We are moving and I am trying to decide what to keep and what to throw from our chest freezer? How long do you think things stay good in as freezer? We have only had a chest freezer for a couple years and so I don't know the "rules." I am kind of weird about "old" food and so kind of want to toss most of what is in there and start fresh but it seems like a waste. So, for example, pasta sauce and soup I made at the end of last summer-keep or toss? Frozen cookies from the holidays? Unopened lobster bisque from costco that is 6 months old?
How old is too old and does it depend what it is?
Thanks!
http://www.straighten-up-now.com/freezer-chart.html
Hopefully this will help ... but all of it is bad as far as I am concerned ... no more than 6 months for anything really.
Frozen food is safe to eat indefinitely, but quality can be affected if frozen for too long, so when in doubt thaw it and see if it still looks/tastes/smells good. Here is a chart you can use for reference http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/freezer-storage...
ETA: If you have meat that has been freezer burnt try freecycling it. I know many people who make their own petfood (either because they are cheap or because their animals are on special diets), and love to get free meat. Freezer burnt meat is completely safe to eat, and dogs don't mind the taste.
Start using up what you have in the freezer now.
Around here, if the power is out for long enough that people are worried that the food will spoil, it's time to cook as much of it up on the grill and invite all the neighbors over to help eat it up.
How far are you moving?
When we moved 4 hrs away, it was easy to pack what frozen things were left in an ice chest and put them in the freezer of the new house 1st thing when we got there.
If your freezer is a 0-degree freezer, you can keep things for several years. If it is a 25 degree freezer, then 6 months is a good time.
I have some kids (my kids spouses) that say they can tell when something has been in the freezer too long or out of date. It became a big argument around the table one night. I have a really good freezer and will keep the contents at zero degrees. I made Mexican food with hamburger and cheese coming out of my freezer. The hamburger and cheese was 4 and 6 years out of date. But none of my "picky eaters" said anything about it being out of date. That means they couldn't tell.
I wouldn't throw anything out. I would keep everything and when you went to use it I would check the looks and flavor when you went to use it. If it was bad then, then throw it out, but not before. UNLESS you have lots and lots of money.
The thinner the plastic, the more likely for it to get freezer burn and throw it out.
Please note, I have found freezer burn on meats. I cut the discolored "burn" off the meats before I cooked it and the meat ended up good to the taste.
Good luck to you and yours.
I'm like you. If you have any friends that do a lot of cooking and use frozen foods you can ask them if they want any of it. I'd throw most of it out if I didn't eat it in the next few days/weeks/months until the move. It was good enough to keep to it must have been good enough to eat.
