This way, in the spring, it’s good to look into the frost and make an inventory.
Fatty foods should not be left in the freezer for years. Getty Images
It’s easy to throw leftover meals, breads and pastries into the freezer to accompany the preserved harvest in the fall. But it’s good to remember that food doesn’t last forever in the embrace of frost.
The fat content of foodstuffs has the greatest influence on how long the products are kept. A good rule of thumb is that berries and vegetables are preserved from one harvest season to another. That is, when you pick new lingonberries, the old ones should already be eaten.
Surprisingly, the shelf life of minced meat and fish is short, only a few months. Pig and chicken can be stored for half a year, and beef for a little less than a year. Frozen homemade food stays good for a couple of months, not more.
Food does not actually deteriorate in longer storage, but too long a time in the cold may worsen the taste of the food, ice crystals form on its surface and nutrients are lost over time.
If the freezer thaws during a power outage, partially or completely thawed frozen foods should not be refrozen, but should be prepared immediately. Frozen items that are still frozen can be refrozen.