We’ve all opened up a carton of ice cream, only to be disappointed to discover that it’s freezer burned. This might lead to you throwing out the whole carton, but freezer burn isn’t actually the death sentence you might think it is.

The formation of crystallized shards on your ice cream is not dangerous, although freezer-burned food may have an altered taste. While there’s no way to reverse freezer burn, there are ways to save your food from it.

Freezer burn is a result of dehydration from constantly being exposed to air, so to avoid that, it’s best to consume the ice cream in your freezer within at least six months of buying it, or by sealing it in an air-tight container. If you still end up with freezer-burned food frequently, it could just be that you need a new freezer.