When you’re feeling particularly motivated, make big batches of recipes that freeze well, and stow away leftovers for lazier nights. Soups, stews, lasagna, empanadas, and pie dough are some of our favorites to freeze—check out more ideas below.
What cooked foods freeze well?
Leftover or batch-cooked dishes, especially anything sloppy, like soup, stews or baby food and fruit purees are perfect for freezing, because they are less likely to dry out when reheated. Assembled recipes, like pizza, pies, crumble, or lasagna are best frozen raw to avoid overcooking when you reheat them.
What cooked foods do not freeze well?
Foods That Do Not Freeze Well
| Foods | Usual Use |
|---|---|
| Cooked macaroni, spaghetti or rice | When frozen alone for later use |
| Egg whites, cooked | In salads, creamed foods,sandwiches, sauces, gravy or desserts |
| Meringue | In desserts |
| Icings made from egg whites | Cakes, cookies |
What foods should you not freeze?
13 Foods You Should Never Put in Your Freezer
- Eggs.
- Dairy Products.
- Fried Foods.
- Carbonated Drinks.
- Fully Cooked Pasta.
- Water-Rich Produce.
- Defrosted Meat.
- Soft Herbs.
What meals should I freeze?
Saucy big-batch recipes: Soups, stews, braises and pulled meat dishes tend to freeze well because the sauce prevents the meat and goodies inside from drying out.
What dinners can be made ahead and frozen?
15 EASY FREEZER MEALS
- BEEF AND BROCCOLI TERIYAKI. no cook-prep, gluten-free, dairy free, skillet meal, easy freezer meals.
- SESAME HONEY CHICKEN LETTUCE CUPS.
- PESTO TORTELLINI BAKE.
- EASY RAVIOLI LASAGNA.
- THAI PEANUT CHICKEN SATAY.
- CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN.
- CUBE STEAKS WITH GRAVY.
- CHICKEN FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES.
Do mashed potato freeze well?
The answer is yes—and it’s easier than you might think to do it. Just whip up your favorite mashed potatoes, let them cool completely, then store them in a freezer bag, freezer-safe storage container, or a tightly covered, freezer-safe casserole dish and pop it in the freezer.
Are there any vegetables you Cannot freeze?
While shelled eggs and canned foods are the only things that aren’t safe to freeze, there are a handful of other foods that don’t freeze well. These include: Fruits and vegetables with high water content – (celery, cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, melon). They’ll be limp and soggy when thawed.
Can I freeze cooked pasta?
If you’re using it soon, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze homemade pasta, let it dry for at least an hour. Then, place it in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 8 months.
What vegetables freeze well after cooking?
Which vegetables freeze well after cooking? You can freeze almost anything. The best vegetables to consider are corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, squash and winter vegetables such as spinach, kale, chard and cabbage. Onions, peppers, celery and herbs can also be frozen.
Why you shouldn’t freeze garlic?
Garlic. Some cooks stand by freezing extra garlic before cloves start sprouting, saying to coat whole cloves or pureed, peeled cloves in a neutral-flavored oil before freezing. However, the National Center for Home Food Preservation warns that garlic tends to get strong and bitter once it’s been frozen.
Can I freeze cooked rice?
A: Yes, you can safely freeze any leftover cooked rice so that you can eat it at another time.
What recipes can I freeze?
46 recipes that freeze well for easy meals later
- Colin Fassnidge’s healthy Irish stew is 100 per cent pure comfort.
- Winter is here which means it’s time to pull out this braised beef cheek lasagne.
- Sunday night chilli con carne.
- Roasted pumpkin and ginger soup.
- Scotch steak, anchovy butter and quick fries.
How can I freeze food for a week?
Use “freezer” bags, not “storage” bags for storing food in the freezer. Freezer bags are thicker than storage bags and will keep the food fresh longer. Speed freezing and hasten thawing by freezing foods in a thin, flattened shape in freezer bags.
Can I freeze fried rice?
