Here's a list of what freezes well, and what doesn't - based on our trial & error experiences. Feel free to read through them all, or use the drop down menu to search for a specific food item.
CHICKEN & TURKEY freeze well raw or cooked. Make taco seasoned chicken to freeze. Or BBQ chicken. Even unseasoned leftover rotisserie chicken freezes well so you can throw it in a recipe at a later date.
BEEF freezes well. Ground beef can be frozen raw or cooked (think taco meat, meatloaf, meatballs, etc). Chuck freezes well when cooked in stews and such. But all other cuts of beef freeze best raw. They lose a lot of quality if you cook it, then freeze it. If you freeze cooked beef, never REfreeze it! (You can freeze it raw, cook it, and then refreeze it once though).
RICE can be cooked and frozen easily - cook rice like normal. Then let it cool slightly (but not completely). While still warm, put rice in freezer bags and freeze. The warmth will help retain moisture. To thaw, microwave for 3-5 minutes (depending on the portion size). When our group is exchanging a meal that involves rice, we tend to just give the other moms 2cups of uncooked rice because we all agree cooking rice is no effort at all.
PASTA freezes well, if it is mixed in a meal. Undercook it so it's a little harder than al dente. It will finish cooking during the reheating process. Pasta does not freeze great as a stand-alone item. But it takes little effort to make the day a meal is to be eaten. If it's a meal where the pasta is not integrated in the casserole (like Italian Sausage & Tortellini Soup), it's best to leave the pasta to be cooked by others when they cook the main meal.
CHICKEN & TURKEY freeze well raw or cooked. Make taco seasoned chicken to freeze. Or BBQ chicken. Even unseasoned leftover rotisserie chicken freezes well so you can throw it in a recipe at a later date.
BEEF freezes well. Ground beef can be frozen raw or cooked (think taco meat, meatloaf, meatballs, etc). Chuck freezes well when cooked in stews and such. But all other cuts of beef freeze best raw. They lose a lot of quality if you cook it, then freeze it. If you freeze cooked beef, never REfreeze it! (You can freeze it raw, cook it, and then refreeze it once though).
RICE can be cooked and frozen easily - cook rice like normal. Then let it cool slightly (but not completely). While still warm, put rice in freezer bags and freeze. The warmth will help retain moisture. To thaw, microwave for 3-5 minutes (depending on the portion size). When our group is exchanging a meal that involves rice, we tend to just give the other moms 2cups of uncooked rice because we all agree cooking rice is no effort at all.
PASTA freezes well, if it is mixed in a meal. Undercook it so it's a little harder than al dente. It will finish cooking during the reheating process. Pasta does not freeze great as a stand-alone item. But it takes little effort to make the day a meal is to be eaten. If it's a meal where the pasta is not integrated in the casserole (like Italian Sausage & Tortellini Soup), it's best to leave the pasta to be cooked by others when they cook the main meal.
POTATOES are more complicated. New Potatoes or Red Potatoes freeze best if you want potatoes to keep their shape - select firm ones, clean them and cut them in 1/2 pieces. Blanch them in water for 3-5 minutes (they should still be firm when done) then let cool and freeze in bags. Mashed potatoes freeze well - make them like normal and let them cool completely before freezing. These are best when incorporated in a meal, like shepherd's pie. Sweet potatoes freeze well, too. Cook like normal, until almost done. Slice & dip in a mixture of 1/2 c lemon juice and 1 quart water. Then freeze in bags. The solution will help keep potatoes from turning dark. Fully cooked baking potatoes diced for a stew or soup do not hold their shape well after freezing - they will turn to mush, but still taste fine. Undercook potatoes and know the firmer it is to start, the better it will do in the freezer.
VEGETABLES usually freeze great. Those with high water content tend not to do well (lettuce, cucumbers, etc). I successfully freeze fresh spinach a lot - just put it in a freezer bag, no special steps - but it's mushy when thawed, which is fine if you plan to saute it. Some people suggest you blanch all veggies for 1-3 minutes in water, then drain before freezing. This is supposedly to help inactivate enzymes that can destroy flavor, nutrients and texture in the food. I personally usually don't notice a difference.
SAUCES can freeze. If the sauce is made with a roux (butter & flour) or cornstarch, know that it will probably separate once frozen - slow reheating and lots of stirring can save the sauce though, or you may just prefer not to freeze sauces made with a roux or cornstarch.
BROTH freezes great. Just pour it in a freezer bag or container. Another hint - pour it in ice cube trays to freeze first before storing in a freezer bag. Then pull out a couple cubes at a time when you just need a little broth. I freeze it measured out in 1 cup molds in disposable cups, it makes it super easy to defrost and add to a soup that way!
