Freezer Discussion: I Need Your Advice & Tips!
As you may know, I just purchased a new freezer… and yes, I absolutely LOVE it! I need your help, though! You see, I’m not too knowledgeable in the freezer department and would greatly benefit from any advice and/or tips I can get!
Here are some questions I have:
- What items can you freeze?
- What are your favorite items to freeze?
- Can you freeze milk and cheese?
- If so, what are the best way to freeze these items?
- What kind of packaging materials should be used for freezing?
- What are some ways to prevent fruit from turning brown during freezing?
These are just a few questions to get ya thinkin’. If you have any other tips about freezing, then please feel free to let us know! I think this will be a great discussion. I’m hoping all the information provided in the comment section will not only help me, but lots of you too!
Thanks again for your help!
Happy Freezing!:)
Freezing milk always tastes weird… but I’ve always frozen cheese (I only freeze it shredded as it isn’t mushy when it thaws)- GOGURT is a wonderful frozen treat- especially in the summers!! Also, rhubarb freezes pretty well- I cut mine up in small chunks and measure out for my recipes then use a foodsaver to bag and seal them. My fruit doesn’t turn brown (especially bananas) when I use a foodsaver instead of just freezer bags. I also freeze homemade bread and it turns out wonderful! Just a couple of ideas.
Is it an old wives tale that you can not refreeze meat once you have thawed it? I have heard both ways on this.
I love frozen grapes. Wash & freeze them. It’s delicious frozen, or thawed. I cut bagels in halves and freeze them. Toast before serving. I freeze lemon juice(squeezed) on the ice tray, use it in place of ice cubes, you have a cold lemon water!
Just my 2 cents worth….in response to Michelle, you should never refreeze thawed meat, because bacteria will grow on the meat once it is thawed. When you put it back in the freezer, this just hibernates the bacteria; when you bring it out to thaw again, the bacteria multiplies and next thing you know, cooking it just doesn’t cut it, and you could come down with some life threatening food poisoning. If you have thawed meat that you don’t want to eat that day, you can cook it into a meal and then re-freeze it. This is okay, as long as you only reheat the meal once. You cannot keep this meal’s leftovers for another time; whatever is not eaten will have to be thrown out.
I found some of this information on WikiAnswers, some on the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and some I already knew! Gotta give credit where credit is due! ๐
Stuff I freeze:
“Gogurt” for the kids. They love it.
Homemade baby food. Freeze in ice cube trays, then transfer to freezer bags- so easy & much cheaper
Homemade wheat bread- I make one batch of 6 loaves every 3 weeks or so. When you’re running low, pull out a loaf the night before & let it thaw.
Cream cheese- the texture is a bit different if you’re eating it plain. But I whip it for gravy, desserts, etc & I haven’t had a problem with it.
Cookie dough. Either in balls & bags, or in a log, rolled in wax paper and then foil. I always have a stash of cookie dough. It is actually better for my will power frozen. If I make an entire batch fresh, I overeat. Now when we have a craving, we can just pull a few out at a time to bake.
Extra garden seeds for the next year
Extra soup when I make a huge pot
Casseroles. Lasagne. Enchiladas. I make 2 pans any time I make these & freeze one.
Meat in bags, portioned for one meal.
Butter.
Chocolate chips. Many many chocolate chips.
Popcicles (for the whole neighborhood it feels like)
Corn on the cob. Wait til toward the end of summer, when you can get it for 5/$1 at farmers markets or from people selling it from their truck on the corners. I blanch it & seal it in foodsaver bags. 20 bucks usually buys me enough to last an entire year. This is the BEST use of my freezer.
I used to puree various fruits and veggies and freeze them in ice cube trays. I would store the cubes in a freezer bag.
Makes great baby food….WAY cheaper.
I freeze Pillsbury Crescent rolls in the can. I place the can inside a ziplock bag just in case it explodes, but so far I haven’t had a problem with that. Just thaw and bake as directed.
I have froze milk and I think it taste just fine when thawed! I froze half gallons as is ( they do bulge a little, so I lay them on side). The milk looks kind of yellow when frozen , but looks just fine after thawing! It does take 3 or 4 days to thaw! Good luck!
I know you can freeze a lot of these items but my question is, how good is the stuff for after it thaws? I don’t want any cases of food poisoning!
