Cool food before freezing
Freezing hot food will increase the temperature of the freezer which could make other food start to defrost.
Wrap foods properly
Wrap foods well or put them in sealed containers to avoid freezer burn. Freezer burn is dehydration on the surface of frozen food due to air exposure, which affects the food’s quality and taste.
Label foods clearly
It can be hard to know what each food is once it’s frozen, so label foods with their name and the date they were put in the freezer.
Freeze herbs for cooking
You can freeze herbs by roughly chopping them, putting them into an ice tray and pouring olive or vegetable over before placing in the freezer. You can also mash them into soft butter, roll up the mixture into clingfilm and freeze.
Freeze leftover wine and stock
If you have leftover wine that you won’t drink, freeze it to use for future recipes such as sauces and risottos. Stock can also be frozen in ice cube trays or a freezer bag to use in cooking.
Freeze chillies and ginger
Chillies and bits of fresh ginger can be put in the freezer and then can be grated straight into your cooking.
Fill the freezer
A full freezer uses less power as the cold air doesn’t need to circulate as much. So stock up and keep the freezer as full as you can!
Freeze in portions
Freeze food in portions so that you don’t have to defrost more than you need.
Defrost food safely
When you’re ready to use your frozen food, the best way to defrost is to move it from the freezer to the fridge and leave there overnight.
Don’t refreeze food that hasn’t been cooked
Make sure you cook the food after you defrost it – don’t put it back in the freezer if it has already thawed. Bacteria can multiply quickly once food is thawed, and it won’t be killed off once you put the food back in the freezer. In fact, the bacteria are more likely to reach harmful levels on second thawing.
Defrost the freezer
Defrost the freezer if ice builds up to maintain the freezer’s efficiency.
