Buzz
It's hard to imagine life without refrigeration. Not only does it simplify grocery planning, but freezing food and leftovers allows us to buy in bulk and reduce waste. Plus, a freezer gives us the luxury of enjoying a burrito at any time—truly a feat of human ingenuity.
While frozen food is amazing, it does have its limits. Some foods don't freeze well—though you can freeze them, the results won't be great. While food that stays consistently frozen (not thawed and refrozen) will be safe to eat for an extended period, 'safe' just means it won't harm you, not that it's something you'd actually want to eat. In terms of flavor, every frozen item has an expiration date, even if it isn’t printed on the package. With proper storage, most food stays good for anywhere from one month to a year, but after that, proceed with caution before you bite into those old leftovers or aged chicken nuggets.
Examine the appearance
Your first signs that the food you've just pulled from your frosty freezer might be disappointing (and possibly unappetizing) are its appearance and color. Trust your instincts: If it’s never thawed out, it’s safe to eat. However, if it doesn’t look how you remember or expect it to, chances are it won’t taste great. Here’s what to keep an eye out for:
Meat. Red meats like steaks will gradually lose their rich red hue and turn gray or brown.
Vegetables. Frozen veggies that have been in the freezer too long will appear pale, their once-vibrant greens and reds fading to a milky shade.
Chicken. While chicken meat doesn’t often change color when frozen for extended periods, it may turn white in some cases. A more reliable sign that your chicken is past its prime is the bones, which can darken from over-freezing.
Fruits. Many fruits will darken or turn brown after being in the freezer too long. They can also appear wrinkled and puckered due to the dehydration caused by freezing.
Fish. If the edges of your fish have turned white or gray, it’s been stored too long.
Lastly, if your frozen food is covered in a layer of ice crystals, it’s likely freezer-burned, meaning the water has been drawn to the surface. While freezer-burned food is safe to eat, it will be tough and tasteless (except for the unpleasant flavor of freezer burn).
Does it pass the smell test?
Even if your frozen food looks acceptable or you’re willing to overlook its unappealing appearance, the next step is to check the smell. This should be pretty instinctive: If it smells bad, it’s probably best to avoid it. However, frozen foods that are still safe to eat typically won’t smell rotten—they just have an off odor.
Frozen food often carries a 'plastic' odor, which is a sign of freezer burn, or it might simply have a stale smell once thawed. If your freezer has an unpleasant odor from previous issues, like a power outage, your frozen food may absorb that smell over time, making it unappealing even if it’s still safe to eat. Additionally, if your frozen food smells like other items in the freezer, it’s an indication that something went wrong during the freezing process.
Are there any textural changes?
Even if your frozen food looks and smells fine, its texture can provide a final indication of whether it will be enjoyable to eat:
Vegetables. Veggies buried under frost in the back of your freezer may feel slimy, even if they appear fine.
Meat and chicken. Meats that have a leathery feel are unlikely to taste good.
Dairy. Freezing dairy rarely works, but if you attempted it, expect a dry and grainy texture instead of the smooth creaminess you expect. Ice cream, for example, will show ice crystals on top if it's going to taste off.
Fish. Fish that feels slimy likely isn’t going to be appetizing (it may also point to bacterial growth during thawing, so don’t risk it). If it’s been frozen too long, fish can feel light due to water loss, resulting in tough, dry meat.
Fruits. Fruit frozen for too long can become mushy after thawing, turning into an unpleasant, unappetizing mush.
Bread. If thawed bread breaks into crumbles easily, it’s been in the freezer too long and probably won’t taste great, even if you can still hold it together.
