodSaver and FoodSaver bags are a must when you are preparing to store food in the freezer. Not only are they airtight, but watertight too. That way if you want to take some raw meat in your cooler on a camping trip, that raw meat juice won’t ruin your ice or anything else in your cooler.
Plus, you’ll know how long is frozen meat good, which will be way longer in a FoodSaver bag than in its original packaging.
Freezer Bags: They can hold a lot of food for a very little price.
Tip: Freeze the bags laying down so you stack them up or store them upright in a bin.
Large Cookie Sheets: Cookie sheets let you flash freeze items like berries so you can store them later into baggies. Freezing them individually will give you the option of only getting out the amount that you need instead of thawing the entire bag.
Parchment Paper: This item is seriously needed when you freeze items like berries. Frozen berries will stick to a metal pan, but not when they are put on top of parchment paper.
Freezer Containers: You could most likely use any sort of plastic container, but the better ones will need to be suited for freezing for long periods of time. Plastic can crack in the freezer after it’s been in there a while, so it’s worth your time and money to invest in durable freezer containers.
Sharpies and Freezer Labels: I love knowing what’s in my freezer and being able to tell what that mysterious package is. Having removable labels will not only let you know what’s in the bag but if that bag is reusable, so is the label. A good ole Sharpie will do to the trick of labeling your freezer and FoodSaver bags. Don’t start your freezer stash without one.
BONUS DOWNLOAD
Want to plan your weekly meals with less hassle?
Download these FREE Meal Plan Templates and you'll get your meals and shopping list organized in just minutes.
Plus, when you learn how long is frozen meat good, you’ll want to protect the investment of your food.
Tip: Recently I discovered that a meat package had fallen off the shelf of my freezer and knocked the door ajar just enough to let some of the cold air out. We have an upright freezer and it was quite full. Thankfully, I discovered it in time so that we only lost a couple of items. Right then and there I bought a lanyard to attach the freezer key to the door. That way you had to unlock the door to get items out and hopefully you would remind yourself to lock it back. It’s working out quite well. So do yourself a favor and get yourself a lanyard for your freezer key!
Freezer Storage Times Free Printable Downloads
Download our handy at-a-glance guide to hang on your refrigerator so you know how long is frozen meat good. When you print, it, you can scale down the image to a half-page if you want to.
The guide follows these tips:
- Whole Chickens or Turkey, Steaks & Roasts, Herbs & Grains = Up to 12 Months
- Pork Chops, Soups & Stews, Cooked Chicken Pieces = Up to 8 Months
- Ground Meat, Casseroles, Bread, Cake = 6 Months
- Sausage, Fish = 3 Months
- Download the handy refrigerator reference guide and labels here.
Frozen meat isn’t the only thing stored in a freezer, so I hope you have learned from my best tips for freezer storage so you won’t waste money having your food freezer burned.
Plus, since there are freezer storage times, you’re gonna need this FREE printable download so you can keep track of how long something should be stored.
And, with these freezer storage ideas, you’ll be set up for freezer storage success.
So get busy organizing that freezer! You’ll be glad you did!
Your Turn: Are there any other freezing storage tips you would recommend? What about knowing when how long is frozen meat good? Share with me below!
