Food freezing tips? How to freeze vegetables: Wash and prepare vegetables as you would for consuming, such as chopping carrots or cutting broccoli into florets, and let them dry completely. For optimal taste, cook vegetables al dente (just before fully cooked), let them cool completely and then place in a freezer container. Storing: Fresh fruit and vegetables can last 8 to 12 months in the freezer, but beyond this time, you may lose quality in taste. When frozen correctly, frozen breads can maintain freshness.
Leave a little extra room for liquids: You can also freeze soups, sauces and stews in airtight containers. Liquids expand so you’ll want to fill freezer bags and containers only three-quarters of the way, so they don’t explode. Freeze fruits and vegetables: Freezing seasonal fruits and veggies is great, especially this time of year. Freezing your fresh garden veggies now will allow you to use them all year long. Same with in-season fruits, which are sweeter and perfect to add to your smoothies. Casseroles can be frozen either cooked or uncooked, but it’s a bit better to freeze uncooked or partially cooked casseroles as opposed to freezing fully cooked casseroles.
Yes! Produce is one of those food types that seem to go bad before you can eat it. The beauty of freezing fresh fruit and veggies – it can be past its prime and you can still freeze it for smoothies or cooking in something else! Bananas – Whole, sliced, blended, whatever floats your boat! They make a delicious addition to a smoothie and obviously make good banana bread. Berries – Whole cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. These are all super easy to freeze and they’re GREAT in smoothies! Fruit – Sliced watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, grapes, kiwi, etc. freeze well. Just make sure you flash freeze (spread them out on a sheet pan and freeze) before putting them into a freezer baggie or else you’ll end up with a huge clump of fruit that you’ll never get apart! Find even more information on can you freeze.
That said, the USDA recommends these steps: If a food has been thawed in the refrigerator safely, you can refreeze it, as long as it’s within three to four days since thawing. Food that was thawed and then cooked is safe to refreeze. Do not refreeze any foods left outside the fridge for longer than two hours. If you’re in temperatures above 90 degrees F, the USDA puts that time window at one hour. Previously frozen meat, poultry, or fish purchased from the store can be refrozen as long as it’s been handled safely and hasn’t been at room temperature for more than that two-hour period. With safety procedures and good habits in place, you can make the most of your freezer as a go-to place for healthy foods. With a well-stocked space, you may even be able to stretch out the time between shopping rounds.