Freezer Facts

Freezer Temperature Changes & Their Effects on Foods

• If ice cream thaws it should not be re-frozen.
• Fruits and vegetables should be frozen at their peak of flavor.
• The freezer in your refrigerator is not the same as a food freezer. It is best used for storing foods for short periods only. Foods should be frozen as quickly as possible and temperatures should be 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
• Jelly, salad dressing and mayonnaise do not freeze well on bread products.
• When freezing casseroles, cook for a shorter period of time than normal, then cool quickly to stop cooking action. Make sure it is packed as solidly as possible, the fewer air spaces the better.
• To prolong the freezer storage time for roasted meats, cover them with gravy.
• Meat loaf may be frozen cooked or uncooked.
• Potatoes will become mushy when frozen in stews and casseroles.
• Any bakery item with a cream filling should not be frozen. They will become soggy.
• Custard or meringue pies do not freeze well. The custard tends to separate and the meringue will become tough.
• Mashed potatoes freeze well.
• Waffles and pancakes may be frozen, then thawed and cooked in the toaster.
• Seal all freezer wrapped foods as well as possible so that freezer burn will not occur.
• A good trick when you go away on vacation is to place a baggie with a few ice cubes in the freezer. If a power failure occurs while you are gone and the food thaws and then refreezes, you will know about it when you get home.
• Baker's yeast will freeze for years without going bad.
• If you freeze wild rice it will last for 3-4 months instead of a week in the refrigerator.
• A corned beef roast can be kept for up to one week in the refrigerator and up to two weeks if frozen.
• Always remove meat from store packages and re-wrap using special freezer paper or aluminum foil if you are planning to freeze meats for more than 2-3 weeks.
• Chops, cutlets and hamburgers should be freezer wrapped individually. This will assure maximum freshness and convenience.
• Brown sugar won't harden if stored in the freezer.
• Unsalted butter can be stored in the freezer indefinitely if it is wrapped and sealed airtight. Salted butter can be stored for a shorter period of time in its original container with no wrapping.
• Leftover whipped cream; drop dollops of whipped cream on a cookie sheet, then freeze before storing in plastic bags.
• Freeze eggs whole or separated. Egg whites may get tough when frozen in a potato or macaroni salad.
• Freeze fish in clean milk cartons full of water. When thawing the fish, use the water for fertilizer on household plants.
• Flour can be frozen.
• Honey can be frozen in ice cube trays. If the honey becomes granulated, simply place the cubes in a jar and place in very hot water.
• Do not buy frozen foods unless they are frozen solid.
• Keep a frozen food inventory, foods tend to get lost in a large freezer.
• Frozen sandwiches will thaw by lunchtime, butter the bread and it won't absorb the filling.
• Frozen foods are more nutritious than canned foods.
• Make your own frozen TV dinners from leftovers. They will be much higher in nutritional value than most store bought ones.
• Date all frozen foods using a piece of tape or permanent marker pen.
• Refreezing foods will lower their quality.
• Remember the longer you freeze, the better chances are to lose a percentage of the food quality.