The E&L Guide to Frozen Food Shelf-Life

Frozen foods can last for months if properly packaged and stored in freezing temperatures. Bacteria play a crucial role in food spoilage, so keeping your freezer and meat package clean is essential. Bacteria can multiply in hot surroundings, while in low-temperature environments, they are inactive. The safest temperature to store frozen goods is at 0 °F below or -18°C to stop the bacteria from growing.

Meanwhile, keeping frozen meat stocks at home will save you a lot of time driving or commuting and long lines in supermarkets and grocery stores. It will also help you save money on gas or commute fares! To make everything easier for you, we prepared a guide on how many months you can store your frozen foods in the freezer and how you should preserve them:

Fruits and Vegetables

Frozen fruits and vegetables are as delicious as fresh foods. Most of these are often harvested at their peak ripeness, which means they are packed with healthy vitamins and minerals.

Fruits and vegetables can be frozen for up to 8 to 12 months if stored properly. However, be careful with refreezing, as it might be unsafe. Bacteria might have increased if you thawed the fruits and vegetables on the counter and tried to put them back in the freezer.

Check out a variety of our E&L Frozen Fruits and Vegetables here.

Chicken

Don’t wash the chicken as soon as you get home from the supermarket or grocery store. Washing frozen meat will increase the growth of bacteria. Store them in the freezer immediately, and make sure the package is airtight and sealed completely.

Chicken is still in good condition for cooking after three days if kept in the refrigerator. Chopped chicken pieces can be stored for up to 9 months, while whole chicken can last up to a year.

Order chicken online now at our E&L Chicken Selections here.

Fish

Wash the fish in clean water thoroughly, removing their gills and scales. Pat them dry with paper towels and ensure they are wrapped with aluminum foil or freezer-graded plastic wrap. It’s important to clean them before freezing, as fish can cross-contaminate other frozen meat.

Like chicken, keep them in an airtight and sealed container to avoid leaking blood. Wrap the fish again with aluminum foil to make sure it won’t smell fishy inside the fridge. 

Fish can last in the freezer, depending on their meat:

• Lean fish can be stored in the freezer for 6 to 8 months.
• Fatty fish can be kept for at least 2 to 3 months.
• Smoked fish can stay in the freezer for about 4 to 6 months.

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Beef

Like chicken, do not wash the beef before freezing them. It’s safe to store it in airtight plastic bags or freezer-quality containers to avoid any leakage from the meat. Beef can be frozen for 4 up to 12 months, except for ground beef, which can only be kept for 3 to 4 months. Good news for steak lovers because you can stock up your raw steaks for about 6 to 12 months.

Order meat online now at our best quality E&L Beef Collection here.

Pork

Raw and unwashed pork chops can be kept in the freezer for 4 to 6 months, and roasts can last for 4 to 12 months. Storing them properly in sealed and freezer-graded plastic containers is still the most cautious and advised way to freeze them.

Order meat online now at our premium-quality and safe E&L Pork Selections here.

Ready-to-cook meals

The expiration of Deli and Convenience Food may vary depending on its meat. Processed pork products such as ham, bacon, sausage, and hot dogs can only be shelved in the freezer for a limited time, usually one to two months. But generally, processed meat products have only shelf-lives of around 3 to 6 weeks.

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Is this article useful in freezing your frozen food? Let us know what you think! For more health and nutrition, wellness, and best practices for handling meat, read through our website at shop.enlfood.com!