The freezer is one of the most reliable food-preservation appliances in our kitchens. While you’d never think that the freezer needs an instruction manual, there are some common mistakes we all make when it comes to using it. Read on to find out!
1. Your Freezer Is Disorganized
One of the biggest keys to using your freezer effectively is keeping it organized. If you just pile stuff into your freezer with no rhyme or reason, it’s easy to lose track of things. Some things will likely get pushed to the back of the freezer and forgotten about!
Instead, keep things visible and accessible by utilizing freezer bins or shelves.
2. It’s Too Warm
When it comes to using your freezer for long-term food storage, the colder, the better. Crank your temperature adjuster to the colder settings to make sure your food is staying as cold as possible.
And it’s also a good idea to test the temperature of your freezer using a fridge/freezer thermometer. Well, keep in mind that the ideal temperature would be 32°F (0°C) or lower.
If you set your freezer to a colder setting and end up with rock-hard ice cream, there are a couple of things you can do to help. You can store it in the door of the freezer (the warmest part of your freezer,) or put the container in a ziplock bag to help keep it softer!
3. Your Food Isn’t Sealed Properly
To prevent your foods from developing “freezer burn,” it’s important to keep air out! Press ziplock bags, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap as close as possible to the food.
If you’re using a sturdy container, fill it almost to the top. But be sure to leave enough room for the food to expand a bit as it freezes! And when you’re putting packaged foods back into the freezer, toss the remaining food in a ziplock bag beforehand.
4. You Freeze Stuff Together
Freezing foods that are in separate pieces (like berries, burger patties, cookie dough, etc.) in a bag or container can leave you with a frozen food block. Not super helpful if you want to take out a small amount to use when needed!
Instead, freeze these foods on a baking sheet first, then transfer them to frozen foods to a ziplock freezer bag. If you freeze things separately first, they won’t stick together. It makes it so much easier to remove a little bit at a time!
5. You Freeze Foods That Are Going Bad
While freezing does preserve food, it can’t restore its freshness. A muffin that was frozen when it was nearly stale will never taste as good as a muffin that was frozen the day it was baked! So try to be realistic about what you’re going to eat in the next few days, and freeze the rest.
6. You Defrost At Room Temperature
If you thaw meat, poultry, and seafood on the countertop, you run the risk of it growing bacteria before it’s all the way defrosted. Instead, plan ahead and put your meat products in the fridge the day before you want to use them. They’ll defrost slowly and safely in your fridge!
7. You Open The Freezer During Power Outages
When the power goes out, make sure to keep it closed! Your freezer is well insulated and can retain a cold temperature for a few hours, but only if the door is kept shut.
Once the power comes back on, check the food. Anything that’s still frozen should be fine, but anything that has defrosted a bit should be eaten promptly, or tossed out. You can’t be too safe!
8. You Block The Vents
Blocking the airflow in or out of your freezer can cause temperature fluctuations, and that’s not good! Make sure to leave a few inches of space around the air vent on all sides to make sure air is flowing freely.
9. Your Freezer Is Too Empty (Or Too Full)
An empty freezer is less efficient than a fuller freezer! When you open the freezer door, having plenty of frozen food in there will prevent the temperature from rising so dramatically.
But on the other hand, you shouldn’t necessarily pack your freezer full—that will prevent air from circulating properly. So shoot for a freezer that’s pretty full, but not TOO full. 😉
10. You Don’t Label Things
Once the food is properly frozen, it can get a bit trickier to tell exactly what’s in there. You don’t want to accidentally serve pasta with salsa instead of marinara sauce!
Make sure to label everything you put in your freezer with both the name of the food and the date you froze it. Use a sharpie to label ziplock bags, and use a piece of masking tape to make labels for freezer containers!
11. You Keep All The Packaging
Packaging for frozen foods can take up a lot of space in your freezer. You can free up quite a bit of space just by taking frozen foods out of their boxes! (Especially with foods like frozen waffles—you don’t need the instructions for toaster waffles!)
