It’s empowering to have a freezer filled with components and premade meals. You can toss a fresh-tasting supper together without travelling to the shop. You can bake homemade cookies a couple of at a time, thaw an emergency situation brownie or 2, and toast fresh bagels. And in the dead of winter season, you can make use of summer season’s bounty of basil, berries, and stone fruit. Plus, freezing food is among the simplest things you can do to decrease food waste, conserve cash, and decrease your ecological effect.
Internationally, food waste represent an estimated 8% to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. (To put that into context, air travel represent about 2% of international CO ₂ emissions.) In the United States, about a 3rd of food goes to squander, according to the Epa. And food waste is the greatest methane emitter inlandfills It likewise includes significant monetary expenses: According to the USDA, the typical household of 4 in the United States will lose $1,500 every year to food waste.
Among the easiest methods to decrease food waste is to freeze food, since it assists extend your leftovers and raw components. (You can read our other ideas for minimizing food waste here.) Listed below, we share the very best equipment and strategies for packaging, thawing, and arranging, so you can enjoy the benefits of your freezer while likewise living more sustainably and conserving cash.
The very best containers for freezing food
The crucial to guaranteeing your food tastes excellent after it’s defrosted is how you save it: Food remains best when it’s frozen in airtight containers and thick, resilient wrappings.
The greatest opponents of frozen foods are air and ambient wetness. They both trigger freezer burn, which produces a hard or rubbery texture after food is defrosted. The best product packaging wards off that dreadful side effect by restricting the quantity of air, smells, and wetness vapor allowed, stated Elizabeth Andress, food security expert and teacher of foods and nutrition at the University of Georgia.
Listed Below, we have actually assembled our freezer-storage suggestions, so your food will taste much better for longer.
Sturdy bags for freezing and stacking flat
Hefty Freezer Slider Bags
These durable plastic bags are developed to last longer in the freezer. And the moving zip is much easier to open and close– even when a bag is filled with saucy foods. Though these are technically single-use bags, they’re made from thicker product and can be cleaned and recycled a couple of times.
Purchasing Alternatives
* At the time of publishing, the cost was $ 4
Zip-top bags are excellent for freezing food since it’s much easier to get all the air out of them than it is with stiff containers. And zip-top bags have actually an included space-saving advantage: You can stack them, if you lay them flat to freeze initially.
We like Hefty Freezer Slider Bags, however if you can’t discover them, try to find an alternative that’s identified for freezing. Freezer bags are thicker, and they’re developed to be less fragile than routine bags when frozen, so they’re less most likely to pierce or tear while you search around. (Another benefit is that you can clean and recycle them for longer prior to they go kaput.)
Bags with moving zip tops are simplest to fill, and they seal even when they include saucy foods, which can gum up the zippered seals on other bags.
As an alternative to plastic freezer bags, recyclable silicone bags are strong, and they seal firmly and shop flat. Of all the recyclable bags we have actually evaluated, we suggest Stasher Reusable Silicone Bags. We like the multi-pack, that includes different sizes in brilliant, enjoyable colors.
Though they’re a lot more pricey than plastic bags, the Stasher bags enable less transmission of air and wetness. And they last longer and are simple to tidy, even in the dishwashing machine. If you utilize them regularly, in time they’ll contribute less to plastic waste– though eventually silicone is likewise a plastic polymer.
It can be a little difficult to compress the air from Stasher bags prior to sealing, however pushing them versus a surface area and rolling from the base towards the open edge assists. (Or attempt this convenient sous vide technique for almost-like-a-vacuum-sealer outcomes; it works for silicone bags, too.)
Thick or covered covers for large foods
Reynolds Wrap Sturdy Aluminum Foil
This easy-to-find, multipurpose, plastic-free wrapper assists keep brisket, bread, baked products, and other large foods devoid of freezer burn.
Purchasing Alternatives
* At the time of publishing, the cost was $ 26
For products that are too large to suit a freezer bag, you can select from a number of kinds of freezer-specific covers.
Heavy aluminum foil, like Reynolds Wrap Sturdy Aluminum Foil, is the simplest to discover. You can cover products in durable foil just, specifically if you wish to prevent single-use plastic. However a tight layer of normal cling wrap under the foil wrapping will supply an additional line of defense versus freezer burn.
Reynolds Kitchens Freezer Paper
This plastic-coated paper assists to keep meat and fish well covered and juicy throughout long-lasting freezing, however it can’t be recycled.
Purchasing Alternatives
* At the time of publishing, the cost was $ 0
Freezer paper is another covering alternative, specifically if you freeze meat or fish frequently. (Product packaging from the shop, butcher, or fishmonger isn’t normally meant for long-lasting freezing.)
Not to be puzzled with wax, butcher, or parchment paper, freezer paper has a wax or plastic finish on one side that functions as a wetness barrier to keep in juices. (The opposite is uncoated, so you can quickly identify and date the contents.) Andress likes utilizing paper such as this one from Reynolds. Sadly, since of the finish, this paper can’t be recycled or composted.
