Food items that DON’T freeze well:
Salad greens, cabbage, celery, onions, sweet peppers, melon and cucumbers lose their crispness after freezing. {If you plan to use celery, onions or peppers in a soup this isn’t an issue.}
Eggs in the shell. Uncooked – the contents will expand when frozen and crack the shell. Cooked – the contents will be rubbery when thawed. Uncooked egg yolks, however, freeze well for up to a year.
Milk, cream, mayonnaise and sour cream will separate when thawed.
Cheeses, soft or hard, may change consistency after freezing.
Potatoes- raw potatoes will be mushy after freezing, and cooked potatoes will become tough and watery.
Sauces or soups thickened with cornstarch or flour. If you’re planning on freezing a food with one of these ingredients, consider substituting with tapioca or arrowroot, which freeze better.
Canned foods cannot be frozen as the contents can expand and cause the can to explode.
Resources for food storage and safety:
For a very thorough article on freezing foods, check out the Food Freezing Guide by North Dakota State University.
A GREAT resource for the shelf life of all foods: Still Tasty
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Freezing and Food Safety
U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart
This summer, I’m hoping a little organization will help me spend less money and time at the grocery store and more time working on the summer bucket list with my munchkins, and I wish the same for you, too!
{PS My friend Jean at Flower Hill Design is hosting an Outdoor Paint Party today – stop by to check out great ways to spruce up your outdoor living space with paint! My project is in the works, hampered by rain! Thanks for motivating me, Jean!}
Val says
Lisa, thank you for posting this. It's very informative. It breaks my heart when I buy food and have to throw it out.
Ange says
What a great guide! Thanks, I will be printing this off for reference. I usually cook my ground beef before freezing just because it makes it so much easier to grab some cooked meat and make tacos or a casserole. I do have a friend who freezes milk, she says it works just fine.
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says
these are great tips! pinning- thank you! 🙂
Jennifer L. Griffin says
Oh, I can totally relate to this post. Why is it so much easier to just buy more rather than figuring out what to do with what you already have? Great tips so far, looking forward to more!
pam {simple details} says
I am the worst at having the best intentions and loading up on all kinds of fresh veggies when I grocery shop and then not using them fast enough. You've motivated me, I'm going to see what's in my freezer I can make for dinner – thanks for the chart!
Anonymous says
UGH!
ntb
natasha {schue love} says
Wow…such great tips! Thanks for passing along!!
Kelly @ View Along the Way says
I SO need to get better at this! I also hate myself when I throw out old food. HATE it.
Urban Orchard Interiors says
This is such a great guide! Our grocery bill is embarrassingly high but I justify it by saying we never eat out. We have got to join Costco or something and when we do this will go up on my fridge! I can only imagine what it's like to have teenagers…Thanks for this great reference!
Suzy www.savedbysuzy.blogspot.com says
More great tips! I hate grocery shopping and throwing away food too. Every cent is precious!
Lisa - A Room with A View says
There is a lot of good info here. Thanks for sharing Lisa. I, too, very much dislike (wholeheartedly) throwing out food and grocery shopping. I have stopped buying in bulk because I do not have freezer capacity and did not have time to separate into meal sizes. It just didnt work for me.