Freezing & Storing Food

I come from a long line of Missouri farmers. Our roots were literally in the soil for generations. That is, until my Grandma Dot got fed up with wearing feed sack dresses and growing her own food, getting by on what you could and being reluctantly grateful for the Ball jars still left in the root cellar come February. In the mid-century promise of modernity just after WWII, she packed her bag and took a train to St.

It’s usually right around this point in the summer, each and every year, that I get the warmest, fuzziest feeling at the farmers market — the abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables has a way of doing that. Saturday after Saturday, piles of tomatoes after piles of peaches, I start to think it may just last forever, that those deep winter days of nothing but cellared potatoes and onions will never arrive. But the sad truth is that they will.

Tomatoes are everywhere in a well-stocked kitchen — canned tomatoes in the pantry, ketchup in the fridge, and maybe a few fresh ones on the counter. We’re fortunate to live in a time where tomato products are commercially available in many different forms. But you don’t have to be dependent on store-bought tomato paste and ketchup. With just a few tools and a weekend afternoon, you can stock your own kitchen with homemade tomato staples.

Maybe your local farmers market is filled to the brim or your own garden is overflowing with summer produce and you don’t have the time (or desire — that’s okay too) to pickle, can, dry, or otherwise preserve a bumper crop of corn or tomatoes. Luckily the freezer is a time capsule you can fill with summer vegetables to enjoy even in the depths of winter. Here are five vegetables you can freeze right now, and some tips on how to prepare them for their long chill.

Tomato storage can be quite controversial. Many hold on to the belief that tomatoes should under no circumstance be stored in the refrigerator. Some have never heard such advice. Some keep their garden tomatoes on a kitchen windowsill and, while it is incredibly charming, it might not be the best way to store whole tomatoes. The best way depends a bit on temperature and timing.

The methods are super simple!

Falling in love with eggplant isn’t just about learning to cook this humble nightshade. No, to really love an eggplant, we must know how to care for it at home. If storing eggplant seems simple to you, the answers of how and where to store your eggplant might surprise you. Store whole fresh eggplant at room temperature. Keep it away from melons, bananas, and other ethylene producers in a bowl or basket on the countertop — out of direct sunlight.

This summer I have three road trips on the calendar, and one thing I’m definitely not leaving home without is plenty of snacks. While I like to keep things varied, at the top of this summer’s pack list is fruit. Right now we have a bounty of fresh fruit at our fingertips, and when packed just right it’s a refreshing frozen treat that makes road tripping even sweeter. The key to making frozen fruit successful for snacking on the go is all about the prep and packing.

When it comes to snacking, your first stop is probably the pantry, or maybe the fridge if you’re after something fresh. One spot you may be skipping is the freezer, and it’s time to change that. When it’s stocked with these 10 easy items, your freezer is the go-to destination for emergency snacking. Frozen edamame is a protein-packed snack-time superstar. It’s equally satisfying whether your enjoy it on its own, or dress it up with a few extra flavors.

Picture this: You bring out a big tub of ice cream at your backyard barbecue or pool party, and after it’s been scooped and distributed, it gets forgotten about as guests go back to swimming, lounging, and chatting. There the tub sits in the summer heat, and pretty soon it’s a sticky, drippy mess. Better throw it back in the freezer to refreeze for next time, right? Wrong. There are a few foods that you should never refreeze and unfortunately ice cream is one of them.

My kitchen is never without garlic. Practically every dish we make has a clove or two chopped up and thrown in. In fact, my fiancé and I are such garlic lovers that we almost always have a backup head tucked away in the pantry in case we run out. That means it’s crucial we store it right so it will be in peak condition when it’s time to use it. Garlic can actually keep well for months; the key is to store it the right way.

