Freezing Foods the Right Way

The Easiest Food Preservation Tips: Freezing

There are various methods for preserving food—for example, canning, freezing, pickling, dehydrating, salting, fermenting, and freeze-drying. Humans have been preserving food for thousands of years to prevent spoilage and extend its shelf life. This will be a multiple-part post about ways to preserve food. In this post, we will explore freezing, including what foods can be frozen, helpful tips, and important caveats.

The Freezing Process

Freezing slows down the growth process of microorganisms and slows down the chemical reactions that cause food to spoil. It doesn’t kill bacteria, molds, or yeasts, but it does slow them down. Enzymes in food can continue to cause spoilage even at freezing temperatures. To avoid potentially causing a foodborne illness, please handle it properly. Read these tips from the USDA on Food Safety.

I am not an expert from the USDA or the Food and Drug Administration, so if you have concerns, please refer to these agencies. There are important things to know about freezing. Like, What kinds of foods are best for freezing? What type of packaging bags or containers do you use? How long can you freeze different foods?

Freezing Vegetables 🥕

This is such a broad topic. You can freeze veggies. Vegetables need a little more prep than fruit, but the payoff is worth it. Some molecular changes are more noticeable than others. For instance, freeze beans or peas versus freezing peppers or onions. Vegetables can be put into two categories;

• High-starch vegetables: Vegetables like peas, corn, and lima beans tend to be less affected by textural changes because their cell walls are more resistant to damage from ice crystals.
• High-water content vegetables: Lettuce, celery, and greens may become limp and wilted after thawing due to cell damage.

Prep Tips:

• Wash, trim, and cut. Think ahead to how you’ll use them—green beans, diced carrots, chopped onions.
• Blanch first. Most veggies need to be boiled briefly, then cooled fast in ice water. This step stops enzymes that break down texture and flavor.
• Dry them. Pat dry before freezing to prevent ice buildup.
• Freeze in single layers. Freeze flat on trays before storing in bags, to keep them from clumping together.

What is Blanching?

Blanching refers to the process of quickly boiling foods (typically vegetables, fruits, or nuts) without fully cooking them. The blanched foods are then placed in a bowl of ice water for shocking. By shocking the vegetables or fruits after a very quick boil, you stop the cooking process in its tracks.

Tip: Blanching times vary. For example, green beans need about 3 minutes, while bell peppers don’t need blanching at all if you’re using them for cooked dishes.

Why Blanching?

The end results of blanching will leave you with brightly colored fruits or vegetables that hold their texture. Many people used blanching before canning or to prep for a colorful salad. Another reason for blanching is to loosen the skins for easy removal, such as tomatoes or peaches.

Blanching is one of the best methods for preparing foods for freezing.  If you’re planning to freeze produce, such as broccoli, corn, or squash, start by giving them a quick dip in boiling water. Then, move them straight into an ice bath. This simple process helps lock in their color, flavor, and texture so they hold up better in the freezer.

Thawing

Veggies often don’t need to thaw before cooking. Toss frozen broccoli into soup or sauté onions or peppers right from the bag.

What to Expect When

Freezing Corn on the Cob

In late June or July, we typically harvest the corn we planted in the spring. One way to enjoy fresh corn all year long is by freezing it. We use two methods of freezing fresh corn; the first is the simplest, which involves freezing corn on the cob, and the other is freezing creamed corn. This is a simple way to preserve your corn even though the shucking takes up most of your time.

Prep Tips:

Corn on the Cob

• Shuck the corn, removing all the husks and silks, then cut off any bad places.
• Wash the corn using a vegetable brush to help remove the silks.
• Following the blanching instructions, blanch the corn. I have also skipped the blanching process and gone straight to packaging the corn for freezing, and it works great.
• Once corn on the cob has cooled, place it into freezer bags (removing the air), or vacuum-seal  and lay flat to freeze.

Cutting the Corn off the Cob (Creaming)

• Shuck the corn, removing all the husks and silks, then cut off any bad places.
• Wash the corn using a vegetable brush to help remove the silks.
• Following the blanching instructions, blanch the corn.
• Once the corn has cooled, cut off the tips of the corn for easier cutting.
• Some people prefer using a corn zipper, but I’m a bit old-school and prefer to use a sharp knife instead. Cutting the ears off the cob, trying not to get too much of the cob in the cut. After cutting, I will take a serrated knife and scrape the cob and squeeze the corn milk out. Trust me, this is good stuff.
• Once I have finished cutting all the corn up, I will place it in freezer bags (removing the air), or vacuum-seal, then lay it flat to freeze.

