Revisiting these five tips in Cooking Light‘s March 2014 issue was refreshing. If you are buying in bulk and freezing items that you have purchased, you may want to review these notes too. Sometimes experience is the best teacher but learning from the pros and/or friends (even blogging friends), we can maximize both our time and our money.
- What freezes well: The most freezer friend foods are saucy dishes, soups and stews, and individual food items like dumplings and pizzas. Pasta and rice can be tricky because they have a tendency to turn mushy.
- Consider the container: Make sure the container fits in both the freezer and what you’ll be using for reheating. Casserole dishes without handles are friendly freezer and/or microwave options. Aluminum foil pans that are disposable will not work in the microwave but are great for the oven (and easy to clean up afterwards if saving time is a factor). When freezing soup, you may wan to use zip-top plastic bags that flatten out and stack nicely in the freezer.
- Label clearly, and use fairly soon: Unlabeled food is remarkably hard to recognize in its icy state. It is recommended that recipes are not frozen for more than two months; longer than that risks freezer burn.
- Thaw safely: The USDA recognizes three methods of safe thawing: refrigeration, cold-water submersion, and microwave defrosting/immediate reheating, the latter of which we is optimal for saving time. Common practices like setting frozen foods on the counter or immersing them in hot water are not safe because they allow bacteria that were present before freezing to multiply.
- Finish with a flourish: Liven up reheated dishes with fresh herbs or a brief stint under the broiler for a kiss of decadent browning.
As you can see from my freezer (Litsa’s), I have been busy restocking my husband’s favorite ice-cream and freezing greens this season—-and peas from late summer! Our freezer needs to share with our deep freeze for a little more organization to take place as I reconsider these tips above and prepare to use our stock every day for meal prep. I am guilty of thawing freezer foods ‘on the counter top’ but will reconsider this common practice and thaw all of our frozen vegetables and meats in the refrigerator from now on! Aside from a few spaghetti sauces, I don’t freeze many fully cooked meals. However, you may want to take advantage of that time saver. Here are a few blog posts to revisit if you are considering freezing meals:
6 Meals to Prepare for a Freezer Cooking Day
The Downside of Freezer Stockpiling
Macaroni & Cheese Recipe & Freezer Tips
What is your favorite frozen tip and/or meal?
Credit to Cooking Light for Up-to-date Freezer Tips March 2014 issue
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