Every week, without fail, the first item I write down on my grocery shopping list is salad greens. A simple green salad appears almost nightly on my dinner table, so it’s important that I have an ample supply geared and ready for the week. And it’s equally, if not more, important that those salad greens stay fresh throughout the week. Here are three ways to make that happen. My go-to way to store salad greens is always in the spinner.

It’s long been an argument that fish (and in this case, salmon) is never as good on the second day. Yes, I’ll agree that it’s superior freshly cooked, but just like any other food, there are times when you’ll have leftovers — no matter how hard you try to buy and cook just the right amount. But leftover salmon can actually be just as good if you know the right way to reheat it.

Q: I am moving from NYC to Houston, Texas, but my belongings will be in storage in Texas for about three weeks. I have a great number of spices and terrific grains from my winter CSA that I know I won’t finish before the big move. I imagine my storage situation will be climate-controlled, but I can’t guarantee it. What from my pantry could survive transit and three weeks of storage in Texas in June, and what should I pitch?

While the grocery store shelves are stacked with a variety of prepackaged mushrooms, I always prefer to scoop up my haul from the loose bins; it’s the best way to buy just the amount that I need. When buying mushrooms this way, whether at the grocery store or farmers market, there’s one simple thing to do when you get home to ensure your mushrooms stay fresh for as long as possible.

The remedy for tired eyes — whether those sleepy circles belong to you or to a new mama friend — lies in a few kitchen basics. Cucumber, coconut oil, and a blender are the pathway to a refreshing mask that’s made with all-natural ingredients from the refrigerator. Cucumbers have a tightening effect on the delicate skin around your eyes, while arnica reduces inflammation. Coconut and vitamin E oil are known for their antioxidant and nourishing properties.

As much as I love bread (and I do really love bread), I can never seem to get through a loaf fast enough. With just a household of two, we rarely make it through a whole loaf before it begins to harden and stale. So when I came across a tip for reviving stale bread on Bon Appétit’s website about a year ago, I was definitely intrigued. The only problem was that I was too skeptical to actually try it, as the tip seemed destined for failure. The reason I felt this way?

Is there anything more connected to the way we feel about ourselves (deep down) than our refrigerator? Movies use this correlation all the time — just think of Oscar’s moldy-sandwich fridge in The Odd Couple, Sigourney Weaver’s portal-to-another-dimension fridge in Ghostbusters, or basically every movie ever where a bachelor opens his refrigerator and finds sour milk, so we know he’s unhappy.

Q: Can mizuna and bok choy be frozen? My garden has an abundance of this right now that needs to be harvested. Sent by Heddy Editor: They definitely can be frozen. Cut the greens to the desired size: You don’t want to go too small, though; large pieces (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches) are ideal. Dry the greens completely, and then spread them on a tray in single layer and freeze for one hour. Remove the greens from the freezer, and then transfer to freezer-safe bags.

Q: The Ezekiel bread I had been using is sold frozen, and then you refrigerate it. I have now found a bakery that sells sprouted bread fresh. Should it be refrigerated? Sent by Sandra Editor: Sprouted breads, especially when purchased fresh from a bakery, tend to be more susceptible to spoilage because they lack the preservatives found in commercially produced bread. How you store the bread really depends on how quickly you’re going to consume it and how you plan on using it.

Is a spicy stir-fry on the menu this week? Are you going make a really zippy cup of ginger tea to beat the winter chill? Ginger is one of our go-to ingredients for adding flavor and heat to a dish, but before you can add it to the recipe of your choice, you’ve got to pick up the perfect hand or knob. Here are a few tips to help you do just that. Picking a fresh hand of ginger requires you to use a few sensory cues. Look for ginger with shiny, taut skin.

Spoon, peeler, or Microplane — no matter how you decide to peel your ginger, most of the time the peels end up in the wastebasket. Yes, they’re tough and fibrous, but they’re also absolutely packed with flavor. It’s time to go whole ginger and hold onto those peels. Depending on how you use ginger peels, anywhere from a few scraps to a whopping 1/2 cup can be used in recipes.

