Freezer-friendly foods are can be stored in the freezer or refrigerator. You can stock up these foods for days for quick meal preps. A freezer can help you store a lot of food items that are generally tough to stock up. It’s also important to realize that not all food items are freezer-friendly and some foods may get damaged if stored incorrectly. Chest freezers are useful when it comes to freezing food items. Read our guide to know more about small chest freezers.
Freezer Friendly Foods That You Can Stock Up
Dairy Products
Dairy products like buttermilk, freeze cream, or hard cheese are freezer-friendly. Storing these products in a refrigerator will keep them fresh for a long time. They should only be stored if you are fine with a hard texture. Dairy products like cheese should always be stored in a refrigerator to maintain their taste.
Desserts
Desserts are great foods to be stored in a freezer. There are a lot many frozen desserts available on the market. Desserts like muffins, cupcakes freeze beautifully. You can also store desserts like baked fruit pies and custard pies by wrapping them in plastic. Gently heat the desserts when you take them out of the freezer. The top-selling Midea MRU01M3ASL Freezer is a nice option that you can consider if you are looking for a freezer.
Seafood
Seafood is freezer-friendly and you can make it last up to 6 months by storing it in the right way. Storing seafood in a freezer will maintain its protein levels. Make sure to freeze the seafood within three days of your purchase. You can take it anytime out of the freezer and cook it.
Cooked Grains
Many people don't know this but you can freeze cooked grains as well. Cook large batches of grain and let them cool. Store them in plastic bags after that. Lay these bags flat and stacking on top of one another in a freezer. Midea MRU03M2ABB Upright Freezer's reviews claim that it comes with a removable wire shelf that allows the refrigerator to fit larger or irregular-shaped items.
Bacon
It is completely safe to store bacon in a freezer. You can even extend the shelf life of bacon by freezing it properly. It will not affect its taste. Bacon can last for about 6 months- 1 year. You should pre-freeze bacon in portion sizes for best results.
Nuts
You can store nuts like peanuts, walnuts, pecans, etc in a freezer. You can wrap these nuts in plastic and place them in a resealable freezer bag. These nuts can also be frozen in an air-tight container. Nuts can be kept in a freezer for about 4-6 months.
Tofu
Tofu is a freezer-friendly food. It can be stored in a freezer for up to 3 months. Slice the tofu block into pieces or chunks. You can store these pieces in an air-tight container and stash them in the freezer. Freezing the entire block of tofu will take longer to thaw. The customer reviews of the Kismile Chest Freezer show that it comes with adjustable 7-grade temperature control that allows selecting the desired temperature
Crusty Bread
Crusty bread can be stored in a freezer for about 3-4 months. You can maintain its best quality by properly storing it. You should freeze the bread at 0°F to keep it safe.
Herbs
You can freeze herbs like oregano, lemon balm, basil, chives, etc. There are many herbs that can be frozen on the stem. You can store them in an air-tight container. Other herbs like thyme, bay, dill can be spread on a baking sheet and placed in the freezer.
You can store the food items correctly for a long time by following some rules and tricks. Read our blog to know more about tips and hacks of stocking the freezer.
Things You Shouldn’t Freeze
Uncooked Batters
Uncooked batters like waffles or pancake batter are a strict no when it comes to storing them in the freezer. Items with baking soda or powder generally shouldn’t be frozen. Yeasted doughs on the other hand are total freezer-friendly.
Eggs or Egg Based Sauces
Eggs or egg-based sauces should be avoided no matter how convenient it seems as they cannot be stored beyond 48 hours.
Soft Cheese
It’s also recommended to avoid soft cheese like cream cheese or sour cream and cooked pasta as they lose their elasticity and freshness. This results in the hardening of their texture.
Fried Foods
You should not freeze fried foods. Freezing these foods will make them soggy. The sogginess will not go even if you refry them. The oil also tends to seep throughout the food items that can change their flavor.
Cooked Pasta
Freezing cooked pasta is not a good idea. The pasta gets squishy after freezing. You can never get the original texture of pasta back after freezing it.
You can check our list of top 6 upright freezers in case you are looking for one.
Conclusion
Freezers are a great addition to your kitchen space. Stocking your freezer always helps in the longer run. You just need to follow some rules to freeze food items perfectly. There are many foods that are freezer-friendly. You can eat them straight from the freezer or add them to your meals just like you would any regular food.
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