How to Store Frozen Chicken for Maximum Freshness

You can buy the best frozen chicken in Ontario, but if you store it wrong, you’re compromising the quality by the time you eat it. Here’s a practical guide to keeping your frozen chicken — Glacial Treasure or any other brand — at peak quality.

Set Your Freezer to -18°C (0°F) or Colder

This is the standard temperature for household freezer storage of frozen foods, and it’s what Glacial Treasure is designed for. Many home freezers run warmer than they should — check yours with a thermometer if you’ve never verified it. A freezer that runs at -12°C will preserve your chicken adequately but not optimally.

Keep the Original Packaging Sealed Until Use

Our Glacial Treasure packaging is designed to protect the product through cold chain transport and freezer storage. Keep the bag sealed until you’re ready to use the chicken. Once opened, if you don’t use the full contents, transfer the remaining pieces to an airtight freezer bag or container. IQF products are individually frozen and don’t need to be portioned differently — just protect them from freezer burn by keeping them in an airtight container.

Store Chicken on Lower Shelves, Not on the Door

Freezer doors are the warmest zone in a freezer. The temperature fluctuates every time you open the door. Store chicken and other proteins on lower shelves where the temperature is more stable. Save the door for items less sensitive to temperature variation like frozen vegetables or ice.

Rotate Your Stock

Buy Glacial Treasure at Fortinos this week? Move older frozen chicken from the back of the freezer to the front, and put the new products behind. Same principle a grocery store uses. It ensures you use older stock first and don’t accidentally lose track of a product that’s been in the freezer for months.

How Long Frozen Chicken Really Lasts

Properly stored at -18°C or colder, Glacial Treasure products maintain quality for at least six months, and can be safely eaten for longer. The Best Before date on the package is our conservative estimate of peak quality — a product used shortly after that date is not unsafe, but the peak flavour is at its best when used within the recommended window. For maximum freshness, plan to use products within a month or two of purchase.

Stock up on Glacial Treasure at Fortinos —  ddpoultry.ca/glacial-treasures/