Frozen Foods That Almost Never Expire

How long food lasts in the freezer is a bit of a trick question. Does food even go bad in ice-cold temperatures? Actually, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services explains that frozen foods stored at a constant 0°Fahrenheit or below will last "indefinitely." Yes, you read that right. Most frozen foods can theoretically last forever. However, just because something won't make you ill doesn't mean we recommended eating it. How can we tell the difference?

The Kitchn claims that many foods will lose their flavor and texture after a certain time. Food can also be ruined by the dreaded freezer burn if it's packaged incorrectly. Some foods should never meet the freezer, says Spoon University, like milk, cheese, and salad greens. Meanwhile, bread lasts for three months in the freezer, according to Still Tasty, but it tends to get dry or soggy when thawed. Best to skip that move altogether and eat fresh loaves instead. Meanwhile, storing ice cream can even make you sick after more than four months in the freezer, says Kitchensanity.

How do you freeze the remaining leftovers to maintain freshness? The Kitchn recommends sucking as much air out of a freezer bag as possible, using a DIY vacuum seal to slow freezer burn and save precious space. Taking care when stocking the freezer will also help you keep foods that almost never expire. Your freezer is truly the ideal post-apocalyptic device, at least as long as electricity is still a thing.

You can't believe everything you read. For instance, frozen fruit's "best-by" dates are merely a suggestion. According to EatByDate, frozen fruit is edible for 8 to 10 months past the best-by date on the package. Frostbite is the best indicator that your berries or mango have gone bad. While frostbite isn't dangerous as long as it's not happening to your own body, it's likely that frostbitten fruit will have lost much of its original flavor, resulting in a bland smoothie. 

TODAY reports that bagged frozen foods shouldn't be a solid block when pulled from the cooler. This indicates that your fruit thawed and refroze at some point. If you're guilty as charged for leaving frozen foods in the car too long after grocery shopping, then you're likely familiar with this issue. Also keep a lookout for ice crystals, which shouldn't be visible on your bag of pre-packaged frozen fruit.

Smoothie lovers might also want to rethink taking their fruit straight from the freezer to the blender. The Washington Post explains that frozen fruit has been known to carry viruses. Extra cautious shoppers can microwave pre-packaged fruit to eliminate the risk. The report also reminds home cooks that food-borne illnesses don't actually die in the cold temps but growth is slowed down. The FDA says the same caution applies to only buying produce that's surrounded by ice or kept cold at the store, or even when you freeze berries yourself.

Pulling a new juice concentrate from the freezer just screams of summer. It's also one of those freezer staples that can be a go-to year-round. Many parents, college students, and party hosts would agree that the ease of frozen juice concentrate is hard to beat. Remembering when you bought the can is a different challenge entirely. Forkly says that remembering when you purchased juice concentrate might be a head-scratcher, but it's not really a cause for anxiety, as home cooks can safely use the can for two years. Granted, while this block of fruit goodness is unlikely to make you sick, the food outlet admits that it's hard to say how a two-year-old can of juice concentrate will taste.

While frozen juice concentrate is safe, the Times of India wonders if it holds up to the hype of health-food status, seeing as it often contains added sugars and artificial colors. The good news is that nutrients are often added to the mix, such as calcium and magnesium. Health claims aside, the cost, simplicity, and reliability of a juice concentrate make it an enduring staple for any freezer.

Fresh foods are a helpful addition to any balanced diet, but remembering to eat all your produce before it goes bad can be a big problem. It's especially troubling when over one-third of our food is ending up in the trash (via Spoon University). It's especially egregious when food gets wasted for the ephemeral joy of TikTok approval, as Eater reports.

Frozen veggies can be a better way to preserve produce that's delicious but not the first that comes to your mind when you're questing about for a late-night snack. They're also reliably healthier than canned veggies. According to The Spruce Eats, vegetables will last from three months for tomatoes or peppers in the freezer and up to one year for store-bought frozen options. The outlet recommends blanching leafy greens and pureeing produce with a lot of moisture.   

EatingWell argues that frozen foods are cost-effective and help to avoid vegetables being picked before they're ripe or unavailable during the winter. You don't also have to trade convenience for nutrition. A study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis found frozen produce can even preserve nutrients better than fresh vegetables sitting in the fridge. The study points to cauliflower, corn, spinach, and broccoli as excellent frozen alternatives to fresh ones rolling around in the crisper for too long. 

Variety is, well, the variety of life. Alternating between fresh and frozen can likewise help to balance both cost and the healthiest options available.

Popsicles are something that is always great to have in the freezer. Ever wonder why they taste so good, besides the high sugar content? It's because commercial popsicles are flash-frozen, says Mental Floss, a process that helps to retain the flavor throughout the entire popsicle. Homemade popsicles might not have the same taste, however. Mental Floss found that, due to the slower cool-down period needed for homemade popsicles, the sugars and flavors in the mix are more likely to separate. That means the inside of the popsicle could be rather bland. Turns out, sometimes it really is better to go store-bought. 

Fortunately, the fruity frozen treat stays fresh for year-round snacks. Forkly reports that your freezer pops are best eaten in about six or eight months. The food experts at Forkly also recommend checking the pops for a gummy texture or ice crystals. That's how you'll know they've gone off. They also advise ensuring that the cold temps stay constant, like any good freezer, to avoid any disastrous thawing. How can the frozen pops stay cold in transit while grocery shopping? It's as simple as picking up the frozen items last and putting them away first as soon as you return home.

Frankly, dairy products can be hit or miss when it comes to the freezer. Cheese enthusiasts at the Independent tell you to shred your gouda before putting it in the freezer, but they recommend holding off on the creamier varieties due to the separation of fats and liquids caused by the freezing process. Meanwhile, Spoon University reports that milk is best when it's served fresh and kept away from the frozen section. Also, butter doesn't go bad when left at room temperature as quickly as you might expect. Bon Appetit says that you don't need to worry about butter too much, and also that salted butter is the best for spreadability when left in a dish or airtight French butter keeper.

Freezing butter is also an option if you're really worried about creating some additional longevity. Butter can last for up to a year in the freezer, Bon Appetit reports. They warn to watch for crystals forming on the dairy product. Freezer burn is always the enemy of fresh foods, but a home chef knows less food waste is worth the effort. To maintain some butter with the spread factor, Bon Appetit recommends keeping one stick in the freezer and one on the counter. With that sort of taste right at your fingertips anyway, who doesn't strive for toast on demand?

Eggs might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to preserving frozen food. Fortunately, it can be a great option when you have too many eggs and need to leave town. What you can't do is freeze a whole egg, as the shells will crack. Thankfully, MyRecipes has a solution. The outlet debunked the myth of the incredible inedible frozen egg by recommending you first whisk, then freeze eggs. You can also freeze eggs that have been beaten and then use them later to make omelets or baked goods. You might want to take note somewhere about how many eggs you used if baking. Egg whites are also freezer friendly, MyRecipes says, but egg yolks aren't due to some texture issues that might result.

The Prairie Homestead found that you can preserve the whole egg longer by rubbing the shell with lard, boric acid, or grease. The idea is to plug up the porous eggshell and keep out any air. She admits the results are less than consistent, so the freezer method still seems to be the best option for a long-lasting egg.