Let's get #FreezerSavvy

Myth 1: “Frozen foods are less nutritious” - Not true. Frozen fruit and veg tend to be picked and frozen at the time of their peak ripeness – also their peak nutritional levels. Nutrient levels in frozen produce do inevitably decrease over many months, but overall they sure give fresh produce a run for its money.

Myth 2: “Fridges and freezers are expensive to run” – Not true.  These are usually switch on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so its well worth finding models that are energy efficient.  Typically choosing an A+++ freezer over an A+ one will save you about £320 in energy bills over the lifetime of the product.  However, as the energy rating is based upon classification by size, choosing a smaller fridge will use less energy than a larger fridge with the same energy rating.  You can compare the total energy consumption of appliances by looking at their yearly energy consumption in kWh/annum displayed on the bottom of the energy label.

Myth 3: “Freezing food reduces its quality” – Not if you do it right!   Air coupled with moisture is the enemy of frozen food; ice crystals are the tell-tale sign of freezer burn.  Extracting air from packs, using Tupperware to seal the food in and reducing the surface area exposed will see your goods through their hibernation.  Small foods with large surface areas are most affected.

Myth 4: “There are lots of things you can’t freeze” – Most things can be frozen, bar strong liquor!  There are a few others to avoid; fine vegetables practically disintegrate, whilst frozen creams are prone to curdling when defrosted.  Freezing canned foods, fizzy drinks and eggs in their shells is also a no-no and coffee has a tendency to absorb freezer smells as its oil break down in the process.

Myth 5: “You can’t refreeze frozen food” – Refreezing food isn’t dangerous; the danger is that food can spoil before it’s been refrozen.  Freezing food does not kill bacteria, it just “freezes” its action.  So, once thawed bacteria continue to multiply at the same rate it was multiplying at before being frozen.  Use the “throw”, “freeze”, “cook” guide below to stay safe with food:

• Throw if:
  • Temperatures went above 5°C, the temperature range in which food-borne bacteria can grow is 5°C - 63°C
  • It smells funny – trust your senses
  • You have any doubts
• Refreeze if:
  • Frozen food has been turned into a meal such as frozen meat cooked into a stew or casserole as the original ingredient has been cooked
  • Temperatures are still below 5°C. Food should not have been kept out of the freezer for more than a couple of days, especially when it comes to meat
  • Thawed fruits don’t smell bad or have any signs of mould. They will be softer, but they won’t be off. It takes a long time for fruit to ferment and you usually know about it when they do!
  • Vegetables are still solid and icy. If they have thawed, do not refreeze
  • Food is baked. Baked goods are pretty dry and therefore won’t change much in the freezer

• Cook if:
  • Raw meats are thawed, still cold (below 5°C), but not icy
  • Prepared foods have defrosted. The quality of the food is likely to deteriorate and its best to be on the safe side with mixed food groups in one dish
  • Raw fish and shellfish should smell of the ocean, but nothing else. Once cooked you can refreeze but be sure to freeze it as soon as possible after cooking.  Do not refreeze raw fish and shellfish; this is because it takes time to refreeze, time that bacteria can use to keep growing and it will take more time to thaw and cook before you eventually eat it.

Check out this list of 15 easily frozen foods and maybe batch cook and freeze some meals for a later date:

• cheese: grate cheese and put in an airtight container
• milk: can be stored for months and is a great way to reduce the 4.4million glasses worth that goes to waste each day in the UK!
• eggs: break eggs and beat until they are just about blended then put them into an airtight container
• mashed potato: make sure it is cooled properly and then transfer to an airtight container
• pasta: that is slightly under cook it so it doesn’t go starchy when re-heated
• bananas: freeze them individually without the skin, they do go mushy, but if you use them in banana bread, muffins or smoothies it won’t matter
• butter: wrap it in foil, beeswax wrap or plastic freezer wrap and put into a freezer bag or container, to thaw it quickly either grate it or microwave it
• tomatoes: like bananas they go mushy, but are ideal to use in soup or pasta sauce
• bread: one of the easiest things to freeze, but people forget or don’t know, frozen bread can be put straight from the freezer into a toaster
• chopped chillies and herbs: seal in a tub to avoid frostbite, some herbs don’t freeze as well as others, so mix them with oil or melted butter and put into an ice cube tray
• wine: can be frozen (if there is any left!) put it in ice cube trays to add to stews or bolognaise, it works better with wine that likes to be chilled like white or rosé
• rice: people tend to worry about freezing rice as it can be tricky due to the unique bacteria which may survive some cooking processes.  However, if you follow these rules you should have nothing to worry about:
• Cool it: Cool your rice down quickly after cooking it.  You can do this by putting the container of rice in cold water, running it under a cold tap or spreading it across a wider container.
• Store it:  Next transfer the rice into a clean container.  It will need to be sealed to avoid freezer burn.
• Date it: Before you pop it in the freezer note on the container how many portions and the date it was cooked/frozen – this needs to be the same day.
• Defrost it: Place the rice in the fridge overnight to defrost.
• Reheat it: Remember to get the rice really hot – well over 72°C.  If you do it in the microwave add 1-2 tablespoons of water per cup of rice.  Place lid back on lightly and heat for 3-4 minutes. Alternative you can add it to a stir fry or steam it, but don’t reheat it more than once.

Five top tips to make you #FreezerSavvy:

Make space by using up what you have: Lurking in many freezers are UFO’s (Unknown Frozen Objects).  These mystery food items have no labels and may have been pushed to the back of the freezer.  Get friendly with your freezer and see what you can use up.  Where to start?

Freezer forage: Pick a day (preferably before you next shop) when everyone is at home and get creative by using up what is in your fridge, freezer and cupboards.  Then see how much space you have and work out what you might need to buy from there.

Find out what you can freeze: Essentials like milk, butter, bread, cheese and most fruit and vegetables can be frozen.  It’s safe to freeze food right up to the use by date and then defrost.  You can freeze almost all foods.  See our list of easily frozen foods.

Take on the #FreezerSavvy challenge: Frozen foods are great so try swapping out a few fresh food items for frozen by heading to the frozen food aisle next time you shop.  You might be surprised by just how much you can swap frozen foods into your cooking and by how much time and money it can save, especially if you are only cooking for one person.  Try these for size

o   Frozen veg: Frozen veg is a great way to add more bulk and nutrition to meals.  Cook them from frozen to save time on defrosting.  Frozen peas work well in a pasta sauce or classics like pea and mint soup, pea and asparagus risotto or a funky guacamole alternative green pea guacamole.

Don’t worry about fresh spinach – frozen spinach goes in practically any hot savoury recipe for extra heartiness.  A pack of frozen carrots and mix veg work great in irish stew or frozen peppers work great in a stir fry.  Frozen herbs are there for the flavour and read to go every time. 

If you find you are buying too many fresh vegetables and not using them up in time, just chop them up and stick them in a plastic tub or bag and pop them in the freezer to use another time.  Mushrooms are a classic example and can be put into stews, casseroles and risottos straight from the freezer.

o   Frozen fruit: Did you know that 81% of fruit we waste is because we haven’t used it in time?  Buying frozen means we only use what we need as and when meaning less waste.  Frozen fruit works well in smoothies, a compote or when baking or added to natural yoghurt or for overnight oats to have a tasty breakfast ready in the morning.

o   Bread: 20 million slices of bread go to waste every day in the UK.  You can toast bread straight from the freezer or transform it into all kinds of delicious meals or deserts.