You know the drill: can’t get to the food in your fridge so you toss it into the freezer hoping to extend the shelf life. While that may work for some items, it’s not a good plan for every foodstuff. I’ve been learning how to food prep, and I have learned the hard way that not everything I portion out will come back from the freezer/microwave alive.

Here are some of the top tips to get you started:

• Putting milk into the freezer will cause the liquid and fats to separate, creating a chunky texture. It’s perfectly safe to drink, however. Same goes for soft cheeses.
• Potatoes will become mushy when they thaw due to their high moisture content, as well as most fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, and pasta.
• Don’t put eggs in their shells into the freezer, otherwise, you’ll be looking at cracks that could breed bacteria inside.
• And one definite no-no…… Once you defrost meats, don’t be tempted to put what you didn’t use back into the ice box. Dangerous bacterias could form.
  Cook and then return to the cold.

From TasteOfHome.com:

Any vegetable or fruit that has a high water concentration, like celery, cucumber, salad greens and watermelon will not survive the freezer because the water inside quickly forms ice crystals. What that means is when it comes time to thaw them, you’ll be left with a mushy, inedible mess.

Here is a list of food that are better bought and kept frozen until you are ready to use them. Gluten free folks? This list is REALLY important for you!
Click here to see the full list, which includes all my favorite fruits and veggies, like pre cut sliced bell peppers. SOOOO much cheaper than buying fresh!

And as a bonus from TASTE OF HOME, here is the video that helped me not fail with my instapot, which I love and recommend for all cooks of any experience level.

Susan Saunders 3/7/19