Absolutely! Fried rice freezes really well in the freezer and can be stored in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can you freeze baked potatoes?
And the answer is… yes! Yes, you can freeze baked potatoes, but for the best results they should be consumed within about a month of freezing. The longer a potato stays frozen, the more the taste and texture break down.
Do you cook freezer meals before freezing?
It may not pull-apart quite like being in the crockpot all day, but your food will still taste good! 7) ALWAYS place cooked food in the fridge before freezing. Placing steaming hot food right into the freezer can contaminate the food.
Does lasagna freeze well?
Admittedly, one of the great things about lasagna is that it freezes so well. A baked, frozen, then re-baked lasagna will still be good.
Can you freeze eggs?
Yes, you can freeze eggs. Eggs can be frozen for up to a year, although it is recommended to use them within 4 months for freshness. Many people find themselves being left with spare egg whites or yolks after a recipe requiring just one or the other, or even throwing out unused eggs when the box hits its expiry date.
Can I freeze cooked chicken?
You can freeze cooked chicken and turkey, too
Put cooked chicken/turkey in an airtight container or wrap the food well in freezer bags, freezer wrap or cling film before freezing. Label it so that you remember what it is and when you froze it, then place in the freezer.
Can macaroni and cheese be frozen?
Macaroni and cheese freezes very well. I ought to know; I worked on a big mac and cheese project last year and was eating the research materials for months afterwards. You don’t need to do anything special when preparing whichever recipe you choose; just make sure that when you cook your pasta, you keep it al dente.
Why should you put a quarter on a frozen cup of water?
You just fill a cup with water, freeze it, and stick a quarter on top. When you come back from a hurricane evacuation, if the quarter is still at the top of the cup, your food is safe to eat. If the quarter sank, it means that your freezer lost power and you should throw your food out.
Can tomatoes be frozen?
To successfully freeze fresh raw tomatoes, you can: Slice tomatoes into at least 1/2-inch slices. Put slices on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Remove slices and put them into freezer bags or containers.
Can you freeze bags of chocolate chips?
Yes, it is fine to store chocolate chips in the freezer, although doing so will not significantly change the shelf life; to freeze, place the chocolate chips inside covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
Which fruit should not be frozen?
Citrus. Citrus fruits become soft and mushy after being frozen.
What happens if you do not blanch a vegetable before freezing it?
Blanching helps vegetables keep their vibrant colors and retain nutrients, and stops the enzymes that would otherwise lead to spoilage. Freezing vegetables without blanching them first results in faded or dulled coloring, as well as off flavors and textures.
Can I freeze already cooked pizza?
If you freeze leftover pizza, it will stay at its best for 1 to 2 months. It should still be safe to eat after this point, so if you really hate waste, you don’t have to throw it out. It is best to try and eat it within 2 months however, as this is when it will be tastiest.
Can you eat two week old spaghetti?
Most cooked pasta only lasts in the fridge for between 3–5 days before it starts to show signs of expiration. Eating expired pasta comes with risks similar to those associated with eating other expired foods, such as foodborne illness.
Can you freeze sandwiches?
Just about any sandwich—other than those with a mayonnaise base (such as chopped meat or egg salad)—can be frozen. It’s best to apply condiments such as mayonnaise when ready to use. Some great filling choices include: peanut butter and jelly; deli meat; plain canned tuna; cheese; or cheese along with a meat.
Can cooked spaghetti with sauce be frozen?
Yes! You can freeze the pasta together with meat sauce, pesto, or with whatever freezer-friendly sauce you have. You’ll want to reheat this in the oven, in an oven-safe dish.
Can you freeze cooked potatoes and carrots?
You absolutely can freeze potatoes, and you should if you have an excess of spuds. But there’s one important thing to remember: You should really only freeze cooked or partially cooked potatoes, as raw potatoes contain a lot of water. This water freezes and, when thawed, makes the potatoes mushy and grainy.
Can you freeze cooked chicken and vegetables?