YOGURT freezes great. Cut slits in the tops of single serve containers, then stick popscicle sticks in them. And freeze - you'll have healthy freezer pops! OR put yogurt in a ziploc bag, cut a small hole on one bottom corner and then "pipe" onto a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Make dots. Lots of dots. Freeze, then put in a resealable container for ice cream dots - my kids love theses!
MAYO does not always freeze well. If using it in a casserole, you'll be fine. But if you're freezing salads or sandwiches, replace it with salad dressing, because mayo will separate.
SOUR CREAM - does NOT freeze. Here's another hint for helping sour cream last longer in the fridge... turn the container upside down. It'll cause a vacuum effect, sealing out air and keeping the sour cream fresher, longer. Same method works well with ricotta, cottage cheese, and similar foods.
BAKED GOODS freeze well. Cakes, Banana Bread, Cheesecake, Cookies, etc all freeze great once baked & cooled. Wrap them in plastic wrap or a freezer bag, getting as much air out as possible. If cake has icing, freeze it uncovered for an hour and then wrap with plastic wrap. Then allow it to thaw unwrapped, too - this will keep the icing from sticking to your container. Baked goods thaw quickly when left out on the counter for 20-60 minutes. Frozen baked goods do lose a little quality - nothing is ever as good as fresh baked, right? But the quality loss is minimal.
UNBAKED BREAD freezes well. Make your dough, shape your rolls, and then freeze before it rises. To prepare them, leave in warm place for 3-5 hours to allow them to thaw & rise. Then bake.
COOKIE DOUGH freezes great. Freeze it in a large container or roll it into balls and freeze them on a cookie sheet for 24 hours before putting them in a freezer bag. This will allow you to just make a couple at a time instead of thawing the whole container.
EGGS can be frozen raw - beat them slightly, then pour in ice cube trays to freeze. Pop frozen cubes in a freezer bag. 2 cubes = 1 large egg. Boiled eggs don't freeze - egg whites get rubbery. Yolks freeze well. And scrambled eggs freeze pretty well, like for Breakfast Tacos. Eggs last a long time in the fridge, so there's usually few reasons to freeze eggs. (Eggs can be stored in the fridge a month past expiration date, safely, I know someone who works in the food industry that says up to 3 months is OK)
BANANAS are great for freezing once too ripe to eat. If you want to make banana bread or cake later, just put the bananas in the freezer as they are - peels and all. The peels will turn black, but the bananas will be fine inside. You can also peel bananas and freeze them in a freezer bag. Bananas will be soft and moist when thawed - I like to dab them with a paper towel to take out some excess water and then I mix them into my banana bread/cake recipes - if bananas are overly moist, you may need to take a little liquid out of your recipe (use 1/4 cup water instead of 1/2 cup, for example).
APPLESAUCE freezes great. Just add a squirt of lemon juice to it so it doesn't turn brown.
STRAWBERRIES freeze well, especially dark red, firm ones. Wash, remove tops and freeze on a cookie sheet for 24 hours. Then put in freezer bags. They will be soft and moist once thawed - making them great for desserts & toppings. Alternatively, you can freeze strawberries in syrup (1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water per pint of strawberries).
OTHER BERRIES freeze well for desserts and syrups. Just put them in a freezer bag. Some people say you shouldn't wash them first, because that will toughen their skins. But I can't personally tell the difference.
PUMPKIN freezes great when cooked and pureed. Cut your pumpkin in half and remove all the seeds. Cover the flesh with aluminum foil and bake them at 350* for 60-90 minutes for pie pumpkins. When the pumpkin cools enough to handle it, scoop out all the pumpkin - it'll pull away from the skin easily - and put it in a food processor. Once pureed, measure it out into freezer bags. I like to make 1.75 cups in each bag because that it how much is in a normal can of pumpkin from the store. It makes it easy to add them to a recipe that way.
MELONS freeze ok. Cut them up in cubes and freeze in a bag. It won't be good to eat alone, like fresh melon (no thawed fruits are really), but it's good for mixing into smoothies, sorbets, or even soups (I hear cantaloupe in carrot soup is great, believe it or not). I personally freeze melons when I make baby food... ask my hubby about the time he thought he was pulling out carrot cubes & peas, but instead made our 8 month old cantaloupe & peas for lunch.... Mmmm...
SAUCES can freeze. If the sauce is made with a roux (butter & flour) or cornstarch, know that it will probably separate once frozen - slow reheating and lots of stirring can save the sauce though, or you may just prefer not to freeze sauces made with a roux or cornstarch.
BROTH freezes great. Just pour it in a freezer bag or container. Another hint - pour it in ice cube trays to freeze first before storing in a freezer bag. Then pull out a couple cubes at a time when you just need a little broth. I freeze it measured out in 1 cup molds in disposable cups, it makes it super easy to defrost and add to a soup that way!
