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I grew up with my mom having a freezer packed with food for days; we used to joke that she was ready for anything. I still prefer to buy my food fresh but these days I am limiting my time at the stores so I have taken up the family tradition of “freezing” our meals. A dear friend sent me an article about a month ago and I thought it might be useful to adapt for my newsletter, so I can share with you. I have not used all of these tips but I did learn some new tricks that have worked to my advantage. Enjoy!
What To Do….
1. Get your supplies ready!
Stock up on parchment paper, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, freezersafe packaging, and a marker for labeling items.
2. Choose the right freezing method!
Make sure to purchase the “freezer” Ziploc bags or containers. Casseroles and pizzas do better if wrapped in plastic wrap first then disposable foil.
3. Food safety first!
Always thaw in the refrigerator; this usually takes 24-48hrs depending on the amount of food you are thawing.
4. Frozen fruit is not only shelf-stable for a long time but they are great to use in smoothies.
If purchasing fresh fruit and then freezing, don’t forget to wash and air-dry the produce first. Lastly, only freeze the produce not the other ingredients (almond milk, yogurt, chia seeds etc.); save those for when you are ready to make your smoothie.
5. Ice trays are not just for ice.
Ice trays are not just for ice, but can be used for freezing pesto, herbed oils, tomato sauce, or even energy bites (if you have never heard of these, here is the recipe I use https://www.cancerdietitian.com/2019/07/energybites.html).
6. Savor those fresh herbs!
If you purchased or harvested more herbs than you can use, chop the remaining herbs and freeze them in the freezer Ziploc bags.
What Not To Do….
1. Avoid the “mystery” meal.
Labeling is very important so take the time to name your meal, date it, and I find it helpful to add the number of servings.
2. You can’t freeze everything!
Sad but true, not everything can be frozen and saved for later. Avoid freezing these items cooked potatoes, cucumbers, cooked pasta, lettuce, onions, dairy products such as yogurt, milk, and sour cream.
3. Don’t refreeze thawed food.
If your meal is already thawed, it is a “make it work” kind of moment.
4. Don’t freeze in large quantities.
When you freeze moist food, such as chunks of fruit or homemade gnocchi, they can freeze together into a large clump. To avoid this, you can lay the items out individually and not touching on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper then freeze completely. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag or container.
5. No need to thaw frozen veggies.
To avoid soggy vegetables, cook them right away after removing from the freezer.
Modified from https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/cooking-ideas/meal-prep-freezer-tips
- Stubbins, R. (2020). Eat Good . . . . Feel Better [PDF document]. Retrieved from R. Stubbins, personal communication, May 8, 2020.