For many of us, freezers serve as a sort of black hole for our leftovers and miscellaneous food items. Everything from half-eaten cartons of ice cream to Thanksgiving leftovers tend to find a home in the freezer—sometimes indefinitely.
Though it’s a convenient catch-all for extra food, the freezer can also be a source of some confusion and even, if used improperly, food-borne illness. You might wonder, for instance, whether it’s OK to put steaming-hot leftovers directly in the freezer. Also: Is that partially crystallized muffin still safe to eat? And what should you do with unidentifiable red sauce that’s been thawed and refrozen a few times?
Experts weigh in on frozen food safety and tips for best freezer hygiene.
FoodWorld 