As a rule of thumb, these 16 foods should never be frozen.
It’s important to note that these recommendations are for home freezing.
This expands their volume, destroying cells and making their texture soft.
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Frozen leafy greens are safe to eat but may not be pleasant to the palate.
What Is Freezer Burn?
It does not make the food unsafe but may change its quality.
Certain Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Enzymes in fruits and vegetables promote chemical reactions, such as ripening.
Freezing slows enzyme activity in foods but does not stop the activity.
Blanchingvegetablesbefore freezing inactivates the enzymes and prevents deterioration.
It is important to follow suggested cooking times for each vegetable.
Over-blanching cooks the vegetable, while under-blanching stimulates enzyme activity instead of halting it.
Some vegetables and fruits don’t freeze well, including:
3.
Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbsthat have been frozen become limp when thawed, making them undesirable for garnishes.
However, they can be used in cooked dishes.
Eggs
Eggs in the shell should not be frozen.
If eggs in the shell are frozen, discard any that crack during freezing.
Cooked egg whites do not freeze well and tend to become soft, tough, rubbery, or spongy.
Hard-cooked eggs are also not freezer-friendly as the white becomes rubbery.
Homemade eggnog should also not be frozen.
Most Dairy Products
Opened milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, and butter should not be frozen.
Freeze leftoverswithin three to four days.
Jell-O
Jell-O and other foods made withgelatintend to weep if they are frozen then thawed.
They tend to lose their crispness and become soggy.
Cooked Pasta or Rice
Cookedpastaand rice tend to lose their texture and get mushy when frozen and thawed.
They also taste rewarmed.
Some Condiments
Cooked egg or cream-basedsalad dressingsdon’t freeze well because they separate.
Coffee
Moisture, air, heat,and light negatively affect coffee beans and grounds.
Coffee absorbs moisture, odors, and tastes from the air around it.
If freezing coffee, double-check it is in a truly airtight container.
Canned Foods and Bottled Beverages
Canned andbottledfoods and carbonated beverages should not be frozen as they can burst.
Cans frozen accidentally (such as those left in the car in cold weather) can present health problems.
Mayonnaise and Creamy Casseroles
Mayonnaise separates when frozen.
Creamy dishes, such as potato salad and macaroni salad, can become water, tough, or mushy.
Hot dogs and luncheon meats can weep when frozen because their emulsion becomes broken.
Stuffed Poultry
It is unsafe to freeze stuffedpoultry.
McGill University.Can previously frozen, thawed, and cooked food be refrozen?
Food Safety and Inspection Service.Freezing and food safety.
Ohio State University.Food preservation: freezing basics.
University of Georgia, College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
National Center for Home Food Preservation.Freezing.
North Dakota State University.Food freezing guide.
Oregon State University.Foods that do not freeze well.
North Dakota State University.Food freezing basics: freezing dairy products, eggs and other foods.
University of Missouri.How to freeze meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.
FoodSafety.gov.Cold food storage chart.
Government of Canada.Safe food storage.
University of Minnesota.Refreezing food.
National Coffee Association of U.S.A..How to store coffee.