If you select to cover your food in freezer paper, make certain to cover it firmly. You can follow this demonstration of two folding methods (video) from the extension program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Airtight containers for sauces, soups, and stews
Pyrex Merely Shop 18-Piece Set
These containers stack nicely and are made from resilient tempered glass. The vibrant covers make it much easier to match every one to its matching container (you might require to change them in time).
Purchasing Alternatives
* At the time of publishing, the cost was $ 40
Compared to bags, recyclable containers stack more nicely and might be much easier to fill with liquids. After evaluating lots of sets for our guide to the very best food storage containers, we suggest the Pyrex 18-Piece Merely Shop Food Storage Set. These resilient tempered-glass containers stack well and will not get discolorations or smells.
They’re likewise safe to utilize in the oven in addition to in the freezer and dishwashing machine. Simply take care to let the container thaw in the refrigerator prior to reheating, and location it on a room-temperature baking sheet prior to moving it to the oven. (This will assist avoid shattering, from the unexpected temperature level modification.) We have actually utilized this approach for baking cooled pies, and we have actually never ever had a problem.
Glasslock 18-Piece Container Set
These containers have locking covers that will avoid leakages. However these covers likewise put tension on the lips of the containers, so the glass might be susceptible to cracking in time.
Our top-pick Pyrex containers aren’t leakproof– for that, we like the Glasslock 18-Piece Container Set. The Glasslock containers have locking covers that avoid leakages. However the covers likewise put tension on the lip of the containers, and this makes the glass susceptible to cracking in time.
For a cost effective plastic set, we like the Rubbermaid TakeAlongs Food Storage Containers. These containers are tight-sealing and microwave-safe, though we do recommend that you move your food to a non-plastic container for heating.
For freezing, you may likewise think about recycling plastic yogurt or sour cream containers– a prudent, sustainable technique. Feel in one’s bones that, regrettably, their covers do not seal well and will let air in. So you’ll need to cover the entire container with foil or cling wrap for the very best quality.
We ‘d likewise prevent utilizing plastic takeout containers, which can end up being fragile in the freezer and after that fracture or shatter quickly.
Devices to purchase
Anova Accuracy Vacuum Sealant Pro
This vacuum sealant has the suction ability of designs that expense two times as much. It provides numerous controls, too, so you can change how you seal your food.
Purchasing Alternatives
* At the time of publishing, the cost was $ 100
Individuals who regularly freeze products or purchase food wholesale might wish to purchase a vacuum sealant to keep components fresher for longer. Vacuum sealants get as much air out of a bag as possible, which helps in reducing freezer burn.
For our guide to the very best vacuum sealants, we sealed hamburger and bone-in cuts of meat utilizing 12 various devices. Almost all of our test products brought out very little freezer burn after investing a number of months in the freezer. We suggest the user friendly Anova Accuracy Vacuum Sealant Pro, which provides effective suction and has a number of helpful settings.
How to package food for the freezer
In addition to the containers and bags you utilize, the method you load foods will alter how they freeze and thaw. We have some ideas:
Freeze foods as rapidly as possible. The slower the freezing procedure, the most likely it is that bigger ice crystals will establish, making foods soggier or harder when you reheat them. So prevent including a lots of non-frozen food to your freezer simultaneously, and think about decreasing the temperature level the day prior to freezing a great deal of food. Loading smaller sized parts will likewise assist accelerate freezing times.
Let food cool off prior to you freeze it. Warm foods in a cold freezer will trigger condensation to form, which is bad for frozen-food quality, according to Andress.
For liquids, leave enough headspace. Water broadens when it freezes, so when you are putting anything in a container, a container, or perhaps a bag, leave some headspace to avoid fractures or rips. You must normally leave about half an inch of space, however the quantity varies based upon what you’re freezing and the type of container you’re utilizing.
Freeze various type of food individually. Do this if you’re freezing a meal with a number of parts that will freeze and thaw at various rates, such as chicken and broccoli. Packaging parts individually will decrease freezer burn and enhance the quality of the reheated meal.
Utilize the dry-pack approach, to avoid clumping. For foods that you wish to freeze wholesale however strategy to utilize bit by bit, the secret is to utilize the dry-pack approach. Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper (wet components will adhere to bare metal), organize products in a single layer so they’re not touching, and after that put the sheet in the freezer. After they’re separately frozen, you can evacuate the foods to conserve area. This strategy is excellent for berries (which would typically clump together), balls of cookie dough, pieces of bread, or bacon from a pack you will not consume at one time.
The Nordic Ware Naturals Baker’s Half Sheet– our preferred flat pan– works excellent for this job. (You can get it in quarter-sheet and eighth-sheet sizes, too, and these might fit much better into an already-crammed freezer.)
