DecodedGuides

Food Purchased Frozen

Food that was frozen at the store stays safe indefinitely at 0 F (-18 C), but quality drops the longer it sits, especially with freezer burn. Once thawed, these foods behave like fresh or refrigerated food and should not be refrozen without cooking first.

Food Purchased Frozen
FoodPantryFridgeFreezer
Dough3 to 4 days12 months
Edamame(3 kinds)2 years
Egg substitutes(2 kinds)3 to 4 days12 months
Fish(6 kinds)Not recommended18 months
Frozen entreesNot recommended12 months
Frozen potato productsNot recommended12 months
Frozen pretzels3 to 4 days9 months
Fruits10 to 18 months
Ice cream6 months
Ice pops9 months
Juice concentrates2 years
Kugel(2 kinds)1 year
Lobster tails3 to 4 days8 months
Pancakes, wafflesNot recommended3 months
Pizza3 to 4 days12 months
Polenta(2 kinds)12 months
Sausages(2 kinds)3 to 4 days1 to 2 months
Sherbet, sorbetNot recommended9 months
Shrimp, shellfish3 to 4 days12 to 18 months
Soy crumbles and hot dogs3 to 4 days1 to 2 months
Soy meat substitutes3 to 4 days12 to 18 months
Tempeh3 to 4 days6 months
Vegetables(2 kinds)3 to 4 days10 to 18 months

Signs food purchased frozen have gone bad

  • Greyish-brown, dry patches on the surface (freezer burn)
  • Heavy frost or ice crystals built up inside the package
  • Package that feels soft or has clearly thawed and refrozen
  • Off smell as soon as the food starts to thaw
  • Freezer odour that has soaked into the food itself

Storage habits

Keep the freezer at 0 F (-18 C) or colder, and push older items to the front so they get used first. Wrap or repackage anything with damaged packaging to limit air exposure. Thaw in the fridge, not on the counter, and cook or use thawed food within a day or two.

Questions people ask