Chicken freezing tips? Did you go a little nuts in the early days of COVID-19, and now you’re staring down meat, veggies and dairy in your freezer that are months old? Don’t worry, these days many of us are buying food in bulk to reduce trips to the store due to the virus. Freezing is one of the best ways to extend the shelf life of some foods and combat food waste. But if frozen improperly or for too long, you could be in for an icy reception months later. “Putting dates on food stored in the freezer takes the guess work out,” Jacobs said. “It also helps you follow the ‘first in, first out’ rule so you utilize older food items first.”
To prevent pieces from freezing together (and for freezing delicate fruits like berries), spread the pieces out in a single layer on a plastic wrap-lined sheet pan. Once they are fully frozen, transfer the pieces to your container and place it immediately in the freezer. With this method, any ice films form around each individual piece, rather than freezing all the pieces together in a big chunk. Many nights if I am making a lasagna or baked ziti, instead of making one, I make two: one to eat right away and one to freeze later on. Cook once, eat twice. It’s the same amount of work and you will be happy to have a casserole prepared on those busy nights. It’s also great to have a made-ahead dish on hand when you want to bring something to someone who’s sick or having a baby.
Yogurt – Yogurt tubes are great to freeze and they keep the same consistency! Yogurt bites are great to freeze for teething babies and toddlers. However, if you freeze it in the container, it can sometimes change consistency. We like to use it in our smoothies and add it to our smoothie packs for easy mornings! Milk – Yep, you read that right! We recommend freezing it in an ice cube tray if you’ll just need a few tablespoons at a time to cook with. You can also freeze in 1-cup increments in a freezer baggie if you have recipes that call for that amount. You can even freeze it by the gallon! Just thaw it slowly and shake it up a lot while it’s thawing. Heavy Cream – This lasts for a long time in the fridge, but you can also freeze it! Freeze it the same way you do milk. See more information on can you freeze yogurt.
After freezing and thawing, some foods are exactly the same as they’d been fresh. For example, meats and fish return to their fresh state, as well as hard cheeses and sliced bread, according to East Lansing–based Felicia Wu, PhD, a professor in food safety, toxicology, and risk assessment at Michigan State University. But softer cheeses often change texture, she says, such as goat cheese, Brie, or Camembert. Many fruits and vegetables also tend to undergo a texture transformation that makes them great for smoothies, soups, and casseroles but not as ideal for eating fresh.