Brown rice seems like any other dry good, right? Buy a big bag and throw it on a shelf in your pantry, and it will last for what often feels like an eternity. Well, not exactly. What makes brown rice not only more nutritious than white rice, but also extra nutty and flavorful, is that its bran and germ are still attached, which contain oils that are full of good, unsaturated fats. While that’s great from a health and taste perspective, those oils unfortunately go rancid pretty quickly.

Your freezer isn’t just for ice cream and that half-empty bottle of vodka — it can actually be a tool to help you streamline your everyday cooking routine and make life easier on yourself. Follow these 10 tips for stocking your freezer, and you’ll stress less about meal time. Organize your freezer: First you need to make sure your freezer is organized to get the most out of it — or rather into it.

Q: Shelled walnuts that were stored in the refrigerator turned black. This happened in hot, humid tropical weather. Does this mean the walnuts went bad? How can walnuts be stored in tropical weather to get the maximum shelf life out of them? Sent by Asana Editor: If your walnuts have turned black, they’re bad. Give them a whiff. Do they smell like paint thinner? That’s a sure sign it’s time to toss them.

Q: I have some maple syrup that is beyond crystals — it’s like pieces of quartz with a little syrup. Should I pitch it or is there some way to save it? Sent by Sylvia Editor: There might be! The first thing we suggest is placing the bottle in a very hot water bath. If that doesn’t help, your next option is to splash the hardened maple crystal with hot water, a small amount at a time, until you see it begin to melt.

Q: How long can I refrigerate an unbaked peach pie before the crust will get soggy? Sent by Jan Editor: The short answer — not terribly long at all. Fruit tends to water out pretty quickly after it’s been mixed with any sort of sugar, and as a result, your crust will grow gummy in a matter of minutes. The first thing you should do is blind bake the crust. Once par-baked (or even baked all the way), it’s less likely to grow mushy.

Q: I have a dozen pears sitting in my kitchen ripening, and I am about to get on the road for the next two weeks. I would like to save the pears and enjoy them later since they are so tasty. Can I freeze pears? If so, how should I do it? Dice them? Slice them? Do I peel them? Will they brown in the freezer? Otherwise, what’s the best way to preserve them? Your expert advice is very much appreciated!

Q: I just moved to a warmer climate where my virgin coconut oil is almost always liquid. Now I don’t know how to handle it! Scooping liquid oil out of the jar with a spoon is messy, and keeping the jar in the fridge makes the oil too hard. I’ve been thinking about trying to transfer the oil to a more pour-friendly container, but I’m not sure what would work best. Any recommendations (or alternative strategies)?

Q: I’ve read every suggestion to keep my fresh carrots fresh in the fridge, but I want to buy a lot of them from my excellent farmers market while I still can. I plan to stock up this week, and want to know what’s the best way to preserve them. Maybe canning or freezing? Although, whenever I’ve had frozen carrots in a bag of mixed veggies, I haven’t enjoyed the overall texture. Should I can them in a pressure cooker?

We don’t eat like normal people around here. Oh sure, we eat recognizable food — we’re not 3D printing our meals or anything — but because of the particular needs and demands of our jobs, our schedules are a little out of whack. I work from home as a food writer, recipe developer, and photographer; he works during the evenings as an editor for a major online sports media company. There’s always a ton of food (and leftovers!

Q: How do you keep green onions fresh for more than a few days? I just threw out two bunches I bought only three days ago. What’s the trick to making them last longer? Sent by Dennis Editor: I’m curious as to how you’ve been storing your green onions. We store green onions, or scallions, the same way we store asparagus. After removing the rubber band, stand the scallions in a jar, cover the whole thing with a plastic bag, and keep it in the fridge.

Pop that tofu in the freezer! Here's why.

