Can you use chicken that's been in freezer for 2 months

[Butterfly98]

Just that really! I'm having a sort through my freezer drawers today. There are 2 packs of free range chicken breasts which have a use by date of 28 Feb and 'if freezing use within 1 month' on label. It's a Bosch integrated fridge/freezer but it doesn't say on door anywhere how many stars the freezer has and I've googled it too! It's a shame to throw out all of that chicken but surely if it's frozen it should be ok?! Would you defrost it and see how it is and go from there?

[gamerchick]

Yeah it's fine definitely. If it's been there too long as pp say it does look a bit sorry for itself and the texture is a bit different but it's still safe to eat.

[bloodywhitecat]

The quality deteriorates over time in a freezer, the product remains safe for a very long time (much, much longer than one month).

[TheTitOfTheIceberg]

Is it just me who thinks that putting something in the freezer is the equivalent of stopping time? confused I'll eat anything out if a freezer whatever the date!!

Not just you, Names. I'm veggie now but even when I ate meat, so long as something is nuked to within an inch of its life once I cook it, I don't stress about how long it has been in the freezer and I'm yet to have food poisoning.

[whyohwhyowhydididoit]

As bloodywhitecat says, the storage times are more about the quality of the food than the safety. And as you have said OP, they will also be about encouraging you to dispose of the food and buy more unnecessarily. It will be perfectly safe to eat and I doubt you will notice any difference in flavour or texture.

[SilentSister]

We rediscovered some prawns in the freezer the other day from last summer. They were pretty tough when defrosted so we didn't finish the bag and the cat was therefore pretty happy. We didn't get ill though. As others have said, frozen meat/fish will basically last forever, but the flesh does start to break down after a while, so the texture goes off. If you are unsure, give it to the cat, he will love you forever .

[MyCatHatesEverybody]

Agree with PPs that it's a "best before" issue rather than a safety issue, it'll be fine to eat.

[whyohwhyowhydididoit]

Just a side note, if you keep a small open tub or bowl of water in the freezer, it will greatly reduce freezer burn and so mean the quality of frozen food stays high for longer periods. I use old yogurt/humus pots on every second shelf and change them often. The effect is particularly noticeable on Ice cream which lasts longer without getting covered in ice crystals.

[Aquilla]

Crikey, yes!

[Jimjamjong]

yes fine, if it has been frozen close to the use by date or bought already frozen it's better to cook directly from frozen.

[bloodywhitecat]

@whyohwhyowhydididoit Can I ask what the science is behind that? I am fascinated by how it works (off to find pots of water for the freezer)

[Butterfly98]

That's interesting @whyohwhyowhydididoit about the tub of water. I will try that as the ice cream sometimes has ice crystals on top though it usually is eaten very quickly unless it's an unpopular flavour!

[Lifecraft]

Christ, I've got chicken in my freezer that's priced up in old money!!!

[InspectorClouseauMNdivision]

I cooked beef from Dec 2017 just last week. 😂
Kind of lost it in a back and didn't want to waste it

[Hecateh]

Once it is frozen it will remain 'safe' pretty well indefinitely BUT the flavour and or texture will change over time.
So long as the meat was put in the freezer fresh without being allowed to get warm between shop and freezer or be contaminated in anyway it will to eat for months

[SnowyAlpsandPeaks]

Came across stuff in mine the other day- July 28th, Jan 19th and so on. Only problem is I don’t know what year.....

[BarbaraofSevillle]

Is it just me who thinks that putting something in the freezer is the equivalent of stopping time

It is. I think they've found stuff dropped by early polar explorers that's been there for decades that's safe to eat.

I wonder why all the labels even on steak says to use within one month if freezing

Because they want you to throw it away and buy more. Don't fall for it.

[Butterfly98]

@InspectorClouseauMNdivision ya I hate wasting food, I think I over shop sometimes so will try to start being more organised and use things in date order from freezer (note to self is I must start putting new food at bottom of freezer and rotate the older stuff to top), the funny thing is I give out about our local Tesco which often has the new fresh meat at the front on shelf and older stuff at the back, same in the bread aisle!!

[ValleyoftheHorses]

I never worry about how long something has been frozen as long as my freezer is working. Never had a problem with this.

[GiantKitten]

It's not about food hygiene as such, more about quality. Meat will gradually dry out & lose flavour - happens quicker if it was only frozen in its shop packaging, rather than double wrapped in freezer bags.

So it'll be perfectly safe, just not as nice as fresh.

[Boysey45]

I've a friend who is a buyer for one of the main supermarkets and hes told me that a lot of the frozen food has been in freezers for years before you buy it. Its put me right off anything frozen and I wont eat food from Iceland full stop.

[greenpop21]

Of course you can. I 've had meat that's been in there way longer!

[omione]

Why would it enter your head to be worried about it ? It will still be fine in 6 months time

[Cloudtree]

silly hubbies!!! lots of love mummys.. kissy kissy kisses xoxoxoxoxo

WFT. I'm all for preventing climate change but that's enough to put you off becoming vegan.