Good post by the way. I make a lot of hearty soups and stews and freeze them in small portions.
I also mix yogurt and coolwhip together, make into popsicles and freeze them.
I also freeze all meats, flour (no buggies), and baked goods (like bread or cake).
I never did like the taste of thawed out milk by itself (maybe I just never shook it enough), but I do freeze some of it into cubes to use for my coffee.
-J
ok I don’t know if its said, i dont have time to read all the comments now, but you want to keep your freezer full. Fill in extra space with plastic bags filled with ice. this will help with energy costs.
My favorite place to check before i freeze is here
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asp
There’s another site on freezing veggies I’ll have to look on my other computer that website
I freeze quite a few things… I always put fruit fresh on my fruits like strawberries, peaches, apples. With bananas when they are turning brown I thorw them in the freezer peeling and all. Then when I want to make banana bread I just let them thaw out a few minutes while I am gettig everything else ready. If they are still frozen I run them under some warm water. I also purchased a food saver from Wal-Mart and use to on everything. Except I learned that breads don’t work well. I double wrap the breads that I have baked in aluminin foil after they have cooled. But bread from the store I just throw in there. I also buy chicken legs, breast, etc. and then package them to what we will need for a meal. I also bake cookies and freeze, or just make up the dough put on a sheet freeze it and then put in the food saver bag for when I have time to bake. I also stock up on corn each fall. I blanch it, cut it off the cob, and then put in freezer bags or food saver bags. I’ve also frozen broccoli, green beans, tomatos for soups, and cheese. I love my 2 freezers!! And believe me they are packed.
we buy hamburger in 3 lb. packages and then repackage them in the ziploc vacuum seal bags. they freeze really well and it allows us to stock up on meat when it’s on sale!
I make a batch of lasagna for dinner and then the next day after it has set-up in the frig, I cut it into individual servings, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil, and place in a giant freezer zip-lock bag (can never over-wrap for the freezer). I also make & bake stuffed peppers, place them in individual baggies & suck out all the air, and place in a big freezer bag once they have frozen separately. There are also recipes for frozen slaw and frozen cucumber salad (great to get out for use at holidays/get-togethers/potlucks). Since I bake cookies to sell during the community yardsale, this year I’m going to make the dough in the next few weeks and freeze them in balls so I won’t be frantically mixing and baking them the week before the sale when I’m busy with last minute pricing. Having a convection oven makes the baking go super fast (and less time in a hot kitchen).
I freeze a bunch of stuff, butter, cheese, homemade jam, meats, veggies, fruit (usually berries & mangos). I usually freeze them on a cookie sheet so they don’t mush together, then transfer to a freezer bag. Also, I freeze cookie dough, it’s so easy. Again, I freeze it first on a cookie sheet already scooped out into little balls. Then I stick it in a freezer bag and we have hot cookies anytime without all the preservatives in the bought cookie dough. In my experience you will want the following: freezer paper, freezer tape, ziploc vacuum bags and 2 gallon freezer bags. The freezer paper and tape is because you wrap the meat first in that and then put it in the ziploc vacuum bag and then you can reuse the ziplock bag instead of throwing it out. Most of the time, I also freeze the meat first and then put it in paper and the bag. No mess in the bag to reuse it! Because you can’t really wash it out and reuse it. You have a lot of responses!!! You will be an expert in no time! Good luck!
i freeze butter – i stock up when it’s on sale for $1.50 for 4 quarters. just throw it in the fridge a day or so before you need it and you’re fine. my supermarket tends to offer good deals on the family packs of meat so i buy them and then divide them at home into individual freezer bags. i also will make homemade meatballs and freeze them for future dinners, packaged about a dozen per meal.
Yes, you can def. freeze hotdogs! I freeze them when I find them on sale and then take them out the night before a cook out.
WOW!! Awesome response! I have heard that you can freeze canned biscuits, cinnamon rolls, etc. When the really good Pillsbury sales come around, I plan on finding out!! Has anyone ever frozen salad mix, bags of lettuce?
You can freeze just about anything as I understand it. I freeze chees…block, cut and kraft singles. I freeze all my margerine/butter. And YES you can freeze milk. But you have to open it and pour off about a glassfull to prevent an EXPLOSION from the expanding. The taste of milk…well…it does water down some. I wouldn’t do it with skim or 1%…but 2% is ok. My kid NEVER notices the difference.
