How to store ice cream at home (and stop freezer burn)
Ice cream is happiest at -18°C or colder, tucked at the back of the freezer with its lid on tight and as little air touching the surface as possible. Get those three things right and a tub stays smooth and scoopable for weeks. Get them wrong and you end up with a crunchy layer of ice crystals and a stale, freezer-ish taste.
We make our ice cream in small batches from cooked custards, so we care a lot about what happens after it leaves us. Here is how to look after a tub at home.
What temperature should my freezer be?
Set your freezer to -18°C or colder. That is the long-standing consumer guideline used by New Zealand's food safety authorities, referenced in the freezer survey report prepared for the NZ Food Safety Authority. At that temperature ice cream stays firm enough to hold its texture but soft enough to scoop after a short rest.
Many home freezers drift warmer than their dial suggests, especially when they are packed full or opened often. A cheap freezer thermometer, left on a middle shelf overnight, tells you what is really going on.
Where should ice cream go in the freezer?
Put it at the back, on a shelf or in a drawer, never in the door. The door is the warmest part of the freezer and gets a blast of warm kitchen air every time it opens. Those small, repeated temperature swings are what turn smooth ice cream grainy.
- Best: back of a middle shelf or the bottom drawer.
- Fine: anywhere inside the main compartment, away from the vents.
- Avoid: the door, right next to the light, or on top of warm shopping you have just put away.
Why does ice cream get icy?
Ice cream gets icy when it partly melts and refreezes. Every time the surface softens, tiny ice crystals melt; when they freeze again, the water joins larger crystals. Do that enough times and the silky texture becomes crunchy. A tub that sits on the bench for 20 minutes while everyone has seconds, then goes back in, has been through exactly that cycle.
Ice cream with plenty of milk fat and solids, like a custard-based ice cream, resists this better than an airy, lower-fat product, but every ice cream suffers if it thaws and refreezes over and over.
How to stop freezer burn
Stop air touching the surface. Freezer burn happens when moisture leaves the exposed ice cream and the surface dries out and oxidises; the water can reappear as frosty crystals on the lid. The freezer burn article on Wikipedia explains the process in more detail, including why temperature swings make it worse.
Simple fixes that work:
- Press a piece of baking paper or cling film directly onto the surface after scooping, smoothing out air bubbles.
- Put the lid back on firmly straight away.
- If only a little is left in a big tub, move it to a smaller airtight container so there is less air inside.
- Keep strong-smelling foods (fish, garlicky leftovers) sealed, because ice cream absorbs odours.
How long does ice cream keep?
Unopened, a tub kept properly frozen will keep its quality for a couple of months; check the best-before date on the label. Once opened, eat it within a few weeks for the best texture. These are quality guides rather than safety cut-offs, because ice cream that stays frozen does not spoil the way fresh food does. It just slowly loses its creaminess and picks up freezer flavours.
| Situation | Best quality within | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Unopened tub | The best-before date | Store at the back of the freezer |
| Opened tub, well sealed | About 2–3 weeks | Baking paper on the surface |
| Opened tub, left loose | About 1 week | Move to a smaller container |
| Ice cream sandwiches | About 2 weeks once opened | Wrap each one tightly |
Getting it home in one piece
Good storage starts at the shop. Put ice cream in the trolley last, carry it in an insulated bag or chilly bin, and get it into the freezer as soon as you are home. On a hot afternoon, a tub left in a warm car boot starts softening surprisingly quickly. Our guide to keeping ice cream frozen on the way home covers chilly bins, ice packs and dry ice.
Serving without ruining the rest
Take out what you need, then put the tub straight back. Rather than leaving the whole tub on the table, scoop into bowls in the kitchen. If the ice cream is too hard to scoop, soften it gently in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes instead of leaving it on the bench. Our post on how to soften ice cream for perfect scoops has the timings.
Quick checklist
- Freezer at -18°C or colder (check with a thermometer).
- Tub at the back, not in the door.
- Baking paper on the surface, lid on tight.
- Scoop, then return the tub immediately.
- Move small leftovers into a smaller container.
Looking for something new to put in that well-organised freezer? Browse our current flavours, or read our FAQs for more on ingredients and allergens.
Frequently asked questions
How long does ice cream last in the freezer once opened?
An opened tub is at its best within about two to three weeks if it is sealed well and kept at -18°C or colder. It will stay safe for longer, but texture slowly suffers as ice crystals grow. Smaller tubs and a sheet of baking paper on the surface help it last.
Is freezer-burned ice cream safe to eat?
Yes. Freezer burn is moisture loss and oxidation at the surface, so it affects taste and texture, not safety. Scrape off the dry, icy layer and eat the rest. If the whole tub tastes stale or of other freezer foods, it is past its best and better replaced.
Can I refreeze ice cream that has melted?
Avoid refreezing ice cream that has fully melted, especially if it sat out warm for more than an hour or two, because it becomes icy and loses quality and food safety margins. Slightly softened ice cream that stayed cold can go straight back in the freezer.
Should I store ice cream upside down?
Some people swear by it, because melted drips run to the lid rather than the surface you scoop from. It does no harm if the lid seals tightly. A layer of baking paper pressed onto the ice cream does a better job of stopping ice crystals on the surface.
