9 Things Not to Do When Freezing Food: Expert Advice

Freezing hot foods sometimes seems like a good idea, especially when you have to go to bed and the meatballs you cooked ahead of time are still warm. However, says Mitzi Baum, a food safety specialist at Michigan State University, it’s best not to do this: It would increase the temperature in the freezer, which could lead to the growth of bacteria in other areas. food.

How correctly: put foods at room temperature in the freezer, or better yet, those that have been on the refrigerator rack for several hours.

Freezing foods with a high water content will only cause them to spoil. As scientist and nutritionist Brian Quoc Le explains, ice crystals that form in cucumbers, tomatoes or zucchini will damage the structure of the vegetables, and when the ice melts, water will seep through the cells , taking away all the flavors and crunch.

How correctly: Don’t freeze watery vegetables (unless you plan to use them to make purees or stews).

As Mary Liz Wright, a food safety expert at the University of Illinois, explains, almost all vegetables (except mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and broccoli) need to be blanched before freezing. to preserve their flavor and quality.

How correctly: Before freezing, immerse vegetables briefly in boiling water, then let them cool quickly, then only freeze them.

Freezing whole fruits and vegetables without slicing them, and especially afterward, can lead to the fact that a month later you take out of the refrigerator a huge piece of blueberries or slices of pumpkin that cannot be separated from each other. others – humidity can form very strongly. ice bridges, extremely difficult to destroy.

How correctly: “If you want to put cookie dough balls or berries in the freezer, place them on a baking sheet first and freeze them that way before storing them in containers,” says chef Jay Weinstein.

“If your freezer is overloaded, it slows down the cooling process, increasing the risk of structural changes to food,” says Brian. And Jay adds that not filling the freezer enough will cause the fridge to overload by filling the drawers with hot air every time you open it.

How correctly: Keep your freezer about 75% full.

Freezing food in opened packages can result in so-called freezer burn: unprotected areas in contact with air will completely lose their moisture and taste and aroma properties. It will no longer be possible to save them – all damaged areas will have to be cut out and thrown away.

How correctly: To avoid the consequences of freezing food if the seal is poor, use airtight containers and try to “squeeze” all the air out of the bags.

Using the wrong freezer packaging can cause it to collapse: as Le explains, plastics containing polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene and polycarbonate become extremely brittle when exposed to low temperatures.

How correctly: Check the bottom of the container before using it: there should be a snowflake icon on it.

Also read: 7 cases where frozen is better than fresh: you will be surprised to see this list!

Freezing food without labeling or packaging date can be a serious problem: within six months it is very easy to forget what was put in the freezer and when, and whether the food can be used or is time to throw it away.

How to do it: Use regular tape and a marker to mark exactly what’s in the container and when you placed it in the freezer.

Foods thawed at room temperature can be dangerous: As Bauman explains, bacteria can grow on their outer layer during the thawing process, increasing the risk of food poisoning.

How correctly: defrost the food in the refrigerator (this will take about a day) or wrap it in a bag and put it in cold water (you need to change it every half hour).

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