If you’ve ever heard shoppers talking about Dollar General freezer resets and penny frozen food, you’re not imagining it — these are some of the most exciting penny opportunities at Dollar General.
A Dollar General freezer reset is a clearance process where discontinued frozen foods, ice cream, and sometimes refrigerated items are removed from planograms and replaced with new products. When this happens, leftover items that aren’t pulled in time can eventually ring up for just $0.01.
Here’s everything you need to know about how freezer resets work, when items penny, and how to find them.
What Is a Dollar General Freezer Reset?
A freezer reset happens when Dollar General updates its freezer and cooler sections to make room for new products. These resets are often handled by an outside company such as Driveline, not regular store employees.
During the reset:
- Certain frozen, ice cream, or dairy items are discontinued
- Items are flagged as “discontinued” in store systems
- Driveline is scheduled to remove them during a reset window
- Store employees are expected to clear remaining inventory
However, not every item always gets pulled — and that’s where penny shopping comes in.
Why Freezer Reset Items Penny Out
When Dollar General discontinues an item, it goes through several markdown stages. If inventory remains after heavy discounts, the item may eventually be marked down to $0.01 to signal it should no longer be sold.
Because freezer resets rely on Driveline schedules, some stores miss items or complete resets later than others. This causes a tiered penny effect, meaning:
- One group of stores may penny on one Monday
- Another group may penny the following Monday
- The process can stretch across several weeks
This is why some shoppers find penny items at one store while another store still shows full price.
When Do Dollar General Freezer Reset Penny Items Drop?
Most freezer reset penny items:
- Penny on Mondays
- Drop in waves, not all at once
- Can start weeks after the reset process begins
Important reset timelines often include:
- Frozen food
- Ice cream
- Occasionally dairy or deli items
Because resets are phased, not every store pennies at the same time.
What Items Typically Penny During Freezer Resets?
Items can vary by store, but commonly include:
- Discontinued frozen dinners
- Frozen pizzas
- Breakfast sandwiches and bowls
- Ice cream and novelty desserts
- Occasionally refrigerated or dairy items
Selection depends on:
- Store layout
- Reset schedule
- Inventory levels
- Driveline completion timing
How to Find Dollar General Freezer Penny Items
1. Check Stores Weekly
Visit your local Dollar General every Monday morning during freezer reset periods. New penny drops often happen at the start of the week.
2. Use the Dollar General App
Always scan items using the Dollar General app:
- Look for $0.01 or $0.00
- Shelf tags may not reflect the penny price
- Never rely on sticker prices alone
3. Follow Penny Lists
Couponing groups often post:
- UPC lists
- Product photos
- Store reports
These lists help narrow down what to scan, especially during resets.
4. Be Patient
Freezer resets are not instant. Items may penny:
- One week
- Two weeks
- Or even a month later
Different stores, different timing.
Important Tips for Freezer Reset Penny Shopping
- Scan everything — many penny items still look full price
- Be respectful to store staff
- Stores technically aren’t required to sell penny items, but most do
- Check both freezer and cooler sections
- Inventory varies store to store
Why Freezer Resets Are So Popular
Freezer resets are exciting because:
- Frozen food is usually expensive
- Penny opportunities can include name-brand items
- Drops happen multiple times, not just once
For penny shoppers, freezer resets are one of the best chances to score high-value items for almost nothing.
Final Thoughts
Dollar General freezer resets are a tiered penny clearance event, not a single-day sale. Because resets are handled by Driveline and completed in phases, penny items can appear at different stores over several Mondays.
If you want to catch these deals:
- Check weekly
- Scan with the app
- Follow penny updates
- Stay patient
And as always, Crazy For Couponing will post updates as soon as we get them.
The current Dollar General deli and dairy reset is set to begin on Monday, 01/26/26. Following that, the ice cream reset is scheduled for 02/23/26, with the frozen department reset starting on 04/06/26. As always, reset dates may vary slightly by store, so be sure to scan items in the app and keep an eye out for surprise markdowns and clearance finds.
This is a trickle down process so if your store does not penny Monday 01/26/2026 Then check the following Monday 02/02/2026 and so on!
- Deli & Dairy Reset: Starting Monday, 01/26/26
- Ice Cream Reset: Starting 02/23/26
- Frozen Reset: Starting 04/06/26
