16 Foods You Shouldn’t Keep in the Freezer
Updated: Aug. 17, 2023Your freezer is a great tool for planning ahead and preparing meals for busier days. But it’s not ideal for all foods—and keeping the wrong food in the freezer can lead to gross meals or even health risks.
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To freeze or not to freeze?
The freezer is a great place to store food you want to save for later, especially in times like right now, when COVID-19 and the resulting uncertainty are causing people to take fewer grocery trips and buy lots of food at once. But not everything can be safely frozen, and in some cases, freezing something could ruin it rather than conveniently preserving it. Here are some things you shouldn’t be sticking in your freezer—even during a pandemic. Plus, find out if your freezer is even set to the right temperature!
Milk
Milk is a tricky one. Milk stored in the freezer can separate into chunks and watery parts when thawed—the higher the fat content, the more it separates. It will be safe to eat, but it’s not exactly the best consistency for adding to your morning cereal or coffee. However, our sister site Taste of Home says that while drinking thawed milk isn’t particularly appetizing, cooking and baking with thawed milk is a totally viable option. As long as you freeze it the right way, you can save that superfluous milk.
Potatoes
Potatoes have a high water content, so after being stored in the freezer, you could be left with a mushy, soft potato. If you’re cooking a meal with potatoes and you’re hoping to freeze the leftovers go for it. Cooked potatoes won’t be as mushy as if you froze them raw. The texture change won’t matter too much in cooked casseroles or stews. Find out the truth about whether it’s safe to eat foods with freezer burn.
Fried foods
Sorry, leftover mozzarella sticks! Foods that were fried will lose all their crunch if you put the leftovers into the freeze—and no one wants soft, mushy fried foods. If you’re planning to make a batch of home-cooked chicken nuggets to store in the freezer, you’re better off skipping the fryer and opt to bake the meal in the oven first.
Eggs still in their shell
Putting eggs that are still in the shell into the freezer is a big no-no. The water content inside the egg expands when frozen, which can cause the outer shell to crack and be vulnerable to bacteria. If you want to freeze your eggs, always take them out of the shell, beat until they’re well blended and store in an airtight container with a label. In addition to these foods you shouldn’t freeze, there are plenty of ways you’re storing frozen food wrong.
Soft cheeses
Storing soft cheeses in the freezer will yield a similar result to storing milk there. When it comes time to eat them, you’ll be left with watery lumps, which often ruins the texture of foods like cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta.
Raw veggies and fruits
Any vegetable or fruit that has a high water concentration, like celery, cucumber, salad greens, and watermelon will not survive the freezer because the water inside quickly forms ice crystals. What that means is when it comes time to thaw them, you’ll be left with a mushy, inedible mess. White you’re here, check out these fruits and vegetables that shouldn’t be stored together.
Crumb-topped meals or desserts
If you have an amazing baked macaroni and cheese meal that’s topped with the perfect crispy crumble, you don’t want to stash it in the freezer. Much like the fate of the fried foods, when crumb-topped meals and deserts meet the cold temperatures of the freezer, you’ll be left with soggy, soft mush.
Meat that you’ve already defrosted
If you pulled the pork chops out of the freezer to cook for dinner, never re-freeze the leftovers. Frozen and thawed foods can attract potentially harmful bacteria faster than meat that hasn’t been in the freezer. Your best bet is to cook the meat to the proper temperature and eat it or pop it back in the freezer after you’ve cooked out all the potential bacteria.
Yogurt
Health-wise, there’s nothing wrong with popping a tub of yogurt in the freezer before it expires. The good news is, freezing yogurt doesn’t kill its healthy live and active cultures, but the bad news is that when it’s thawed, the texture will lose its creaminess and become grainy. Also, if you were hoping to create a freezer-ready treat similar to fro-yo, you’ll be disappointed. Regular yogurt has more water than the ones you’d buy frozen, leaving an icy block when you try to give yourself a scoop.
Pasta
You won’t get sick from eating thawed leftover pasta, but you might not want to eat it. Most pasta will get mushy when you take it out of the freezer, though you might have luck with noodles that are cooked al dente. Plus, find out the truth about whether or not you can freeze alcohol.
Rice
If you don’t want mushy pasta, you probably don’t want your rice to be mushy either. That’s why cooked rice should never be kept in the freezer. It’s not dangerous to eat, but it will lose its taste and texture.
Mayonnaise
If your grocery store has a killer sale on mayo, don’t plan on stocking up and freezing any extra jars. When mayonnaise thaws after being frozen, it will separate, taking on a clumpy texture that’s anything but appetizing.
Gravy
Leftover gravy is a problematic thing to have in your kitchen. It tastes delicious, but only lasts about two days in the fridge. To make matters worse, cream- and milk-based gravies won’t hold up in the freezer; they’ll separate and turn lumpy when they thaw. Luckily, flour-based gravy can last up to four months in a freezer, thekitchn.com reports.
Frosting
Egg white-based icing is not meant to be kept in the freezer; it will lose its fluffiness and “weep,” aka emit liquid, once it thaws. The same goes for meringue, which is also made from egg whites. Thawed meringue will become rubbery.
Garlic
Some cooks stand by freezing extra garlic before cloves start sprouting, saying to coat whole cloves or pureed, peeled cloves in a neutral-flavored oil before freezing. However, the National Center for Home Food Preservation warns that garlic tends to get strong and bitter once it’s been frozen. If you do decide to try to freeze garlic, know that its taste may be at risk.
Certain spices
Garlic isn’t the only seasoning that doesn’t cooperate with the freezer. Onion and paprika will change flavor, celery seasonings will get stronger, and curry will develop a musty off-flavor, the National Center for Home Food Preservation says. Like garlic, pepper, green pepper, cloves, and imitation vanilla can turn strong and bitter during freezing. Next, read up on these 20 foods you should never keep in your refrigerator.
