In order to ensure that your frozen food selections will taste the freshest, there are certain guidelines you should remember when selecting items from the frozen food aisle. The frozen food industry does have a strict Code of Recommended Practices for all frozen food handlers, but consumers should still keep the following tips in mind:

• Select packages that are clean and firm. Discolored packages and large amounts of frost may mean that the package has not been kept at the appropriate temperature during storage.
  
  
• Only buy ice-free, undamaged packages.
  
  
• Make the frozen food department your last stop in the supermarket.
  
  
• Pack all frozen food together to help maintain their cold temperature.
  
  
• Return home immediately from the supermarket and place all foods in the freezer.
  
  
• Buy frozen food from a store with an orderly, well-managed frozen food section.
  
  
• Put a purchase date on all frozen food products (see "guidelines for the storage of frozen food" section), then rotate foods, putting newly purchased items in the back of the freezer. Use products on a "first in, first out" basis