83 Foods to Freeze or Foods NOT to Freeze

Published on May 25, 2019 By Lauren
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  • A few weeks ago I posted a huge article titled Freezer Cooking 101 – Everything you need to Freezer Cook Like a Pro.  Freezing foods is a great way to buy things on sale and preserve them for later.  Most foods can be frozen with no problems.  It is important to note that some foods need preparation before being placed in the freezer.  Other foods don’t freeze well under any circumstances.

    Want to try assembling freezer meals? Before you read on grab my free meal plan here. This will help you make 10 meals for under $80!

    Foods to freeze

    Here’s an easy list of foods that you can freeze:

     

    Foods to freeze

    DAIRY:

    • Butter
    • Cheese
    • Cottage cheese
    • Egg whites (must be raw)
    • Ice cream
    • Milk
    • Whipped cream (sweetened, in individual serving dollops)
    • Whole eggs (follow these extensive prep notes here)

    Foods to freeze

    MEAT, POULTRY, and SEAFOOD:

    • Bacon
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Crab
    • Fish
    • Hot dogs
    • Lobster
    • Lunch meat
    • Pork
    • Sausage
    • Scallops
    • Shrimp
    • Turkey
    • Wild game (venison, rabbit, duck, pheasant, squirrel, goose)

    Foods to freeze

    PRODUCE:

    Almost all produce can be frozen.  Here are some that freeze particularly well.  Make sure to follow prepping directions here for best results.

    • Artichokes
    • Asparagus
    • Avocado (pureed and prepped with lemon juice)
    • Beets
    • Berries
    • Broccoli
    • Brussels sprouts
    • Carrots
    • Cauliflower
    • Cherries
    • Greens (including spinach and collards)
    • Mangos
    • Melon (chunks)
    • Mushrooms
    • Okra
    • Onions
    • Peaches (peeled, sliced)
    • Peas
    • Pineapple (chunks)
    • Potatoes
    • Pumpkin
    • Squash (summer squash, zucchini, and all winter squashes)
    • Strawberries (hulled)
    • Sweet potatoes

    PRODUCE THAT YOU CAN FREEZE (but only in certain circumstances):

    • Cabbage (will be soggy, CAN be used in cooked dishes after frozen)
    • Celery (only to be used in cooked dishes)
    • Garlic (frozen in oil)
    • Herbs (frozen in water or oil to be used in cooked dishes or dressings)
    • Overripe bananas, peeled (great for smoothies and banana bread)

    PRODUCE THAT CAN BE FROZEN in syrup packs:

    • Apples
    • Citrus fruits
    • Grapes
    • Plums
    • Pomegranates

    Foods to freeze

    NUTS, SEEDS, AND GRAINS:

    These items do very well in the freezer.  Because of their high fat content they would go rancid sooner if you only stored them at room temperature.  The freezer helps preserve them for months longer than the pantry.

    • Nuts (also nut flours are great in the freezer)
    • Seeds
    • Flours (high in oil content like wheat flour)

    Foods to freeze

    BAKED GOODS:

    • Biscuits
    • Brownies
    • Cakes (unfrosted)
    • Croutons
    • Muffins
    • Cookies
    • Quick breads (like banana bread)
    • Fruit cake
    • Doughnuts (unglazed)
    • Pie (fruit, meat, nut, sweet potato, and pumpkin are all okay.  DO NOT freeze pies with meringue on top)
    • Pizza – reheat at 400 degrees
    • Yeast breads

    Foods to freeze

    UNCOOKED DOUGHS, BATTERS, AND PASTRIES:

    • Pizza dough – uncooked
    • Pie shells – blind baked (ready to fill)
    • Cookie dough -individually freeze then place in zipper bag
    • Cake Batter
    • Yeast dough

    OTHER:

    • Pesto sauce
    • Wine (freeze in ice cube trays for use in sauces)

    Tips to make dinnertime easy with COOKED FOODS THAT FREEZE WELL

    (Make sure to cool completely in the fridge before freezing.)

    • Baked Breads (cooled completely before wrapping).  We load up on clearance breads from our grocery store.  They have a rack at the back of the store where all the breads are up to 75% off.  These are great time savers for Sunday afternoon meals when you are so hungry when you get home.  Also, bread helps a meal stretch to serve so many more people.  Frozen loaves reheated in the oven are perfect for when you’re hosting surprise dinner guests!
    • Casseroles (like this one!) (Unless otherwise noted in recipe, thaw overnight in fridge, bake covered at 350 for one hour or until bubbly.)
    • Chicken and turkey – deboned and chopped, freeze in 1 cup portions for easy thawing and recipe use
    • Ground beef – freeze in 1 cup portions for easy thawing and recipe use
    • Pasta, undercooked – do not rinse – do not add sauce
    • Tomato based pasta sauce
    • Here’s a great resource on how to prep your fresh meat and veggies for freezer storage.

    See this great chart here for food storage times.

    Foods to freeze

    FOODS THAT DO NOT FREEZE WELL:

    • Cooked egg whites
    • Cream based soups and sauces
    • Cucumber
    • Desserts with meringue
    • Fried foods (become soggy)
    • Frostings/icing that include raw egg whites
    • Fully cooked pasta (can be frozen in dishes if undercooked)
    • Fully cooked rice
    • Gelatin
    • Hard-boiled eggs
    • Lettuce
    • Mayonnaise and mayo-based salads (tuna salad, egg salad)
    • Sour cream

    You can learn more about how to prepare foods for freezing and some great tips here on Freezer Cooking 101.  What foods would you add to this list?

    Foods to freeze

    Presentation of a series of ice cubes with strawberries

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