How to Freeze Food and Prevent Freezer Burn
What is Freezer Burn?
Freezer burn refers to the drying and damage that occurs when air and moisture seep into an item in the freezer and it helps food turn brown, dry out, and lose its flavor. It does not rot or the actual decomposition of the food itself.
Fortunately, freezer burn can be prevented by using one simple trick: wrap your food well!
How to Prevent Freezer Burn?
While some types of food are more likely to have pockets of air develop within them during freezing, most foods will just need a little extra protection from exposure to air during storage in order to keep freezer burn away.
Luckily there are several common household items you probably already have around that may just do the trick!
1. Plastic Wrap
Plastic wrap is the first line of defense against freezer burn because it helps block out air and moisture. It can be wrapped tightly around food but if the item still looks wet after thawing, throw it away immediately!
Bacteria love to take hold in all those tiny little pockets of water that build up between the plastic wrap and the food. Never reuse plastic wrap once you’ve gotten rid of freezer burn by washing it first with hot soapy water to kill any bacteria before using it again.
2. Plastic Freezer Bags
If you’re freezing liquids like milk or juice, try putting them into your own (new) plastic bags if you don’t want to use plastic wrap or foil.
For larger quantities of liquids, you should use a container with a tight-fitting lid to keep moisture and air away from your food.
3. Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil can be wrapped tightly around meat or other types of food that may have large pockets of air inside them that you want to prevent freezer burn from occurring in.
Just remember when thawing out these items not to pour the juices out prior because they are full of nutrients! You also don’t want to use aluminum foil more than once for the same reason as with plastic wrap – bacteria contamination!
4. Ziploc Bags
Ziplock bags are another good choice for foods that have smaller pockets of air trapped under them when being frozen. Just make sure you leave a little room at the top of the bag for food to expand as it freezes.
If you have liquids, they can be put into reusable plastic freezer bags instead.
Ziplock bags can also double as storage containers for sandwiches and other types of food that don’t freeze well so going with a Rubbermaid is probably your best bet here.
When To Freeze Foods?
There are certain foods that don’t actually have very long shelf lives once they’ve been frozen so it’s important to know when they need to go in the freezer quickly.
Most fruits will start to lose their flavor after being frozen for several months while veggies may only last about one month before they become soggy and slimy from all those moisture pockets we were talking about earlier.
Some food may actually be better after it’s been frozen for a while and this is true of onions and garlic!
How To Freeze Foods?
There are two basic methods that can be used to freeze foods: using your freezer or using an ice cube tray if you don’t have enough room in your freezer at the moment.
1. Using Your Freezer
When freezing items like fruit, vegetables, or many types of fish, make sure they go into a container tightly before putting them in the freezer as you would with plastic wrap.
For meat products such as chicken, beef, venison, etc., put each piece between sheets of wax paper prior to placing pieces side by side in a cardboard box.
This essentially creates a flat piece of meat that will stack up nicely in your freezer once it’s frozen.
2. Using An Ice Cube Tray
Fruits, vegetables, and fish can also be frozen using an ice cube tray method if you don’t want to use the traditional plastic wrap method because you have none on hand at the time or simply run out!
Instead, place fruit or veggies into each section of an ice cube tray with enough room around them for expansion while freezing.
Fish should be wrapped tightly in parchment paper prior to being placed into an ice cube tray so that they freeze solid.
After freezing is complete, empty cubes from trays and store them in freezer baggies so they don’t get mixed up with each other!
Why You Should Freeze Food?
Freezing is a great way to keep your food fresh and nutritious! Some foods may start to lose their flavor and appearance rather quickly if left in the fridge too long whereas freezing can actually make them taste better and last longer in some cases.
Not only will you save money on your grocery bill but you’ll be able to spend more time making sure your family eats healthy when you don’t have to worry about using up every single vegetable in the fridge before it goes bad.
How Long Can You Keep Frozen Food?
There are two things that factor into how long frozen food products will last: frost damage and bacteria.
Freezer burn occurs after prolonged exposure of ice crystals, typically during thawing out times or when misplacing a bag of frozen broccoli on the bottom shelf instead of the top!
Even though fresh things like fruits and veggies may not last long in your freezer, they naturally contain so much water that it won’t take long for them to thaw out.
Make sure you don’t wait too long to use up foods from your freezer so you can enjoy them while they’re still good and tasty!
Why You Should Use Plastic Wrap?
Plastic wrap is typically used to prevent frost damage when freezing meats and some types of fish but it has an added benefit: bacteria protection!
This is because plastic doesn’t touch the food directly, allowing air layers to form against it rather than exposure to its juices or other harmful germs – which will get killed by the cold, too.
This is a great way to keep your food safe from any bacteria that may be living on it prior to being frozen so you’ll always get the most out of your frozen foods!
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