Butter freezing tips? How to Freeze Just About Anything? Depending on the size of your freezer and the types of food you eat, freezing food and meals can be a real time-saver. Before you throw things in your freezer, however, stock up on some of these essentials: resealable plastic containers, plastic freezer bags in assorted sizes, heavy foil, plastic wrap and a Sharpie or marker for dating when food went in the freezer. Whether you have a deep freezer or a standard freezer, the principles of freezing food items are the same. Here are some things you can freeze and specific tips for how to do so.
Leave a little extra room for liquids: You can also freeze soups, sauces and stews in airtight containers. Liquids expand so you’ll want to fill freezer bags and containers only three-quarters of the way, so they don’t explode. Freeze fruits and vegetables: Freezing seasonal fruits and veggies is great, especially this time of year. Freezing your fresh garden veggies now will allow you to use them all year long. Same with in-season fruits, which are sweeter and perfect to add to your smoothies. Casseroles can be frozen either cooked or uncooked, but it’s a bit better to freeze uncooked or partially cooked casseroles as opposed to freezing fully cooked casseroles.
Whole Avocados – Yep, you read that right! You can freeze whole avocados. *Mind blown* You can also freeze guacamole! Most Veggies – Corn, peas, carrots, onions, peppers, you name it! You may need to blanch some of them before freezing. Roasted Tomatoes or Bell Peppers – Bake your tomatoes with herbs and spices and a drizzle of olive oil, then freeze in freezer bags. This can easily be added to soups and sauces. Squash and Sweet Potato – Cube or shred a batch of zucchini or sweet potatoes for quick hash browns. You can also thaw these and throw them into muffins or other baked goods for added nutrition! Spinach – Bag and freeze! So simple and helps prevent so much leafy waste. Frozen spinach is perfect to toss into a smoothie, a casserole, or your favorite pasta dish! See more information at How to freeze.
Previous research notes that freezer burn is a condition where exposure to air within the freezer causes moisture loss, and that subsequent dehydration can lead to food that’s dry; has ice crystals on it; and shows changes in flavor, color, and texture after thawing. This doesn’t affect safety, Baker says, but it may make the food unappealing in terms of flavor and texture. Do: Put Dates on Each Food Once you put items in the freezer, their “sell by” date can act as a helpful guide for when you bought it, but it’s also a good idea to get into the habit of using a label system — freezer tape is very handy — and rotating older items to the front to be used sooner. That way, you can freeze up to the appropriate time frame for each food type, says Janilyn Hutchings, certified food safety professional and food scientist at StateFoodSafety, an Orem, Utah–based food safety certification and training program for the hospitality industry. Here are some general guidelines.