My boy loves pancakes. We make a whole box of mix and make a lot of pancakes, then freeze them in stacks of 3. Quick 1:30 thaw and yum yum!
Something I didn’t see mentioned… homemade pizza sauce. I cook up a huge batch, portion into snack size baggies, lay flat to freeze so it’s easier to store. We have a pizza every weekend and it takes minutes to throw it all together and pop in the oven. ๐
Jan –
Thanks so much for the rice tip… I’m gonna start the stove as we speak…
I keep this site in my favorites, and go to it when I’m unsure of freezing.
https://busycooks.about.com/library/lessons/blfreezer.htm
And BTW, I have read many sites that tell you not to freeze cottage cheese, but I do (just for lasagna, not for straight eating).
The number one thing I suggest is browning up some meat, it saves time later on! (I buy in bulk when I get a really good price.) I do this especially with ground beef.
Sorry, that’s
https://busycooks.about.com/library/lessons/blfreezer.htm
things we freeze that I didn’t see in other comments:
chopped herbs like parsley, basil, oregano in ziplock bags.
popcorn kernels in original packaging.
pumpkin pie filling
all right i have not read all the coments but I do not think snyone else mentioned this.
One of my favorite things to freezeis peanutbutter and jelly sandwitches. I make about 2 loves worth at a time wrap them up in sandwitch baggies and label and date with a sharpie. These are great when putting together everyones lunches for the day surprisingly even my husband loves them, you could do this with ham and cheese and mustard and just add the fresh veggies in the morning before putting in the lunch box.
i used masking tape on all my tubberweare but it often fell of, then i was introdused to freezer tape a few years ago and i still just as inlove as the day we meet. It stays n as long as you want it to even in the dish washer, oops, and comes of easy and clean when it is time.
date and label everything, even the best of us will not remember if this particular leftover spagetti sause was the one with cheese allready mixed in 2 months down the road.
Lisa
lettuce wil not be your friend if you freeze it, think canned spinnage. I have had lots of great results freezing various dought bought or homemade.
Allso all the people who pour out milk before freezing, maybe i’m just lucky but i have never done that and i have never had a spill or a cracked container.
WOW!! What a great discussion. I have read everyone so far and I have to agree..with most. I just have a couple of things to add.
I love to freeze store bought bread, but when I moved to higher altitudes I found that it got mushy when I moved it from the freezer to the counter so when I need bread I put it in the fridge for a day before I move it to the counter. It seems to keep it from being mushy.
(Got this one from my mom) She would take the juice from the canned fruit (store bought or home canned) and make popsicles out of it by putting it in ice cube trays with toothpicks. Put saran wrap over the tray and than poke the toothpicks through, that keeps the toothpicks straight up and down.
The biggest tip I can think of is when you buy in bulk and separate it out, try to make everything about the same size packages and FLAT. This does two things: It makes it easier to stack (which increases your space) and the items in the bag will freeze evenly.
Here’s the best one I’ve found for Peaches so far:
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2008
Prep Time:20 min
Inactive Prep Time:2 hr 0 min
Serves:1 pound frozen fruit
Ingredients
ย 4 ounces granulated sugar
ย 1 teaspoon ground
children’s Vitamin C
ย 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
ย 1 pound peeled and pitted fresh peaches, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
Directions
Place the sugar, Vitamin C and paprika into a 1-gallon zip-top bag, seal and shake to combine. Add the peaches and toss to coat well. Lay the bag flat on a counter and using a straw, suck out any remaining air in the bag. Return to the freezer
Love your site! Angie
A general rule – the more the water content of the product you are freezing, the less likely it will be of the same texture when it thaws. An example: blocks of natural cheese freeze much nicer than processed cheese. good luck, hope this helps.
I freeze butter, all cheeses, Go-Gurt, hot dogs and never have a problem with taste when I need it later on.
I always freeze my milk. It saves on trips to the grocery store. When I see we are low, I take a gallon out of the freezer and set it on a towel on the counter over night. By morning, it is mostly thawed. We don’t have any problems with flavor. You will want to shake it when thawed. Sometimes, we notice white specks in the milk where the milkfat has seperated. No problems though.