YOGURT freezes great. Cut slits in the tops of single serve containers, then stick popscicle sticks in them. And freeze - you'll have healthy freezer pops! OR put yogurt in a ziploc bag, cut a small hole on one bottom corner and then "pipe" onto a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Make dots. Lots of dots. Freeze, then put in a resealable container for ice cream dots - my kids love theses!
MAYO does not always freeze well. If using it in a casserole, you'll be fine. But if you're freezing salads or sandwiches, replace it with salad dressing, because mayo will separate.
SOUR CREAM - does NOT freeze. Here's another hint for helping sour cream last longer in the fridge... turn the container upside down. It'll cause a vacuum effect, sealing out air and keeping the sour cream fresher, longer. Same method works well with ricotta, cottage cheese, and similar foods.
BAKED GOODS freeze well. Cakes, Banana Bread, Cheesecake, Cookies, etc all freeze great once baked & cooled. Wrap them in plastic wrap or a freezer bag, getting as much air out as possible. If cake has icing, freeze it uncovered for an hour and then wrap with plastic wrap. Then allow it to thaw unwrapped, too - this will keep the icing from sticking to your container. Baked goods thaw quickly when left out on the counter for 20-60 minutes. Frozen baked goods do lose a little quality - nothing is ever as good as fresh baked, right? But the quality loss is minimal.
UNBAKED BREAD freezes well. Make your dough, shape your rolls, and then freeze before it rises. To prepare them, leave in warm place for 3-5 hours to allow them to thaw & rise. Then bake.
COOKIE DOUGH freezes great. Freeze it in a large container or roll it into balls and freeze them on a cookie sheet for 24 hours before putting them in a freezer bag. This will allow you to just make a couple at a time instead of thawing the whole container.
EGGS can be frozen raw - beat them slightly, then pour in ice cube trays to freeze. Pop frozen cubes in a freezer bag. 2 cubes = 1 large egg. Boiled eggs don't freeze - egg whites get rubbery. Yolks freeze well. And scrambled eggs freeze pretty well, like for Breakfast Tacos. Eggs last a long time in the fridge, so there's usually few reasons to freeze eggs. (Eggs can be stored in the fridge a month past expiration date, safely, I know someone who works in the food industry that says up to 3 months is OK)
BANANAS are great for freezing once too ripe to eat. If you want to make banana bread or cake later, just put the bananas in the freezer as they are - peels and all. The peels will turn black, but the bananas will be fine inside. You can also peel bananas and freeze them in a freezer bag. Bananas will be soft and moist when thawed - I like to dab them with a paper towel to take out some excess water and then I mix them into my banana bread/cake recipes - if bananas are overly moist, you may need to take a little liquid out of your recipe (use 1/4 cup water instead of 1/2 cup, for example).
APPLESAUCE freezes great. Just add a squirt of lemon juice to it so it doesn't turn brown.
STRAWBERRIES freeze well, especially dark red, firm ones. Wash, remove tops and freeze on a cookie sheet for 24 hours. Then put in freezer bags. They will be soft and moist once thawed - making them great for desserts & toppings. Alternatively, you can freeze strawberries in syrup (1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water per pint of strawberries).
OTHER BERRIES freeze well for desserts and syrups. Just put them in a freezer bag. Some people say you shouldn't wash them first, because that will toughen their skins. But I can't personally tell the difference.
PUMPKIN freezes great when cooked and pureed. Cut your pumpkin in half and remove all the seeds. Cover the flesh with aluminum foil and bake them at 350* for 60-90 minutes for pie pumpkins. When the pumpkin cools enough to handle it, scoop out all the pumpkin - it'll pull away from the skin easily - and put it in a food processor. Once pureed, measure it out into freezer bags. I like to make 1.75 cups in each bag because that it how much is in a normal can of pumpkin from the store. It makes it easy to add them to a recipe that way.
MELONS freeze ok. Cut them up in cubes and freeze in a bag. It won't be good to eat alone, like fresh melon (no thawed fruits are really), but it's good for mixing into smoothies, sorbets, or even soups (I hear cantaloupe in carrot soup is great, believe it or not). I personally freeze melons when I make baby food... ask my hubby about the time he thought he was pulling out carrot cubes & peas, but instead made our 8 month old cantaloupe & peas for lunch.... Mmmm...
I would line a 9x9 or 8x8 metal pan with foil then saran wrap, layer my casserole, then freeze. After the casserole is frozen I would pop it out of the metal pan and put it in a freezer bag or wrap several times with more saran and foil.
ReplyDeletenuts (walnuts, almonds, especially) freeze well. They stay fresh longer because the natural oils don't go rancid.
ReplyDelete