How Long Will Food Last in the Freezer?

Follow these guidelines to know what is still fresh―and what to toss.

Times are based on a freezer set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Storing and eating frozen foods past these deadlines isn't dangerous, but flavors and textures will begin to deteriorate.

• Chicken or turkey pieces, uncooked: nine months
• Fruit pies, unbaked: eight months
• Fruit: 6 to 12 months
• Steaks, uncooked: 6 to 12 months
• Butter: 6 to 9 months
• Lean fish: six months
• Roasts, uncooked: 4 to 12 months
• Chicken or turkey, cooked: 4 to 6 months
• Chops, uncooked: 4 to 6 months
• Shellfish, uncooked: 3 to 6 months
• Hamburger: 3 to 4 months
• Bread and cake: three months
• Cookies, baked or dough: three months
• Meat casseroles, cooked: three months
• Fatty fish: 2 to 3 months
• Soups and stews: 2 to 3 months
• Ice cream and sorbet: two months
• Ham, cooked: 1 to 2 months
• Bacon: one month