I freeze cheese, but I shred it and store it in a gallon freezer bag. I do this for 2 reasons. After it has been frozen as a brick and thawed, it doesn’t slice or shred very well–it breaks off in chunks. It is also very easy to use when it’s shredded and because of the surface area, it thaws quickly. But because of the increased surface area when shredded, cheese molds quicker. Cream cheese doesn’t thaw well.
I like to individually freeze my meat that is purchased bulk and also my fruits. This way they aren’t stuck together and you don’t have to thaw the whole pkg to use some. Just spread the items on a large baking sheet and place in the freezer until frozen solid. Then, remove from the sheet and place in a gallon freezer bag.
Ok, that was long, but that’s what I suggest with a freezer.
I also freeze lunchmeats in 1/2 lb increments in the freezer. Then thaw as needed.
I love my freezer & use it a lot. I hope the long post is ok!
I will try freezing anything at least once but mostly I freeze meat & veg. I do freeze milk & have never had problems with the taste. It does turn yellow when it’s frozen & it does separate but you need to shake it VERY thoroughly once it’s thawed. It takes two or three days to thaw completely in the fridge. I shake it every time I pour though I don’t really think that’s needed. I’ve left it our overnight to thaw too. My family has never complained about the taste either.
For fruit, I usually just freeze what we grow – blackberries. I’ve frozen other kinds of berries that I’ve bought.
I also freeze breads & pastries but they need to be eaten within 4 to 6 weeks at the most. I buy on sale & freeze. With buns I have a small family so I take one bun per person out of the freezer & thaw in the microwave wrapped in a paper towel on defrost. If you buy snack cakes, they freeze very well too & keep for about 6 months.
I also cook ahead & freeze some things. Usually it’s just the meats. I’ll grill a lot of chicken breast then cut into 1-in. pieces & freeze for stir fry, salads, wraps, enchiladas, ect.
I freeze leftovers to use in homemade soups. If there’s only one or two servings left of a veggie, rice or meat, I freeze it in a small container until I have enough to make soup. I also make my own broth & freeze it.
Since my family is small I freeze a lot of sauces. I buy spaghetti, marinara, salsa ect. & freeze them in 1/4 cup containers to use in recipes.
I dice fresh onions & peppers from the garden or when they’re on sale & freeze in ziplocs. Then I take out what I need for recipes or to top homemade pizzas.
The main things I freeze from my garden are purple hull peas & tomatoes. The tomatoes can only be used in cooking once frozen.
I also freeze nuts & chocolate. I like to buy chocolate after major holidays for cooking. You can buy Valentine or Easter chocolate on clearance then break into chunks & freeze for cookie, cake or brownie recipes.
I also store some of my garden seeds in the freezer.
Things I’ve had bad luck freezing are mashed potatoes, homemade bread dough(I should be able to do this but haven’t learned the trick yet) & asparagus(it just doesn’t taste as good as fresh from the garden!).
Things I’ve heard you can freeze but have never tried are butter & eggs. I’ve read that you can whisk a dozen eggs as if you’re making scrambled eggs. Divide them into an ice cube tray with 12 compartments. Then once they’re frozen pop them out & store in a freezer bag. One cube equals one egg in your cooking.
Like I said, I LOVE my freezer & use it every day. I really like the slide out baskets in your new freezer. Mine is upright too but I don’t have as many compartments. I really like yours. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do mine! Jen PS sorry this is so long but I hope it’s helpful.
The one thing that I haven’t seen on this list is bacon. I buy it on sale and if I’m lucky along with a coupon. I have found Walgreens actually has the best price on Oscar Mayer bacon (my brand of choice). I buy a couple of pounds at a time and freeze them. Pull them out and pop them in the fridge a day before I use them and they taste great.
Tanya…yes I have frozen bacon and my mother did it for years…freeze as is and defrost the night before in the frig. does anyone else wash their expensive ziploc bags and reuse them…just wondering if i’m the only crazy one..:)
A good trick to freezing homemade though is to use parchment paper before putting it into the freezer bag.
always works for me.
When my bananas turn brown, I peel them, cut in half and freeze them. When I want a fresh smoothie, I add all of my ingredients in the blender, and then instead of ice, I add the half banana. It’s yummy!
if you freeze your bread, make sure to slip a peice of paper towel in the bag to absorb the moisture when thawing!
