No matter which type of frozen food you have purchased, for best results, it should remain frozen. This means the frozen food aisle should be the last stop during your grocery shopping trip. It is best to pack frozen foods together to help maintain their cold temperature. Return home promptly with frozen foods, and place in the freezer.

Other important storage guidelines to remember:

• Maintain proper freezer temperature -- no higher than 0° F. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to verify setting.
  
  
• Rotate and clearly date your frozen foods -- first in, first out.
  
  
• Arrange the contents of your freezer in an orderly way. Store baked goods in one section, meat and fish in another, etc.
  
  
• Thaw with care, preferably at refrigerated temperatures less than 40°F., less ideally under running water no
  warmer than 70°F.
  
  
• Do not refreeze thawed frozen foods, for safety and quality reasons.
  
  
• Keep your freezer clean to prevent transfer of off-tastes and odors.
  
  
• Have sufficient storage space so that refrigerated air can circulate around the food.

Frozen Food Storage Times
Refer to the chart for some shelf-life guidelines from the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association for storing frozen foods in home freezers.

For maximum storage life, the freezer should be set at 0°F.