United Kingdom · Practical storage decision
What to write
Include the food name and the date it entered the freezer. For homemade dishes, identify the prepared meal and divide it into portions that can be thawed individually.
Use a suitable container
Wrap or seal foods to reduce freezer burn. For store-bought products, keep important storage and cooking directions if moving food from the original packaging.
Does the label create a new use-by date?
No. A date written on a frozen container records a storage event; it cannot make a product safe if its use-by date had already passed or it was mishandled before freezing.
Related UK guidance: Explore the relevant storage instructions →
Scope: The linked FSA household guidance primarily applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For Scotland, check Food Standards Scotland as well. This explanation does not determine whether any individual food is safe.
Official source: Food Standards Agency guidance on GOV.UK ↗
← All UK food storage guides