I'm A Doctor ― Freezer Food Expiration Dates Don't Work How You Think

Sure, star signs are fun, but to me the only thing you need to know about a person is this: do they take “best before” dates as suggestions, or absolute laws?

For what it’s worth, I’m the former kind. And when it comes to freezer food at least, it seems surgeon, author, and lecturer Dr Karan Rajan agrees with me. 

“This will surprise most people,” he began his TikTok video on the topic. 

“Frozen food technically never expires.” 

How come?

Dr Rajan explains that the best before dates on freezer-based foods have more to do with food quality than they do with food safety. 

“As long as the food stays frozen,” the doctor continued, “it’s safe.” 

However, Dr Rajan stressed that edible and eatable aren’t the same thing. 

“That doesn’t mean frozen food stays tasty forever,” he clarified.

Side-effects of freezing food for a long time, like freezer burn (those annoying ice crystals that make everything from the top of your ice cream to the side of chicken hard and tasteless) and oxidization (which makes your food’s flavour wane) can make your frozen dinner less than desirable. 

“The actual texture of the food can degrade” too, the doctor suggested. 

“Think tough, dry meat and limp vegetables when cooked.” 

If you leave food in the freezer for a truly long time, you can even lose some nutrients from your chow. 

How can I keep my food tasty in the freezer?

Storing food in a vacuum-sealed contains or squeezing every last gasp of air from a bag before placing it in the freezer can help to minimise this, Dr Rajan shared. 

That’s why bags are a better container for frozen food than plastic boxes ― there’s less air. 

“Make sure you label and date the time so you can keep track,” he advised further. 

“And keep your freezer below zero degrees to minimise those texture and flavour changes.”

Crucially, he points out that safe food handling may be more important than the best before dates of frozen food ― like utilising proper thawing and ensuring your food’s cooked properly when it comes out of the oven.