Prep Tips:

• Wash and dry well. Water left on fruit can lead to icy clumps.
• Slice or chop if needed. For things like peaches or strawberries, I go ahead and prep them as I plan to use them later.
• Flash freeze. Lay the pieces out on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze until they are firm. This keeps everything from sticking together in one big lump.
• Store in freezer-safe bags or containers. I like to squeeze out as much air as possible, or vacuum-seal (do not squish the fruit) and label with the date.

Tip: Frozen fruit doesn’t stay firm after thawing—but it’s still perfect for smoothies, baking, or stirring into oatmeal.

Thawing

Move to the fridge overnight or let sit at room temp in a bowl. If you’re baking with it, you can often add it directly from the freezer.

What to Expect When

Freezing Berries

If you have berries that you want to freeze to use at a later date, you may notice that once the berries have been frozen, they’re a little softer once thawed. That’s totally normal! Freezing breaks down the cell walls in the fruit, which alters its texture. It’s all science, really. The freezing process forms ice crystals that can slightly alter the berry’s structure. Strawberries and raspberries tend to exhibit the most noticeable texture change due to their high water content and softer flesh. But don’t worry, they’re still full of flavor and absolutely perfect for making jam, and using in most recipes. However, don’t expect the same look and texture as the unfrozen fresh berry. For example, if you want to decorate a cake with strawberry slices, it will not be the same. The berries will be mushy.

Freezing Peaches

If you plan to cook or bake with your peaches at a later date, you’ll need to know how to preserve them once they have ripened. Best tips for freezing your peaches.

• Peaches should be soft & ripe before freezing.

• Peel & slice peaches into a bowl of water mixed with citric acid powder (or lemon juice), making sure to cover the peach slices with the water solution. Alternatively, you can mix a little lemon juice with the peaches, just enough to coat them, not cover (about 1 to 2 Tablespoons). This will keep peaches from turning brown when they are thawed.

• Drain all water from the peaches before freezing.

• Sugar may be added to the peaches at this time, if desired.

• Pack peaches in freezer bags about ¾ full.

• Flatten bags and freeze.

Freezing Melons

On a summer day, one of the best treats is to eat ice-cold melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew). Freezing melons and eating them straight from the freezer is a refreshing and delicious treat. I like to keep frozen melons on hand for that special treat. I also feed them to my chickens as a way to cool them down on a hot day. ☺️

Melons are extremely high in water, so once they thaw, they become mushy and less enjoyable. You can use it in making juice drinks or as another refreshing snack.

When I freeze melons, I will usually freeze the remaining melon after cutting up a fresh melon for eating. To prep, I was cut into medium-sized chunks. Place the chunks into a freezer-safe container or bags and lay flat in the freezer. Take out and eat immediately.

Freezing Meats

Meat can be one of the best things to buy in bulk and freeze–especially when you find a good sale. When you find these good deals and want to ensure you can store the meat properly, consider what works best.

• Wrap tightly. Use plastic wrap, foil, or freezer paper (which I recommend) to keep the air out, then place in a freezer bag or vacuum-seal for best results.
• Label with name and date. Trust me! After a few months, every cut of meat starts to look the same. You will appreciate the label.
• Freeze in portions. Don’t freeze 10 lbs. package of ground beef unless you plan on using that much at one time. Divide it up and package 1lb -1.5 lbs per package. It depends on how much you need to prepare for your family. 1lb – 1.5 lbs is usually perfect for us.

Tip:Freezer-safe zip bags are great, but if you freeze a lot of meat, investing in a vacuum sealer is worth every penny.

Thawing Meat the Safe Way

• Always thaw meat in the fridge.
• Slow thawing keeps it safe. If you’re in a pinch, use the cold water method—submerge the sealed bag in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes.
• Never thaw meat on the counter!

Best Practices for Freezing Everything

1. Keep your freezer at 0°F or below.
2. Don’t overload it. Air needs to circulate to freeze food quickly and evenly.
3. Use it within 6 to 12 months. Most frozen food is still safe after a year, but quality starts to drop.

I could go on and on about freezing. Freezing doesn’t have to be complicated, and you don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment. Just a little prep and some common sense go a long way. I like knowing what’s in my freezer, that it was handled safely, and that I’m stretching our hard-earned dollars as far as they’ll go.

If you have questions about freezing foods the right way, contact the USDA or the Food and Drug Administration.

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