So, you’re about to freeze your food. But, do you know if you’re storing it at the right temperature, in the right container or labelling it correctly? Freezing your food is a great way to preserve different food items but sometimes popping it into the freezer can potentially do more harm than good. 

Have you got some leftovers you’d love to save for later in the week? Or are you cooking your home’s meal prep for the week and wondering how to store it?

Fret not! We’re going to take you through the top things you need to know about freezer safety, how to freeze food safely and also defrosting your meals just right so you (or your residents) never experience a sore tummy. 

Why freezer food safety matters

Food safety is one of the, if not, the most important aspects of preparing, cooking and storing food. By freezing your food correctly, you’ll ensure there is no cross contamination and other nasties getting into your ingredients. 

Doesn’t sound appealing does it! Unfortunately, food can be easily affected by the outside world, especially raw meats and cooked foods. But this is where a freezer can come in handy. If used properly you can preserve food for months at a time to lower food waste in your home.

Freezing food safely means that you’re able to stop any potential infection from airborne microorganisms, which can cause food spoilage or foodborne illnesses if it’s not preserved properly. Want to learn the best way to store food in your freezer? Keep reading below! 

What is the best way to store food in the freezer?

A freezer is a very handy tool that locks in the nutritional value of different foods from the moment they hit the freezer shelf. It helps to retain the vitamin and mineral content of the food, in some cases, frozen food has a higher vitamin and mineral content as certain food loses this over time. 

You can store food in your freezer in a handful of ways, such as using freezer bags, containers or Ziploc bags. Let’s take a look at the benefits of each.

But before we dive in, here’s an important tip! Make sure to remove as much air as possible from your chosen freezer container.

1. Freezer bags and Ziploc bags- are a great way to store food. You can squeeze out as much air as possible before popping them in the freezer. They also easily fit into a freezer that may not have much room as the bag bends around the other items before freezing. We like to use bags when freezing portions of cake or muffins, or even single portions of meat such as a chicken breast or steak.
   
   

2. Containers - if you choose containers as your prepared method for freezing, make sure that your container lid fits nice and tight.  Even though most of us have a cupboard full of plastic tubs where possible  use glass containers as plastic containers can release chemicals into foods when it freezes. Plus you can find freezer safe glass containers that can be heated and cooled without breaking!

3. Labelling - ziploc bags almost always have a white strip that you can write on, but most plastic or glass containers don’t so we just use a strip of masking tape on the lid and then write with a black texta.  The tape can be easily peeled off or taped over with a new label
   
   

Best freezer temperature and freezer storage times

When it comes to freezing your food there are certain temperatures that can affect the quality of your food when it’s in the freezer. The rule of thumb when placing food into your freezer is this: it should be at -18°C. But this should be altered depending on the external environments (such as the room temperature, and other seasonal factors). 

It’s also good to know that the sooner you add food into the freezer, the fresher it’ll be. Once cooked, make sure you chill your food (the danger zone for food is when it sits for long periods between 60°C - 5°C so its best to let hot food cool slightly then pop it in the fridge so it can quickly get down to 5°C)  and then you can freeze it immediately. The result? Your food will be fresher and of better nutritional quality when thawed. 

Here are some other handy tips to know about freezers:

• A full freezer will stay colder for longer.

• The lowest part of your freezer should be reserved for raw meats, along with cooked meats and meals.

• Fruits and veggies and dry goods like breads should be on the top shelf.

So, what foods can be frozen? Everything? Or only specifics? Take a look below at the list of the green light foods you can freeze and the ‘wait, don’t freeze that!’ foods.

Food

Type

Freezer

(-18°C or below)

Fresh/Raw,  beef, veal, lamb, and pork

Steaks, chops, cuts of meat for roasts

4 to 12 months

Chops

4 to 12 months

Roasts

4 to 12 months

Mince meats

minced beef, turkey, chicken, other poultry, veal, pork, lamb, and mixtures of them

3 to 4 months

Smallgoods/deli  meat

Sliced meats such as ham, salami, bacon

1 to 2 months

Eggs

Raw eggs in shell

Do not freeze in shell. Beat yolks and whites together, then freeze.

Hard-cooked eggs

Do not freeze

Egg substitutes, liquid, unopened

Do not freeze

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

Fruits and Vegetables

Vegetables Peas, Beans, Corn, Spinach, Kale, Carrots

Veg such as lettuce and cucumber cannot be frozen

Some of the leafy greens (spinach, Kale are best suited to being slightly boiled or steamed before freezing (will last 3-4 months in the freezer).

Fruit

Pineapple, rhubarb, stone fruit, apples - cut into portions before freezing(1 month in freezer but can be longer if your container can keep out an freezer burn or ice crystals)

Berries are well suited to freezing

Citrus - if you have a stack of lime or lemons freeze the juice in ice cubes then tip the frozen juice cubes into freezer/ziploc bags.

Peel bananas before freezing - pop them into a container or bag. Frozen banana is great added to a smoothie

How to safely defrost frozen foods

Now you’ve got the low-down on freezing different types of food, you’ve just pulled a meal from the freezer and want to defrost it, but what’s the best wait time, should it just be left on the counter? Defrosting food can be tricky so learning the top tips to thaw food safely will avoid any potential food poisoning. 

Here are some checklist reminders to keep in mind when defrosting.

• Defrost food thoroughly before cooking or reheating

• Do not refreeze defrosted food

• When  defrosting  food in the fridge make sure it is on a plate or in a bowl to prevent liquid dripping onto other items in the fridge 

• Do not defrost food on the kitchen counter, the external surface could start to defrost attracting bacteria and microorganisms which can cause foodborne illness

• Large cuts of meat and poultry may take a little longer to defrost all the way to the centre.

The  safest ways to defrost food are.

1. Refrigerator thawing - this can take a little longer but will ensure the food is thawed evenly and kept at a safe temperature at all times

2. Microwave thawing - if you plan to use a microwave to defrost your food, make sure to cook it immediately after thawing in the microwave. Is refreezing food safe?

3. Cooking from frozen - this can be tricky so generally we say don’t do it however if you have a smallish portion of soup then you can pop it into a pot to heat and defrost.  You might want to add a small amount of hot water or stock and then gently break it up as it heats, and remember to eat the nice hot soup straight away

A note on re-freezing food.  It's generally best to avoid it.  Unfortunately freezing food does not kill bacteria so once it’s thawed bacteria continue to multiply whilst re-freezing, causing the food to become harmful to eat the next time around. 

But, you can freeze something raw you have defrosted and then cooked!  For example a raw chicken thigh that you have defrosted and used to make a casserole.  That chicken casserole can be frozen.   

That’s a wrap! You’ve just learnt the top ways to freeze food, defrost food and do it safely. By harnessing the use of a freezer you can preserve food, cook delicious meals ahead of time and always have a healthy meal on hand. 

Want to take the hassle out of home cooking? Discover SmithKit’s digital menu planner, purpose-built for residential aged care and disability service providers.