Dear Judy Ludy:
How long can meat stay in the freezer? I was gone for about 7 weeks, and everything went bad except for the burgers that were vacuum packed.

Signed,
Freezer Burned

Dear Burned:
Gone for 7 weeks…I hope you were gone on a trip around the world! Seriously though, meat that is vacuum packed will stay indefinitely if it doesn’t have an expiration date on it. A vacuum seal is nearly impenetrable. If the other meat you had was stored in only the packaging you purchased it in, then it would never be able to last 7 weeks. The thin cellophane wrapping around the meat is next to nothing; it’s like sleeping nude in the winter with only a sheet.

If you want your meat to last, you must bring it home and put it in “approved” freezer bags, such as Ziploc freezer bags. I’ve found meat will last up to 3 months that way, but not much longer.

The Ludy-ism… When you come home from the market, take the time to package your meat properly if you’re going to freeze it; otherwise, you’re throwing money out the window.