We freeze milk all of the time and have no issues w/ it. If it does separate, just shake it up and it will blend back together. We’ve never had any complaints from the 4 kids about the taste. We also freeze cheese slices. It does look a little funny when thawed, but they still eat it. Note on the milk though, it will expand when frozen- so the jug sometimes will deform.
Recently, I learned that you can freeze onions. I did not know this, but my husband’s Grandmother told me so, and you know how that goes, they know best! lol. I don’t know if anyone posted this on any other comment, but thought I’d pass it on. Usually I have onion left over and many times, do not use it all after spaghetti, etc. so this is a great way to do it and it is so fresh and ready for next time! I just used a ziploc bag. ๐
I always freeze FLOUR, especially whole wheat. This keeps the flour from becoming rancid and makes all your homemade goodies taste fresh. I also freeze nuts and chocolate.
A couple of months ago there was a .50/1 coupon for Coffeemate creamers. I buy these all the time, so I went on ebay and bought 20 coupons for it. My grocery store put the little bottles on sale for $.99, so guess what? They were free when my coupon doubled. I wanted to buy 20 bottles, but didn’t think I could use them before they went bad. I decided to try freezing them and it worked out great. I put them in the frige to defrost and they were just as good as ever. I will mentioned that I did not buy the fat free kind. I read that when freezing foods, the low fat and fat free foods do not freeze as well.
I read somewhere that the best kind of cheese is Mozzarella. Other kinds will change consistency/taste…
Best containers are freezer ziplocks…flatten everything out and you can pull things out flat; it also thaws quicker this way.
My favorite things to freeze:
browned hamburger meat, separated into 1-lb bags
cooked, diced chicken. I buy at least two whole chickens, cook them at the same time, de-skin and bone and then dice. Great to pull out when you need cooked chicken. I usually freeze these in 1-cup increments so it’s also pre-measured.
Fresh herbs keep frozen for up to a year. I buy them in season, wash, dry WELL and freeze in a ziplock. Pull out and ready to use.
One tip is to make sure you are only freezing things ONCE. Like don’t use cooked meat to make a casserole and then re-freeze it. It will lose taste. Same with fruit or veggies. You can also make an entire casserole and bake it, and freeze into single servings. This is great for single people or empty-nesters.
I would freeze everything if I had a bigger freezer. But I don’t. So I’m always crammed for space. If I had more room I would do more meals ahead of time.
Oh, one more thing. I read a good tip in a magazine other week and it was to freeze extra juice in ice cube trays, then pop one in a glass of water for your kids…instant watered-down juice!
Have you thought about Canning? When the fruits and veggies are at there cheapest, in season, you can them and enjoy them later. This also cuts down on sugar and preservatives, and time. The veggies are already washed and slightly cooked!
We make trays of eggplant parm or baked ziti. We put them in the alum. trays and cover with the lids. Mark the top with the date and freeze; do not cook before freezing. We have also made desserts and frozen them. You can even freeze store bought desserts including Entements cakes. I regularly freeze bread and lunch meats too. We buy a cinnamon bread from out local fair, slice it and freeze. Pull out what we need to make french toast and it’s DELISH ๐ Happy freezing!
Everything! I freeze anything I can make in large batches. Whenever I make spagetti sauce or chili I just triple the recipe and freeze it in amounts that my recipes call for. I also do the same when I bake bread, and I freeze loaves of bread I find good deals on. I have a lemon tree and freeze whole lemons when there are too many to use. They are a bit softer when they thaw, but it makes them perfect for juicing.
Probably my favorite thing to freeze is brown rice. I love to use it since it’s healther, but it takes longer to cook. I cook a large stock pot of it once, then freeze it in small batches. To use later I put it straight from the freezer into a steaming basket and it comes out perfect! It even has a better texture than when made without freezing.
I do the same thing with oatmeal. I like steel cut oats, so I’ll cook a whole batch and freeze portions to make for faster breakfast prep.
I peel bananas, break them into about three or four pieces and use them in fruit smoothies. It gives the smoothies a really thick frothy texture. If they are in the freezer for a really long time they will start to turn brown, but I have only had an issue with this a few times.
Go to https://stilltasty.com/ they have freezer/refrigirator life for everything