Have you ever experienced that freezer taste in your food? You know, the one that suddenly makes you question if the food you just thawed and reheated was actually chicken or something used in Fear Factor (and we do mean from the episodes in the early 2000s). There's no easy way to describe that taste or texture other than pure, mealy unpleasantness. You may want to swear off freezer foods forever but wait just a minute! The freezer can actually help you accomplish a lot of your goals in the kitchen, it just takes proper method and management. Use the following as a general guide when it comes to freezing and storing foods in the freezer to keep foods fresher, longer.
Which Foods Store Best To begin, not all foods were created equal when it comes to handling the freezing process. Meats (especially fish), breads, cooked vegetables, fruits to be used in a pie or smoothie, and many more foods do very well in the freezer. In fact, there are so many foods that are great for storing easily in the freezer that it's probably quicker to just tell you which ones to avoid: dairy, eggs, gelatin, jelly, fried foods, delicate fruits & veggies, canned foods, and sauces. For individual foods, here's some basic rules to follow: avoid high-moisture content foods (ex: cucumbers) if you intend to eat it raw, if it didn't taste good to begin with it certainly won't taste better once thawed, and beware of anything creamy.
Prepare Foods For Best Freshness Each food group requires different prep before going into the freezer. Vegetables are easy - wash, clean, cut, blanche, and then place into a freezer-safe bag or container. Fruits should be prepared just like you were going to use them immediately - larger fruits should be cored and cut up into smaller pieces, smaller fruits can be left whole. Simply wash, pat-dry, and place onto a baking sheet in the freezer to avoid the pieces freezing into a block of mush. Once frozen, place your fruits into a freezer bag. Fish and meats should be tightly sealed in plastic wrap, a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil, then placed inside a sealed bag for better protection. Baked goods can be simply sealed inside a plastic bag.
How To Freeze It's best to freeze foods as soon as you buy them to maintain the highest quality in nutrients and flavor. Foods should be placed into the best-fitting container which is both shallow and sealable (remember, air causes freezer burn). We recommend freezing foods into the portion size you will use them for easy reheating. Once you have properly prepped your foods to be frozen, label each item with the date and name and place them into the freezer. Your freezer should always be set to 0° F (-18° C) or lower to keep foods from deteriorating. Make sure not to stack foods until they have completely frozen so they can freeze evenly and quickly to reduce ice crystals that can cause damage. Plus, if you've ever accidentally frozen freezer bag items to each other (such as ground beef or liquids), you know the pain of trying to separate frozen bags before deciding it's easier to just thaw everything at once and cook an entire week's worth of meals! Anyway, once they are frozen you are welcome to stack and organize each food by product and date.
For How Long? Follow this list provided by the FDA that offers best practices for how long different foods should be kept in the refrigerator and freezer before spoiling or becoming dangerous. The good news is foods stored below 0° F will technically remain safe indefinitely, but whether or not you should serve it up to your mother-in-law is a whole different story.
Maintaining Your Frozen Foods Keep your frozen foods in best condition by posting an inventory list next to your freezer with each food item and date as you place them in the freezer. This will help you know the exact amounts of foods you have and avoids from allowing foods to spoil or be forgotten. Keep foods organized by categories for easy accessibility, moving items to the front as you place new foods in the back. We highly recommend placing a thermometer inside your freezer if it doesn't already have one. Check it regularly to ensure your freezer maintains a temperature of 0° F or lower.
What foods can always be found inside your freezer?
