Sure that the meat in your freezer is eternal? Experts warn of the mistake we all make

Try to answer without getting up to check: how many packages of ground meat do you have in your freezer right now? And how long have they been there? If the answer is 'not sure, no idea how long, probably a year' — we have good news and bad news. The good: you are part of the majority of the population, and you will probably never be caught without something to defrost and make lunch from. The bad: meat cannot stay in the freezer forever. I mean, of course it can, but there is a price to pay.

If you also think that once meat enters the freezer time stands still, it is time to be exposed to the truth: according to official guidelines from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), although frozen meat kept at the right temperature remains safe to eat theoretically forever, there is a huge difference between 'safe to eat' and 'tasty and high quality'.

The watershed — 4 months.

According to the USDA, to enjoy ground meat at its peak in terms of taste, juiciness, and texture, it is recommended to store it in the freezer for up to four months only. When ground meat stays in the freezer for too long, it begins to suffer from all sorts of phenomena:

1. Freezer burn: a condition where moisture escapes from the meat to the surface and freezes, which causes the outside of the meat to dry out, change its color to brownish-gray, and lose all its natural juices.

2. Temperature fluctuations: the home freezer is opened and closed several times a day, leading to temperature shifts. As a result, the meat is exposed to the smells of other foods in the vicinity, such as frozen fish or ice cream.

3. 'Freezer taste': this is an aroma and actual taste of lack of freshness that gives away the fact that the meat has had time to grow roots in the freezer.

Golden rules for storing ground meat

• Pack smart: do not settle for the thin plastic from the supermarket. Wrap the meat well in foil, quality plastic wrap, or dedicated Ziploc bags, and remove as much air as possible.

• Label: stick a label on each package with the freezing date. This way you will be able to follow the 'first in, first out' (FIFO) method.

• Flatten the meat: instead of freezing a chubby block, flatten the ground meat in the bag to a thickness of only about a centimeter. This prevents freezer burn and significantly shortens the safe defrosting time in the refrigerator.

So next time you are tidying up the freezer and come across a stale package of meat that has been there since the holidays — maybe it is time to give it up, or at least know why the Bolognese turned out less perfect than you expected.