If you don't have enough room in your freezer or you don't have a freezer at all, you can defrost and store in the fridge for the number of days it says on the fridge life logo.
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Examples of Products and Categories with Fridge Life
Research shows that 85% of consumers limit their frozen food purchases because they don’t have enough freezer space, and only 20% of British households have adequate freezer capacity. This means many shoppers miss out on the convenience and reduced food waste that frozen products can offer.
Many everyday frozen staples come with a clearly defined fridge life once defrosted, including:
• Ready meals
• Burgers
• Chicken strips and goujons
• Seafood
• Meat
• Chips and potato products
• Vegetables
• Sauces
Why Fridge Life Matters
Freezing effectively pauses the shelf-life clock. Once a product is defrosted, the fridge life logo provides clear guidance on how long the food will remain safe and high quality in the refrigerator. This helps you use products confidently and avoid unnecessary waste.
By understanding fridge life and making informed choices about what to freeze or defrost, households can:
• Reduce the amount of food thrown away
• Make better use of limited freezer space
• Enjoy the flexibility of buying frozen products even when freezer capacity at home is tight
Smarter freezer management means more choice, less waste, and better value for you.
Food Safety
Remember, the Best Before date is only for products which are still frozen.
Once you have defrosted the product in the fridge, make sure you use the product within the fridge life shown in the fridge life logo, and don’t refreeze.
The products will taste great once cooked and piping hot. Don’t be tempted to graze on products before cooking.
Some products are defrost and eat, these don’t need to be cooked, but they will always only have defrost instructions on the packaging.
Did you know can check the temperature of your fridge easily with a fridge thermometer? You always want to keep the temp below 8oC, ideally below 5oc.
Guidance on storage of defrosted products
Defrost the product in the fridge, still in the product packaging. If you take the product out of the packaging pop it onto a plate and keep it covered, and make a note of the number of fridge life days it has.
Remember to store raw meat, poultry and fish below cooked food, at the bottom of the fridge on a plate.
Make some room in your freezer by taking out the amount you need, and defrost in your fridge, remember to use within the products Fridge Life.
Cooking
Fully follow all defrost instructions and cook using ‘from defrost’ instructions on pack. Ensure the product is piping hot.
Don’t panic if you have thrown away the packaging, you can find the cooking instructions on our Iceland.co.uk online shopping website.