Q: I have to make the cakes for a party three days in advance of the event because of an already-scheduled weekend trip. I have a couple questions about how to do this. I know I can freeze them, but what is the best way to wrap them before freezing? I’m planning on decorating the cakes the morning of the event — when should I take the cakes out of the freezer, so that they will be defrosted in time for the event? The night before? Thanks so much!

Q: I have a small apartment and small kitchen, but am beginning to preserve my own food. I was wondering how others store preserves — like jams, pickles, jellies, etc. — in a small space? Sent by Melissa Editor: It’s great that you are doing your own preserving, but I understand your storage dilemma. Remember that preserves don’t need to be stored in the kitchen — a closet or even under your bed can work!

Sure, you can buy fresh herbs year-round, but right now is when they’re at their freshest. Whether you’re growing them in your garden or buying them by the bundle at the farmers market, fresh herbs flourish in the summer months. But that doesn’t mean you can’t extend their life all year along! Here are five tips for preserving your herb bounty. Since basil is typically used to finish a dish, the most efficient and flavorful way to freeze it is as a paste.

I just received two plump eggplants in my CSA box, and as I was sticking them in the refrigerator, I suddenly questioned whether this was the right move. Remember that tip for how to store cucumbers? Turns out eggplant is similar. Until now, my go-to storage spot for eggplant has always been in the refrigerator — either the crisper drawer or bottom shelf, depending on the size.

Q: I read that a glazed cake can be kept at room temperature, but also read that a perishable ingredient should be refrigerated. If the cake glaze is made with heavy cream, should the cake be refrigerated? I live in Puerto Rico, where the weather is around 80°F. Sent by Mayra Editor: If you want to make the cake ahead of time, I suggest making just the cake, then making and adding the glaze about an hour before serving. In that case, it’s fine at room temperature.

You know how much you’re loving sweet corn, garden-fresh basil, and perfect summer berries right now? I’m going to wager that you might love them even more come winter. You know, when fresh produce hits a low point and there’s snow piled outside your front door. From fruits to vegetables to fresh herbs, now’s the time to stash these summer staples in the freezer so you can enjoy them all year long.

Conventional wisdom admonishes you should never put fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator because they’ll get a mealy and unpleasant texture, but is this actually true? We’ve heard rumors to the contrary, and since this is serious business in food-lover land, we had to investigate. Serious Eats has done extensive taste comparisons to analyze the effect of refrigeration on a variety of tomatoes, from cherry to unripe supermarket to juicy farmers market tomatoes. Their conclusion?

Enjoying warm weather with a trip to the beach means lugging towels, toys, maybe a beach chair or two, and of course, a cooler full of drinks and food. You want to keep the contents of your cooler as cold as possible for both food safety and so drinks stay icy-cold and refreshing, so here’s a tip on how to give your cooler a little extra insulation at the beach! This little trick is so simple and smart — you’ll wonder why you’ve never done it!

Whether it’s the ongoing debate that a dislike of cilantro is determined by genetics or the recent stir caused by cilantro imported from Mexico, cilantro certainly seems to be a hot topic right now. While some crave its fresh, spicy flavor, others find it utterly unappealing. For me, I can’t get enough of it. Not only can it be tricky to grow, but it also proves challenging to preserve.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who lives in a hot climate, preserving rosemary might not be an issue for you, since rosemary is evergreen in warmer growing zones. If you live in a colder climate, like I do, you know rosemary doesn’t survive the winter, so learning ways to preserve your harvest is necessary.

The concept of leftover ice cream is probably foreign to many. It’s just too delicious leave some behind, right? But if you’ve exercised some restraint, here’s the best way to keep the freezer burn away from your beloved ice cream, especially if it’s homemade! Air is the enemy of ice cream, as the surface of ice cream develops ice crystals if left unexposed. The easy solution? Make a barrier between the air and the ice cream.

