What to Toss From Your Freezer First

Freezers become the last place anyone checks during a cleaning spree. The reality is that frozen items do not stay edible forever, and the longer something sits, the more likely it is to degrade, absorb odors, or simply become a mystery you no longer want to solve.

The first thing to pull out is anything that has lost its packaging integrity. Frozen peas leaking into a drawer, blueberries turning a drawer bottom pink, and cracked bags all need to be either transferred into spill-proof containers or thrown away. Rochelle Wilkinson, a professional cleaner who runs Dirt Detective Cleaning, says opened packages making a mess should go unless you are willing to repackage them right away.

Wilkinson, a professional cleaner who runs Dirt Detective Cleaning, says opened packages making a mess should go unless you are willing to repackage them right away. Unwanted but safe items can go to food banks, and freezer-burned or moldy products belong in the trash.

Ice is not immune to freezer aging. Logan Taylor, who founded The Dazzle Cleaning Company, says ice absorbs the odors of everything else in the freezer, and the fix is to dump it and wash the bins and trays.

Beyond the expiration date, the telltale signs of food that has overstayed its welcome are freezer burn, solid blocks that are fused together, and thick frost inside the packaging. If there is no date at all, check for these symptoms.

Leftovers offer the most practical path forward. Reheat tonight, or combine small portions of vegetables, proteins, and grains into a single pot of soup.

Nearly empty containers waste space. Ice cream cartons with one scoop left, bags holding a handful of vegetables, and boxes with one or two items inside should be consolidated or discarded unless you plan to use them within days.

The worst offender is the unlabeled mystery item. Taylor says toss anything you cannot identify, date, or place in a timeline. Wilkinson has seen the results firsthand: she once blended frozen bananas into a protein shake, only to discover they were a tamale a friend had gifted her.

Tamales and yogurt do not blend well.