Today is all about unlocking the power of your freezer. It’s a magical food-saving box that most people probably aren’t using to its fullest potential.
Step 1: Clean and organize
We’ll start by giving the freezer a good clean out, just like we did in the fridge and pantry. Use those same tips from Day 1 to decide what to toss and get organized in the icebox.
Step 2: Learn how to freeze food
Freezing food is a bit different from simply popping things into the fridge. Follow these tips for the best results.
Cool it
If you’re storing freshly cooked foods, give them a little time to cool before packing them into the freezer. You want to avoid warming up the rest of your frozen goods and creating condensation which can lead to freezer burn.
Store it
Use airtight containers designed for freezing to keep your food at top quality and avoid freezer burn.
Portion it
Avoid the hassle (and potential for waste!) of thawing a mega-batch of leftovers by portioning food into individual servings before freezing. That way you can defrost the right number of servings when you’re ready to eat.
Label it
A freezer full of mystery containers isn’t very helpful. Get in the habit of labeling everything that goes in there with what it is and when it was frozen so you can better judge when to use it.
Use it
Once frozen, don’t forget to use it! The taste and texture may change with prolonged storage, but frozen foods stored continuously at 0°F or below can be kept indefinitely. For the best flavor, you’ll want to use most foods within 8 to 12 months of freezing.
Step 3: Start freezing
Are you familiar with all the foods you can freeze? Getting some practice with freezing different items will help create better kitchen habits and make managing food waste a breeze.
Today, we want you to learn how to freeze food you’ve never tried before, like leftovers, fresh herbs, milk, bread, eggs, or veggie scraps for making your own stock.
Already an old pro at freezing? Here are even more foods you may not have known you can freeze.
- Cheese
- Butter
- Half-and-half
- Buttermilk
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Tomato paste
- Chopped onion
- Pesto
- Tofu
- Nuts
- Cooked rice
- Cooked pasta
- Wine (to use for cooking)
Find more freezing tips here:
- Tools and Tips for Freezing Food So Nothing Goes to Waste (Wirecutter)
- Our Ultimate Guide to Freezing Food (Taste of Home)