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Meanwhile, your freezer (or icebox, or freezer compartment) requires just as much organization and care as a bookshelf or a wardrobe.
Experts from the British consumer rights organization Which? shared tips on how to arrange your food to save space and reduce waste.
Most of us tend to haphazardly toss our groceries into the freezer—whether it’s a tub of ice cream or a bag of frozen peas. However, the experts emphasized that “it’s important to store food properly in the freezer to get the most benefit from it.”
Which? also clarified what can and cannot be stored in the freezer.
How to Organize Your Freezer Contents?
Remove excess packaging. One of the biggest mistakes home cooks make is storing food in bulky packaging. “Before placing food in the freezer, remove it from boxes to save more space,” the experts advised.
Freeze food flat. Freezing items in a horizontal position can help free up space in your freezer, according to the Daily Mail.
Which? recommended: “Lay filled freezer bags on the countertop to release excess air, then make sure they are securely sealed before freezing them flat.”
Use appropriately sized containers. To save space, choose containers that are “as close to the right size as possible” for your food.
Regularly defrost your freezer. This routine task can be daunting for many. However, it’s essential: systematic defrosting will help prevent a large buildup of ice.
Foods You Should Never Freeze
Experts from Which? identified five foods that should never be placed in the freezer.
Fried foods will lose their crispness and change in flavor after freezing.
Salad greens will turn to mush if frozen. Such herbs can only be used for cooking, not for garnishing.
Vegetables with high water content, like cucumbers, will become mushy.
Mayonnaise and other egg-based sauces will separate and curdle after freezing.
Foods You Can Freeze
The experts also discussed foods that are perfectly fine to freeze, even if we usually don’t.
Eggs can be stored in the freezer, but only if they are not in their shells.
Which? warned: “Always crack eggs into containers or bags suitable for freezing. If stored in their shells, they will crack and become inedible.”
Cooked pasta (who would have thought!) is also suitable for freezing, but it should be tossed with oil beforehand to prevent sticking.
Bread, raw dough, yogurt, and cream can also be stored in the freezer. However, the latter two are best used solely for cooking after freezing, as they lose their original texture.
Broth is best kept in ice cube trays: this way, it’s convenient for cooking.
What is the Optimal Freezer Temperature?
To keep food from spoiling and losing its nutritional value, the freezer should be set to a temperature between -18 and -20 °C.
At this temperature range, food will be safely stored: the cold will inhibit bacterial growth and toxin production, while chemical reactions that lead to food spoilage will slow down.
