Mealtime Tips and Tricks: How To Properly Freeze and Thaw Food

by Jen Tilley on December 22nd, 2018 | 3 Comments »

Mealtime—The holidays are right around the corner which means that many of us are decorating our homes and preparing menus for the holiday feasts. One of my favorites things to do during the cooler days is to prepare big batches of pasta sauces, soups, stews, and chili. After all of the food has been prepared and enjoyed, it's time for the dreadful cleanup. If you're the cook, hopefully this will be the time that you can sit back and relax as you let the ultimate food coma play out its starring role while family and friends take over your kitchen.

A lot of the dishes, since they will most likely be served the following day as leftovers, can easily be sealed in freezer bags or plastic containers and then placed in the refrigerator for safe keeping. However, if you find yourself surrounded by a ton of leftovers, it might be a good idea to freeze the food in order to keep it safe from bacteria so that you can enjoy it in the days ahead.

Foods That Freeze Well

When it comes to freezing food, you can freeze just about anything. However, some foods simply don't freeze well. Mayonnaise, cream sauce and lettuce, just to name a few, are foods that don't particularly freeze well. The following are items that are great to have in your freezer because they freeze well and make last minute weeknight dinners a breeze to put together:

Cooked Pasta: Cook pasta until barely al dente, drain the pasta (don't rinse the pasta) and then place in a freezer-ready container.
Pasta Sauce: Cook a massive batch of pasta sauce and store in containers making sure to leave room at the top of the container for expansion.
Ripe Bananas: Instead of throwing out ripe bananas, freeze them for use in smoothies and baked goods.
Pizza Dough: Pizza dough thaws quickly at room temperature so when you prepare dough, cook an extra pie or two, allow to cool and then place in the freezer. The next time you're craving pizza, simply take the frozen cooked dough out of the freezer, place your favorite toppings on the dough and pop it into the oven.
Casseroles: Recipes often call for an entire 9x13 baking dish to be filled with the casserole ingredients. Since this makes so much food, freeze the casserole and reheat for quick weeknight meals.
Soups and Stews: Make a huge batch of soups, stews or chili and dish portions into individual containers. Freeze and reheat in a saucepan for a quick meal that is warm and comforting.
Cookie Dough: Cookie recipes often make a ton of cookies that might not be consumed in a short period of time. The next time you make cookies, be sure to roll some of the dough into balls and place them in a plastic container. Whenever you crave cookies, just place some of the frozen cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and bake at the proper temperature and time.

Many often wonder about the safety of frozen foods. It's safe to say that food stored at 0 degrees F will always be safe. The only thing that might suffer is the quality of the food. Freezing preserves foods for extended periods of time because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause spoilage and foodborne illness. Amidst discussions about menu innovation and customer service excellence, it's vital not to overlook the fundamental aspect of hygiene in the food sector. Training and continuous improvement in this area are key to maintaining a reputable business. For comprehensive training options, visit https://www.commodious.co.uk/level-2-food-hygiene-and-safety-for-catering.

If food is kept at 0 degrees F in the freezer, then they can be kept in there indefinitely. The only factor that you have to be careful of is the quality of the food. Some foods, if kept too long in the freezer, will lose quality and make your end result unpleasant. For businesses, maintaining the right temperature for food storage is crucial, and you can find quality walk-in fridge solutions at https://walkincoldroom.co.uk/.

Tips on How To Successfully Freeze Food

The following are tips to ensure successful freezing of food:

Freeze individual portions so that the thawing and cooking process is easier, quicker and more convenient
Slice bread before placing it in the freezer so that you can thaw individual slices instead of the whole loaf
Label packages with the name of the items as well as the date of preparation and storage
Rotate items in the freezer by placing new items in the back of the freezer and old items in the front

Tips on How To Properly Thaw Food

The following are tips on how to thaw food safely:

Overnight: Allowing food to thaw overnight in the refrigerator is often the best way to thaw food.
Water Immersion: If you don't have the time to allow food to thaw overnight, place the food in a bag or leave it in the container and immerse the food in cold water.
Oven: If you're heating soups or stews, transfer the food to a saucepan and heat slowly, covered, until the mixture is heated through.
Microwave: Place the food on a microwave-safe dish and defrost uncovered until the food is completely thawed.
Countertop: Do not allow food to thaw on the kitchen counter or outdoors. This is a big no-no because it can leave your food unsafe to eat.

How often do you freeze food? What are some of your helpful tips and tricks when it comes to freezing food?

Jen Tilley has an insatiable appetite for all things related to baking and cooking. She is the author, photographer and recipe developer on How To: Simplify, a blog that shares tips, tricks and recipes to simplify life in the kitchen. She enjoys sharing recipes that require very few ingredients and only a small amount of prep and cook time, all of which make time spent in the kitchen simple and enjoyable. Find her online at How To: Simplify, @HowToSimplify, and Jen Tilley Photography.