Monday, July 12, 2010

MAKE A DATE TO CHECK YOUR FREZER

If your current freezer "labeling" system is guestimating the age of things based on the level of freezer burn this simple labeling method will ensure your food is used while it still tastes delicious.
Food frozen kept at or below 32F poses no health risk if left in the freezer for too long—you could safely eat a piece of steak meat that had been frozen solid for a few years—but the flavor and texture of frozen goods changes over time. Just because it's safe to eat something that has been at the back of your freezer since the last Presidential administration doesn't mean it'll taste like great.
You can maximize the chance that you'll use frozen food within the "best by" date if you label it with a highly visible label at the time it's put into the freezer. A wide roll of masking tape and a thick sharpie marker are a cheap solution that affords easy readability when you label with large block print.
The key is to label it not with the date you put it in but with the date you need to take it out by. Chicken keeps well for 4-6 months before the taste and texture start to change, if you were put a bundle of chicken into the freezer on the first of August you'd label it "DECEMBER 1ST" or "12/01"—whichever you find easier to read when peering into the freezer. This way when you look into your freezer you'll see immediately what you should be pulling out to cook that week.
Brush up on the best-by freezer life spans of various meats, vegetables, and fruit by checking out the Real Simple guide- LINK HERE
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