How long can you leave a pre-cooked meal frozen in the freezer? And are there any foods that last longer than others?

Thank you for your question! There is no definitive answer to this question because there are many variables and the length of time a frozen meal can be left frozen for is dependent on a number of factors such as the quality of your packaging and the temperature of your freezer.

Frozen foods can last indefinitely, however this is affected by factors such as the temperature the food is frozen at, how constant the temperature is, the length of time between the production of the meal and its freezing and how air tight the packaging is. If all these factors are adhered to correctly then frozen meals can last indefinitely.

However, manufacturers advise that certain foods are only kept frozen for certain periods of time; this is the case because after the stated time period the food in question may start to lose its flavour, colour may change or the consistency may change, despite being perfectly safe to eat. For example it is recommended that clams and oysters should only be kept frozen for four months and frozen potato chips for 24 months.

It is worth noting that these time periods are only guidelines and in many cases frozen food may last for greater periods of time when frozen. Our Cold Facts section provides further information on the advised length of times frozen foods should be stored. Here is an overview:

These figures refer to commercially frozen products; food frozen at home is unlikely to remain of high quality for the same length of time.

Thanks!The New Ice Age Team