Cooked chicken is safe to freeze… sometimes. If you have any extra chicken that can be eaten later, immediately store the extras in an airtight container overnight. Don’t leave the chicken out at room temperature.
Can beef stew with potatoes be frozen?
Stew can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Stews thickened with flour or cornstarch may separate after freezing. If you plan to freeze a stew, wait to thicken it until you reheat it. Freezing makes potatoes soft and grainy.
Do you have to peel garlic before freezing?
You can freeze raw whole unpeeled bulbs, individual cloves (peeled or unpeeled), or chopped garlic. You can also cook or process garlic into various forms that make meal prep a breeze.
Will olive oil freeze?
The answer is yes, it is physically possible to freeze olive oil. In fact, olive oil begins to solidify around 54 degrees Fahrenheit, and it begins to completely freeze around 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Most refrigerators in the United States are kept around 40 degrees or a little below, and freezers are set to 0 degrees.
Can you freeze cheese?
To freeze cheese, portion, wrap, and pack it in an airtight container before rapidly freezing it. Use it within 6–9 months. Frozen cheese should be thawed in the refrigerator and is best used in cooked dishes.
Can you freeze potatoes?
Yes, you can freeze potatoes and sweet potatoes, too! Here’s how to freeze french fries, hash browns, mashed potatoes and more, plus the best recipes for using all those frozen spuds.
Can you freeze cooked fish?
After cooking, store seafood in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. Any frozen fish or shellfish will be safe indefinitely; however, the flavor and texture will lessen after lengthy storage. For best quality, freeze (0 °F / -17.8 °C or less) cooked fish for up to 3 months.
Can you freeze cooked rice and chicken?
Thankfully, yes, you can certainly freeze chicken and rice.
We love making a big batch of our favorite rice meals like Crock Pot Chicken and Rice made with chicken breasts and frozen vegetables or Instant Pot Chicken and Rice and freezing portions for an easy dinner on busy weeknights.
Are freezer meals worth it?
And the answer is, it depends on you. Freezer meals take a lot of planning, a lot of prep work, a lot of continuous hours in the kitchen. You’ll be exhausted and probably never want to grocery shop or chop another onion as long as you live.
Can you freeze and reheat rice?
Frozen rice lasts up to a month in the freezer. When you’re ready to take it out, reheat your rice in the microwave. Just make sure it’s completely heated through and piping hot before you tuck in. Avoid reheating rice more than once.
Is it better to freeze casseroles cooked or uncooked?
In fact, it’s best to freeze meatless casseroles uncooked as the process of baking, freezing, and re-baking can alter the texture of some ingredients.
How long can cooked food stay in the freezer?
Cold Food Storage Chart
| Food | Type | Freezer (0 °F or below) |
|---|---|---|
| Soups and stews | Vegetable or meat added | 2 to 3 months |
| Leftovers | Cooked meat or poultry | 2 to 6 months |
| Chicken nuggets or patties | 1 to 3 months | |
| Pizza | 1 to 2 months |
Can you freeze cooked casseroles?
Yes, you can freeze casseroles, but some ingredients freezer and defrost better than others making some more freezer friendly and furthermore, some are best frozen uncooked while others are studier (like egg based) after cooking.
Can you freeze scrambled eggs?
Scrambled eggs are easy to freeze, and they taste great when reheated! We like to cook them so they’re slightly runny, which helps them retain a soft texture when they’re warmed through. Let your scrambled eggs fully cool before packing them into individual portions in freezer-safe bags.
Can you freeze cooked stir fry?
Yes, you can freeze stir fry. Stir fry can be frozen for around 2 months. It’s best to freeze stir fry that hasn’t yet been cooked, but it’s also possible to freeze leftover stir fry from the pan.
Can you freeze rice and beans?
Yes, there’s no question about it! You can for sure freeze rice and beans. I often cook a generous amount of rice and beans and freeze them so that I can use it later on instead of taking out the time to cook a meal from scratch. You can simply take the dish out of your freezer, reheat it, and chow down!
Can you freeze cooked bacon?
