If you are trying to cut down on food waste and save money, your freezer is your best friend. Here are a few helpful hints.
Store Food Correctly
- Casseroles – Store whole and once cooled, in the dish they were baked in.
- Soups and Stews – Store in single-serving freezer-safe containers for easy reheating.
- Cooked grains and beans – Freeze in individual containers or freezer bags.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables – Freeze individually on a baking tray lined with baking paper and, once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. This prevents them from sticking together and they will be easier to defrost.
Track Your Inventory
- Label food items clearly and correctly so you can find what you need.
- Include the storage date on each label.
- Keep and inventory list of all frozen foods with dates included.
Foods that should not be frozen
- Lettuce, cucumber, celery (or any leafy greens).
- Apples or citrus fruit.
- Whole eggs or egg-based dishes.
- Milk, yoghurt or soft cheeses.
- Creamy sauces (they may separate).
- Cooked pasta
Containers For Freezing
Foods for the freezer should be packed properly to protect their flavour, colour, moisture content, and nutritive value. Select packaging materials with these characteristics:
- moisture and vapor resistant
- durable and leak-proof
- resistant to oil, grease and water
- not susceptible to becoming brittle and cracking at low temperatures
- able to protect foods from absorbing other flavors or odors
- easy to seal
- easy to label
Suitable packaging materials include rigid plastic containers with straight sides, glass jars made for freezing and canning, heavy-duty aluminum foil, moisture-vapor resistant bags, and freezer paper.
Containers intended for short-term storage, such as bread wrap; cottage cheese, milk or ice cream cartons; regular aluminum foil; or waxed paper do not provide effective protection against flavor and moisture loss or freezer burn during long-term storage.
Plastic containers designed for long-term freezer storage may or may not be suitable for direct use in a microwave oven.
Tip: Make sure you cool foods completely before freezing, or your freezer will need to work overtime (guzzling energy) to cool the food down. Plus, warm food may defrost other items in the freezer, which affects the freshness.