The Top Foods You Can and Can’t Freeze
As a society, we’re pretty wasteful. Rather than take the time to look through all of the different options for reusing or storing food, we throw it away without a second thought. This kind of attitude isn’t great, but how can we change it? Well, there’s a lot that you can do to prevent waste, and that includes learning what foods you can and can not put into a freezer. We’re going to be taking a look at just a few of the different picks here, so you can figure out what’s right and what’s not to be put on ice.
Most Wheat Products
We thought we would start nice and easy for this first one. One of the first things you should know that can be put in the freezer is most wheat products. Bread, pasta and even necessary flour can all be frozen safely. It gives you more options when it comes to the safe storing of these foods for use as a form of backup supply in case you run out.
Milk
The first thing that you definitely can not freeze is milk. This may be confusing for some people, considering that there’s milk in ice cream. However, that is a particular type of substance which has been designed for freezing. Regular milk tends to get lumps in it, and all of the components separate, making it almost impossible to use again.
Meat
When dealing with meat, you’ll be pleased to know that you can, in fact, freeze it and keep it safe to eat another day. Meat can spoil very quickly when left exposed to air at room temperature, and putting it into the fridge will only help it to keep for a day or two at best. However, freezing your meat will make it usable many days later, but you should remember that it’s best to freeze on the day of purchase.
Wine
Interestingly enough, you can freeze wine and store it for later use. While some people may question why you might endeavour to try and do this, some will say that it enhances the flavour. The only thing that we’re interested in is safety. When you put the wine into the freezer, be careful when it comes to taking it out and handling it. Glass particularly does not react well with cold temperatures in certain instances, and you could find that the bottle has cracked but you can freeze it in ice cube trays.
Freezing Tips For a Cool Time
To round off our explanation of some of the different things that can be frozen, we’re going to be taking a look at a few freezing tips and tricks. As a rule of thumb, it is advised that you allow your food to reach room temperature before you freeze it – so if you’ve just cooked something it can’t immediately be frozen and stored. You should be aware that foods with a higher percentage of water in them will change when you freeze them and may not taste exactly the same.
Furthermore, it’s important to appreciate that there is only a certain period of time in which foods can be frozen for. The maximum freezing goes to whole poultry like chicken, which can only be safely stored for a year. In some cases, things like dough can just be frozen for a few months, so always check online if you’re unsure. And finally, you should never refreeze something which has been defrosted, like for example meat. This will seriously increase the risk of disease and bacteria, and in some cases render the meat inedible.
All things considered, freezing foods is something you should consider doing with more frequency. It’s always nice to have food in backup – a supply to replace what you use if you can’t get to a shop and need something to eat. Plus, it allows you to buy discounted items in bulk and store what you don’t immediately need. There’s so many benefits that it’s almost ridiculous not to freeze food. However, you also need to be aware of the restrictions and learn what you can and can not freeze for yourself. The process of frosting something changes its state, and sometimes this alteration can alter the food at a basic level. You need to know what kinds of changes can occur so that you are not getting yourself an increased risk of disease or illness – food is a breeding ground for those kinds of issues if not handled and treated properly