Although it may seem like a fantastic idea to freeze extra food rather than toss it away, not all foods store well in the freezer. Not only should you be aware of freezer burn, but some items can completely degrade and lose their quality when frozen and thawed. Although you should never keep these things in your freezer, here are some ideas for what to do with them if you do.
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Foods You Should Never Freeze
Greens with leaves
Water is abundant in leafy greens. Greens become wet and limp when frozen because the water swells and ruptures the cell walls that keep a leaf’s structure. This idea is familiar to anyone who has ever kept a head of lettuce in the fridge for an extended period of time. Don’t freeze extra leafy greens; instead, use them in main-dish salads or toss them into soups and stews.
Raw Eggs
It’s okay to freeze eggs cooked into well-liked and practical breakfast casseroles. But avoid freezing uncooked eggs in their shells. When frozen, the interior will swell, perhaps shattering the shell and squandering food while creating a mess.
Cheese
Cheese is typically too costly to discard, and freezing it runs the danger of destroying its quality, much like freezing other foods. Particularly if the cheese is soft, old, or has a lot of air pockets, freezing might change its texture and flavor.
If you have a block of Parmesan or Cheddar that you don’t want to throw away, go ahead and cube or grate it, store it in a freezer-safe bag, and use it for casseroles and soups. If you have a delicious chunk of Brie that you don’t want to waste, use it up right away.
Avocados
Avocados have a creamy, buttery texture that we love, so don’t freeze half of them; they will turn slimy, mushy, and very unappealing. To store extra avocado, coat the flesh with fresh lemon juice, wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator.
Sour Cream
You can freeze sour cream if you want to use it in cooking or to make a pound cake. However, it is not advised to use it as a dip or on top of baked potatoes. Sour cream, like many dairy products, separates when frozen and becomes lumpy like cottage cheese. Although thawed sour cream won’t have the creamy texture you might anticipate, it is unquestionably safe to use.
Yogurt
When thawed from frozen, yogurt, a dairy product, can separate and turn runny and gritty. Worse yet, it may start to taste sour, and the freezing process may kill some of the living, healthy bacterial cultures in yogurt.
Fried Foods
Fried chicken and breaded mozzarella sticks are always best served hot. However, these foods will not go bad if freezing is your sole option instead of throwing out cooked meals. Just be aware that when the crispy crust is reheated, it will probably become mushy.
Uncooked vegetable
You shouldn’t expect diced peppers or onions to stay crunchy when frozen. Cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, and other raw vegetables with a high moisture content should never be frozen in the hopes of eating them raw later. When a vegetable thaws, the moisture that keeps it crisp and intact while it’s fresh and raw will cause it to become mushy.
Make a frozen product out of extra fresh vegetables, such mashed potatoes or homemade marinara sauce, rather than freezing them. You can anticipate cooking your big crop of tomatoes in stews or sauces if you decide to freeze them.
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