Utilize an ice tray to freeze percentages of sauces, herbs, citrus juice, or dressings, so that they’re simple to toss into a meal.
We suggest the OXO Good Grips Ice Tray over others since it has a stiff plastic cover that keeps smells out and avoids spills. Plus, it enables simple stacking, so you can take full advantage of area. You can freeze cubes of pesto, tomato paste, lemon juice, minced garlic, or perhaps private, broken eggs.
The length of time can you keep frozen food?
The National Center for House Food Conservation has atimetable for the life span of frozen foods However when it concerns choosing whether it’s far too late to utilize something, you must utilize your finest judgment. “As long as that food remains frozen, then there aren’t any germs at work or perhaps molds,” stated Andress. “However quality will continue to degrade in the freezer.” Everybody views the shift in quality a little in a different way. Nevertheless, it’s a great concept to utilize something within around eight to 12 months of freezing it.
How to thaw frozen foods
The very best, best method to thaw prepared and raw foods remains in the refrigerator, since it keeps the temperature level listed below the danger zone (the temperature level variety in which harmful germs can quickly increase).
However defrosting food in the refrigerator takes a very long time. A quicker method to thaw prepared and raw foods is to position sealed bags in a big blending bowl filled with cold water (never ever utilize warm water), which you alter out every thirty minutes till your food defrosts.
If you require to thaw even quicker, you can constantly utilize a microwave. Simply make certain that you utilize what you have actually thawed right away so the food isn’t sitting at a risky, warm temperature level at which germs can grow.
You can prepare numerous frozen foods straight from the freezer, as long as they will heat up quickly enough. Premade frozen meals like soups and stews are great to reheat straight in a pot, or you can utilize a sous vide device (keeping the water bath above 140 degrees Fahrenheit) or electrical pressure cooker. Nevertheless, Andress recommends versus putting anything frozen– specifically meat– directly from the freezer into a sluggish cooker, which takes too long to heat foods to safe temperature levels and therefore enables germs to grow.
How to arrange your freezer
If you arrange your freezer, label whatever, and keep a stock of what you have, food will not simply vanish into a great void. Rather, you’ll be abundant in ready-to-use, easy-to-find products that you can get in an immediate.
To keep an eye on expiration dates, label bundles utilizing markers and tape that will not break down in cooler temperature levels. We like the durable ScotchBlue Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape, however you can likewise utilize freezer tape. Utilize a Sharpie Fine Point irreversible marker (so it will not rub off) to compose the date and components on tape labels.
Keep a stock of what you have and what you have actually utilized, and location this list near your refrigerator, so it shows up. And by doing a periodic freezer edit (going through and rearranging your freezer, each quarter or each year), you’ll keep your food products neat and leading of mind.
What can you freeze?
You can freeze nearly anything, however not whatever is tasty after it defrosts. Freezing temperature levels can trigger physical and chemical damage to cells and tissues, which can make some foods limp or watery.
However there are numerous things that freeze effectively: Soups, stews, casseroles, cakes, and cookie dough are simply a couple of examples. Even some components– consisting of sour cream, tofu, and eggs– can be restored after freezing, and breads and tortillas can be zhuzhed up in a toaster or pan.
For dish concepts and guidance on what will freeze best, NYT Cooking has a guide to freezing numerous components. It likewise provides a number of dish roundups, consisting of Freezer Friendly Recipes and 24 Freezer-Friendly Recipes to Prepare for New (and Exhausted) Moms And Dads. The National Center for Home Food Preservation likewise supplies substantial standards for freezing (though a few of the suggestions are dated).
This post was modified by Katie Okamoto and Marguerite Preston.
Sources
- Elizabeth Andress, food-safety expert and teacher of foods and nutrition at the University of Georgia, phone interview, November 25, 2019
- Suzanne Driessen, extension teacher in food science at the University of Minnesota, phone interview, November 25, 2019
- Harold McGee, On Food and Cooking: The Science and Tradition of the Kitchen Area, November 23, 2004
- National Center for Home Food Preservation
- Freezing, Encyclopaedia Britannica, September 28, 2018
- William Schafer and Suzanne Driessen, The science of freezing foods, University of Minnesota Extension, 2018
- Melissa Clark, How to Freeze Practically Whatever, The New York City Times, March 26, 2020
- Margaret Eby, How to Store Any Vegetable to Keep It Fresh as Long as Possible, Food & & White Wine, March 30, 2020
- Jonathan Chan, Are Freezer-Safe Plastic Bags a Waste of Money?, Evaluated, September 17, 2019
- Danilo Alfaro, How to Freeze Anything, The Spruce Consumes, March 26, 2020
- Preventing Wasted Food at Home, U.S. Epa, Might 8, 2023
- Somini Sengupta, Inside the International Effort to Keep Completely Excellent Food Out of the Dump, The New York City Times, October 13, 2022
- UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021, March 4, 2021
