Freezing food is one of the easiest forms of food preservation and although food will safely keep in the freezer indefinitely that doesn't mean it will retain its quality forever—the flavor and texture will be vastly better if you use the food within the optimal freezing timeframe. Also, some foods will last longer in the freezer than others and may require certain preparation (chopped, blanched, single layer freeze, etc.) before freezing for best results.

All of these freezing times assume that you packaged your food properly, well-wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil or placed in freezer containers or bags. This is crucial to achieving optimal freshness when defrosted and to avoid freezer burn, which occurs when air reaches the food and causes dehydration and oxidation.

Vegetables

Vegetables will last in the freezer from three months to a year depending on what they are. Some vegetables, especially leafy greens, need to be blanched before they are frozen. Also, not all mushrooms freeze well raw. A few of the drier ones such as hen of the woods (a.k.a. maitake) do, but fungi with a higher moisture content are better sauteed before freezing. In addition, you may want to puree vegetables with high water content (such as tomatoes) before freezing, especially if you plan on using them in that form like in a sauce.