To eat last years frozen supplies

[TrialOfStyle]

I have raided the big chest freezer which I rarely use and have a found an awful lot of food dated around last Xmas (and some things before that). I honestly forgot all about it as my relationship broke up then and I’ve just stopped using that freezer all together.

It really is all sorts of things - ready meals/ party food, mince, cheesecake, stuffing, bread, pierogi etc.

Should I eat it or throw the lot out? I’ve had an individually wrapped ice cream and that was fine, but I’m not sure about about some of the meat based meals. What you would do?

@isitsnowingyet

If it isn't brave - why do frozen food packets say 'eat within 3 months of freezing' etc?

And really? 5 years?? I wouldn't eat that....

It's nothing to do with it being dangerous, it's because the quality deteriorates after a certain amount of time.

What do you think would happen in a freezer after five years that wouldn't happen after five days?

@Namerchanger42

Veterinari

Namerchanger42
Flipping heck you’re all braver than me... I’d throw anything that’s a year old.

It's not about 'bravery' it's about understanding that frozen food is safe confused

How exactly do you think it has decayed whilst at -20C?

I said ‘braver than me’ because I wouldn’t want to risk food poisoning for the sake of a couple of quid, and no I’ve not got money to burn either.
Food does deteriorate over time, I defrosted salmon that was frozen in the day of purchase but 13 months old and it smelled vinegary, so I didn’t risk it for the sake of saving £4.
It’s not a sinful waste either - I’m trying to avoid shutting through the eye of a needle for the next couple of days!!

But that's my point - there is no bravery because there's no increased risk of food poisoning, so nothing to be brave about

it's about understanding how freezers preserve food.

@56478903421e

My MIL freezes everything. Last week she a bit of a takeaway her dh couldn't finish at the time, so they froze it. He's been dead about 5 years.

This is amazing

I'd definitely eat it. And longer than that. We also do a freezer clear out and eat in November to make space etc. Just found last Christmas' left over stuffing and Stilton so that's saved me a job this Christmas!

@56478903421e

My MIL freezes everything. Last week she a bit of a takeaway her dh couldn't finish at the time, so they froze it. He's been dead about 5 years.

Aww, I'd probably keep hold of it for sentimental reasons!

Stuff that has been in the freezer a long time tends to lose its taste a bit, but I'd probably still eat it to be honest. I have an iron stomach though and commit all sorts of food safety sins like reheating rice.

Ever since I read about the explorers that found Shackleton's hut in the Antarctic and ate his tinned food with no ill effects, ditto Captain Scott's fruitcake frozen in 1911, I haven't worried about the contents of my freezer

@Xiaoxiong

Ever since I read about the explorers that found Shackleton's hut in the Antarctic and ate his tinned food with no ill effects, ditto Captain Scott's fruitcake frozen in 1911, I haven't worried about the contents of my freezer

😂😂😂 I like that attitude

I'm not sure. I had a weight watchers meal recently that I'd bought at the start of the year and I was sick in the night! It's totally changed my understanding of frozen food!

In what way? It likely had nothing at all to do with the food, and if it did, it was not that it was frozen too long. I think you need to change your understanding some more.

Flipping heck you’re all braver than me... I’d throw anything that’s a year old

Why? What changes with frozen food from 1 week, 1 month, 1 year? Nothing, that's what.

If you froze something solid 20 years ago and knew for a fact that it had stayed frozen solid all that time, you could eat it today, safely.

@Xiaoxiong

Ever since I read about the explorers that found Shackleton's hut in the Antarctic and ate his tinned food with no ill effects, ditto Captain Scott's fruitcake frozen in 1911, I haven't worried about the contents of my freezer

Why waste good fruit cake

I’ve never understood the rice thing. How do people think you make fried rice?

Yay I'm not the only one to do this. Currently happening in our house btw.

@loutypips here too. I've eaten more random meat products and frozen peas this week, than I have all year!

Exactly. Not just egg fried rice. Do people think rice in restaurants is cooked portion to order? Nope. Or any ready meal with tice. It is already cooked. So no big sin there😁

Of you treat it well, cook it, really quickly chill it and the reheat to proper temperature again, you are safe. At home I spread my on a tray and lift it up with an rmpty pot underneath to have it right under extractor. When it coold down a bit it gets moved to the fridge. I freeze it for portion control.

I’ve never understood the rice thing. How do people think you make fried rice?

Reheating rice is fine, frying rice is fine. It's leaving cooked rice lying around at room temp for ages that is not fine. Bacillus cereus is not fun.

No it's not @andtheHossyourodeinon , but it's exceptionally rare, and as rare as hen's teeth in domestic kitchens. I know a bit about this.

I thoroughly agree with the pp who worries about MN food waste. I can never believe the posts saying (for instance): 'I've just mistakenly made a sandwich from Sunday's roast chicken and it's Wednesday - shall I ring 111?'

I'd eat it, But if in doubt, bin the meat and fish and eat everything else. I assume (hope I'm right) that anything that isn't meat is basically harmless.

Does this mean I can use last years spare turkey crown that I froze? I bought it reduced in Christmas Eve and was wondering whether it was too risky to use this year

You can. But the meat quality and texture might not be the best. It would be great sliced in sandwiches and so on!

That sounds a better bet, thanks.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

You can. But the meat quality and texture might not be the best. It would be great sliced in sandwiches and so on!

If I've got dry frozen meat I usually casserole it.

@56478903421e I think I love your MIL 😂.

When I sorted out my Dad’s freezer I found a casserole with Mum’s handwriting on, and she died 18 months ago.

I'm reasonably disciplined with my freezer. I don't think there is anything over a year old. I bulk buy a lot though and rotate it so the newest is at the bottom. It is due a sort out though.

A year or so I think is fine, provided its still well wrapped and isn't infested with wayward peas and the like. 2 years + I'd question why it was in there to begin with, clearly isn't getting used. It would have lost its right to space in my freezer let alone be eaten.

I did have to sort out my partner's late father's freezers - mum and family still alive but only then dad tended to go in there. 2 chest freezers full. Lots of meat, some strange stuff that was probably on offer at the butchers, no order so lots of new stuff on top and the weird and wonderful at the bottom. The plastics had disintegrated and so much was freezer burnt. Lots got chucked away, stuff from 2004-2009 in 2017, stuff with no dates at all.

@cashmerecardigans I would.

I would. I have been guilty of throwing frozen stuff out in the past but food wastage in this country is a travesty.

Have yourself a little party this weekend with all your party food!

A friend of mine was horrified when I told her I was eating a frozen quiche with an October date (this was in September by the way). ‘It’s nearly a year old!!’ she cried. I didn’t dare tell her that I had no idea whether it was last October