I have heard to just put some ice cubes in the freezer and if they have lost their shape, then they have melted, or melted some. Would that be better?

Sue

Me?? Un identified stuff in the freezer....nah...never!! LOL !

But consider it a way of adding adventure to your life!

UFO (unidentified Freezer Objects), yes sure.

A recording thermometer is better. You never know what the auto-defrost system can do to your ice monitoring system.

dcarch

Hubby did that trick when we had to evacuate for Hurricane Irma. Apparently, we never lost power - or if we did, it wasn't long enough for the ice to melt. You need to use a small container, not a big one, & clear is best.

I learned to label things some years ago - tho I don't always date things. Additionally, I have a compost heap, which is a good guilt reducer, when it comes to disposing of spoiled foods.

Well, tomorrow will tell!!

Manual defrost freezer, the quarter trick sounds great! My frost free freezer has a built in alarm. There's even a module, which I didn't get, which will phone you to let you know. ;)

I have to admit that while in many things I'm disorganized, I keep masking tape and a sharpie in a particular place on the kitchen counter so I won't put things away unlabelled, and do date them. If they're right there, where I'm wrapping up food, I can't put it off.

Even so, I cook a lot without recipe or name, so if I want to know what XYZ goop is, I still have to play the game. :) I did figure out one. Mine-stony. That was stone soup with a minestrone vibe. :)

I do have masking tape and a Sharpie. I'm usually good at using them. I had rotator cuff surgery at the beginning of the summer and our freezer drawer became full of frozen vessels for my ice machine. So we've been culling all of that and discovering some UFO's. Had a great batch of American chop suey tonight with a box of macaroni.

I wrap all my meat in plastic then in aluminum foil. I put masking tape on it and mark it with a sharpie. I usually end up with some masking tape on the bottom of the freezer and unmarked meat.

Masking tape doesn't stick to the foil (meat) if it's at all cold. I can't think of anything that would stick to it better.

Good for you, I'm glad you get to go someplace warm. Have fun!!!

Lose stuff in the freezer. Nah, not me. Ahem. Things migrate to the bottom of my big chest and I find them when I clean and defrost, LOL. I just cooked a pot roast for the dogs dated 2012. (sigh) At least I knew what it was, but there are some things that I must have thought I would know, but I sure don't. Fortunately I have chickens, dogs, cats. Something always wants to eat whatever I've located, LOL.

Annie

I swear things transform into strange objects in the bottom of my freezer.......

Jasdip, try freezer paper. ;) You can write right on it. I use the tape with sharpie on containers and just the sharpie on freezer paper or freezer bags. If the tape falls off it's the wrong thing.

Consider the purchase of a home generator with an automatic switch over. Then no worries about furnace going out and pipes breaking or things thawing or being ruined in the refrigerator.. They're expensive, but worth the peace of mind.

Seagrass -- if you are pretty much the only person putting things in your freezer, AND, you can't recall what some package is, and no label with a date, I'll venture to guess that it has probably been in the freezer too long to be enjoyable. You can defrost it and see. I've heard that (otherwise good) freezer burned meat can be given to dog owners. I'd probably just discard it.

We end up using blue or green painter's tape to label items in fridge or freezer, jars, plastic containers, parts and so on. We also use it for re-sealing cereal boxes.

There are people on our Freecycle who regularly ask for freezer-burned meat for their pets. I've asked for some chicken for Smudge who was ailing in his senior years. I was making some home-cooked meals for him. He was the only one of the 3 who would eat it.