Storing food in the freezer.
Examples: almost all types of food can be frozen, including drinks, meats (raw and cooked), fruits, vegetables, meals, pesto, egg whites, oils, etc.
Freezing stops all bacteria (they cannot survive nor multiply in the freezing cold temperature), and freezing does not change the texture or taste of uncooked meat. However, note that most fruits and a few vegetables can become mushy - others may need blanching prior to freezing such as beans or potatoes. Don't forget to label and date food before freezing.
Below you will find a standard guide for storage periods of cooked (and raw) meals, meats and baked items in your freezer. REMEMBER TO LABEL AND DATE FOOD CLEARLY and go through your freezer every 4-6 weeks to use up items that are close to the best before date ... the storage periods below are for homemade items, as pre-frozen vegetables for instance will last longer. Always read and follow what your freezer manual recommends.
Raw Meat / Raw Poultry / Raw Seafood
* Beef (steaks / roasts) - 6 months
* Beef Mince - 3 months
* Chicken Mince - 3 months
* Chicken Pieces - 6 months
* Chicken, Whole - 12 months
* Fish, White - 6 months
* Fish, Oily - 2 months
* Lamb Chops / Cutlets / Roasts - 6 months
* Lamb Mince - 3 months
* Pork Mince - 2 months
* Pork (bacon) - 1 month
* Pork (chops ./ roasts) - 6 months
* Sausages (all types) - 3 months
* Shellfish / Squid - 2 months
Vegetables
* Broccoli / Brussel Sprouts / Cauliflower / Corn on the Cob - 12-15 months
* Beans / Carrots / Peas / Spinach - 18 months
* Potato - 24 months
Cooked Meat / Casseroles / Soups / Cooked Pasta
* Casseroles (beef / lamb) - 3 months
* Casseroles (pork) - 1 month
* Casseroles (vegetarian) - 6 months
* Fresh Pasta - 3 months
* Cooked Meat - 2 months
* Cooked Shellfish - 1 month
* Soup - 4 months
Baked - Cakes / Bread / Muffins / Pies
* Bread - 8 months
* Cakes - 4 months
* Cakes (fruit cake) - 12 months
* Muffins - 12 months
* Pancakes / Crepes / Waffles - 2 months
* Pies, Sausage Rolls - 4 months
Dairy
* Butter (salted) - 12 months
* Butter (unsalted) - 3 months
* Margarine - 6 months
* Cheeses (firm) - 3 months
* Egg (whites), raw - 3 months
* Icecream / Sorbet - 6 months