Freezing is a great way to stock up on sale items (see tips 2& 3.) When buying meat in bulk I will package into portions that fit my family before freezing. For ground beef I package in one pound packages.
Here are some facts from the USDA
Freezer Storage Guidelines
Note: Freezer storage is for quality only. Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely.
Bacon and Sausage-1 to 2 months
Casseroles-2 to 3 months
Egg whites or egg substitutes-12 months
Frozen Dinners and Entrees-3 to 4 months
Gravy, meat or poultry-2 to 3 months
Ham, Hotdogs and Lunchmeats-1 to 2 months
Meat, uncooked roasts-4 to 12 months
Meat, uncooked steaks or chops-4 to 12 months
Meat, uncooked ground-3 to 4months
Meat, cooked-2 to 3 months
Poultry, uncooked whole-12 months
Poultry, uncooked parts-9 months
Poultry, uncooked giblets-3 to 4 months
Poultry, cooked -4 months
Soups and Stews-2 to 3 months
Wild game, uncooked-8 to 12 months
Nutrient Retention
The freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients. In meat and poultry products, there is little change in nutrient value during freezer storage.
What Can You Freeze?
You can freeze almost any food. Some exceptions are canned food or eggs in shells. However, once the food (such as a ham) is out of the can, you may freeze it.
Being able to freeze food and being pleased with the quality after defrosting are two different things. Some foods simply don't freeze well. Examples are mayonnaise, cream sauce and lettuce. Raw meat and poultry maintain their quality longer than their cooked counterparts because moisture is lost during cooking.
Packaging
Proper packaging helps maintain quality and prevent "freezer burn." It is safe to freeze meat or poultry directly in its supermarket wrapping but this type of wrap is permeable to air. Unless you will be using the food in a month or two, overwrap these packages as you would any food for long-term storage using airtight heavy-duty foil, (freezer) plastic wrap or freezer paper, or place the package inside a (freezer) plastic bag. Use these materials or airtight freezer containers to repackage family packs into smaller amounts. It is not necessary to rinse meat and poultry before freezing. Freeze unopened vacuum packages as is. If you notice that a package has accidentally been torn or has opened while food is in the freezer, the food is still safe to use; merely overwrap or rewrap it.
Refreezing
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion.
If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.
Here are some facts from the USDA
Freezer Storage Guidelines
Note: Freezer storage is for quality only. Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely.
Bacon and Sausage-1 to 2 months
Casseroles-2 to 3 months
Egg whites or egg substitutes-12 months
Frozen Dinners and Entrees-3 to 4 months
Gravy, meat or poultry-2 to 3 months
Ham, Hotdogs and Lunchmeats-1 to 2 months
Meat, uncooked roasts-4 to 12 months
Meat, uncooked steaks or chops-4 to 12 months
Meat, uncooked ground-3 to 4months
Meat, cooked-2 to 3 months
Poultry, uncooked whole-12 months
Poultry, uncooked parts-9 months
Poultry, uncooked giblets-3 to 4 months
Poultry, cooked -4 months
Soups and Stews-2 to 3 months
Wild game, uncooked-8 to 12 months
Nutrient Retention
The freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients. In meat and poultry products, there is little change in nutrient value during freezer storage.
What Can You Freeze?
You can freeze almost any food. Some exceptions are canned food or eggs in shells. However, once the food (such as a ham) is out of the can, you may freeze it.
Being able to freeze food and being pleased with the quality after defrosting are two different things. Some foods simply don't freeze well. Examples are mayonnaise, cream sauce and lettuce. Raw meat and poultry maintain their quality longer than their cooked counterparts because moisture is lost during cooking.
Packaging
Proper packaging helps maintain quality and prevent "freezer burn." It is safe to freeze meat or poultry directly in its supermarket wrapping but this type of wrap is permeable to air. Unless you will be using the food in a month or two, overwrap these packages as you would any food for long-term storage using airtight heavy-duty foil, (freezer) plastic wrap or freezer paper, or place the package inside a (freezer) plastic bag. Use these materials or airtight freezer containers to repackage family packs into smaller amounts. It is not necessary to rinse meat and poultry before freezing. Freeze unopened vacuum packages as is. If you notice that a package has accidentally been torn or has opened while food is in the freezer, the food is still safe to use; merely overwrap or rewrap it.
Refreezing
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion.
If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.