Yes! And it’s freezing food like this is simple. After cooking the bacon, line a baking pan with wax paper followed by a layer of bacon, another sheet of wax paper and another layer of bacon until all the crispy goodness is accounted for. Cover with wax paper and freeze overnight, or for a minimum of two hours.
Can onions be frozen?
If you like cooking with fresh onions, but frequently toss an unused portion, try freezing them! Use frozen onions in cooked products, such as soups and stews, ground meat mixtures, casseroles, etc. For most dishes, frozen onions may be used with little or no thawing.
Can you freeze potatoes for french fries?
But the question that you might be asking right now is: can you freeze potato to make into french fries. Luckily, the answer is yes! In much the same way as whole potatoes, french fried potatoes first need blanching before you can attempt to freeze them.
Can mashed potato be frozen?
While most chefs advocate for making them fresh, mashed potatoes can be made ahead and frozen until ready to use.
Can you freeze cooked meat and vegetables together?
If you’re looking for a way to save time and money while feeding your family healthy food, ‘no-cook’ freezer meals are your answer. Simply combine the meats, vegetables, sauces and spices, and freeze!
Can you freeze cooked meat and veggies?
When ready to use, thaw vegetables and finish cooking using your method of choice. Meat: Yes! Briskets, pot roasts, and most other red meat dishes do freeze quite well.
Can you freeze cooked food in glass containers?
Glass is an excellent way to store food, whether it be in the pantry, the fridge, or even the freezer. It is perfectly safe and very easy to freeze food in glass, but there are are few things to keep in mind.
Can you freeze food in disposable aluminum pans?
Disposable aluminum foil pans can be used to freeze food and can also be placed in the oven to reheat the dish. Some aluminum pans are sold with plastic lids. These lids are lightweight plastic, however, and are not designed for the freezer.
Can you freeze pasta?
To freeze homemade pasta, let it dry for at least an hour. Then, place it in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 8 months. You can cook it straight out of the freezer, just add 1 or 2 minutes extra to the cooking time.
Can you eat 2 week old hard boiled eggs?
Hard-boiled eggs, peeled or unpeeled, are still safe to eat up to one week after they were cooked. Keep them stored in the refrigerator, and you should consider writing the boiling date on each egg to know if they’re still good!
Can you eat 3 week old eggs?
Still, as long as they remain free of contamination from bacteria or mold, they may still be safe to eat for days or weeks longer. Eggs have an average shelf life of 3–5 weeks. With proper storage, most eggs are still safe to eat after 5 weeks, though their quality and freshness will likely begin to decline.
Why does milk turn yellow when it’s frozen?
The freezing process means that the water in the milk, 95% forms big chunky ice crystals and they don’t want to have the proteins and the fat in them. The proteins and the fat get squeezed out of the mixture. They tend to form around this central core of ice. So because you see all the fat in one place it looks yellow.
Is 2 year old frozen chicken still good?
If kept frozen continuously, chicken will be safe indefinitely, so after freezing, it’s not important if any package dates expire. For best quality, taste and texture, keep whole raw chicken in the freezer up to one year; parts, 9 months; and giblets or ground chicken, 3 to 4 months.
What leftovers can you freeze?
Some of the best leftover foods to freeze include cooked chopped meats, casseroles, pizza, soup, tomato sauce, breads and baked goods. Leftovers that don’t like the freezer include hard boiled eggs, stuffed and uncooked meats like chicken breast and pork chops, cold tuna and pasta salads.
Can I freeze cooked rice?
A: Yes, you can safely freeze any leftover cooked rice so that you can eat it at another time.
Can you freeze cooked chicken?
You can freeze cooked chicken and turkey, too
Put cooked chicken/turkey in an airtight container or wrap the food well in freezer bags, freezer wrap or cling film before freezing. Label it so that you remember what it is and when you froze it, then place in the freezer.
Can I freeze fried rice?
Absolutely! Fried rice freezes really well in the freezer and can be stored in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 months.