Think only water belongs in ice cube trays? Think again. We’ve sipped drinks decorated with raspberry-studded ice cubes, we’ve saved leftover lemon juice in trays, and we’ve provided an extra caffeinated punch in our iced coffees with frozen coffee cubes. But what about herbs or vegetables? Here are a few of my favorite ways to preserve veggies, herbs, and sauces in convenient, practical, portion-controlled cubes.

We’ve talked about the best ways to store strawberries, and tips for making them last as long as possible, but what if there was an even better way? I came across a surprising tip from food scientist Harold McGee, with a technique I never would have guessed, and I had to put it to the test. Here are the results. The original tip, from Harold McGee, explains that a hot water bath, or thermotherapy, will slow spoilage and extend the shelf life of strawberries.

Ask most people what their favorite herb is, and their response will often be basil. For many of us, this tender annual seems to epitomize the season. Basil tastes its absolute best when it’s enjoyed fresh, but thankfully you have a few creative options to preserve the vibrant flavor of this herb that’s so strongly associated with summertime.

Whenever we get pizza delivered for dinner, we always order a larger one than we’ll be able to eat in one sitting. Why? Simply because we want leftovers. Once we discovered how easy it is to reheat a slice of pizza on the stove, having a few extra slices around means an easy lunch or snack. But what’s the best way to store leftover pizza? Can you just shove the pizza box into the refrigerator?

Thyme is a culinary herb that tastes just as great dried as it does plucked straight from the garden. It’s also an herb that is incorporated more during the actual cooking process and less as a finishing note or garnish, making thyme a prime candidate for preserving. Over the summer, thyme should always be in constant rotation in your dehydrator or oven. You’ll thank me this winter, when you’re adding it to lentil soup, savory beef stew, or lemon-garlic roasted chicken.

Whipped cream is one of life’s little luxuries that makes everything it touches just a wee bit better. Whether you like it to melt into your hot cocoa, crown your hot fudge sundae, or gild your pie or apple crisp, it’s amazing how just taking a whisk to some heavy cream transforms it so beautifully. But what about that leftover whipped cream that didn’t get served? Should you just toss it?

Q: I’m having a baby at the end of July and starting to stock my freezer. The thing is, so many freezer-friendly meals require baking at the end, and I live in Texas, where it will be too hot to turn on the oven. Does anyone have suggestions for vegetarian summer freezer meals that are not soup? Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can provide! Sent by Anna Editor: First, congratulations, Anna! Stir-fry is probably my all-time favorite freezer meal.

Q: I baked a turkey breast, which was completely unthawed. Is it safe to freeze some of the slices from that turkey breast to use in a month or later? Sent by Thellma Editor: Yes, as long as the turkey breast was completely cooked through, you can freeze it for another time! Keep it tightly wrapped to prevent freezer burn. Readers, any tips on freezing cooked turkey?

Q: I would like to pre-make scones that I can freeze and then later take out to bake in small batches as an easy, on-the-go breakfast for myself or my impatient toddler. What is the best way to do this and still preserve the moist interior and crisp crust? Should I bake them straight from the freezer (and how does that affect baking temp/time)? Should I let them thaw first? Should I bake them before I freeze them? Thanks for any suggestions and advice!

There are a lot of reasons to always have carrots on hand — they’re one of the ingredients for mirepoix or homemade stock, make great snacks or crudité, and are inexpensive to buy (even if you choose organic). It’s more economical to buy them in packs or bunches, but how can you keep carrots fresh and crisp if you don’t plan on using them up in a few days? Here’s our easy way. First of all, trim any green tops off the carrots.

On any given summer afternoon at my house, you will hear the subtle, constant hum of my food dehydrator running on the back porch. I devote its use entirely to drying herbs. I’m reminded by its faint sound that it is capturing my garden’s peak aromas and flavors and saving them for a later date. And oregano is always in rotation.

We all experience it — the anxiety that comes with bringing fresh produce home from the market, a little worry that settles in around day three when you haven’t yet used the new inventory. The first day holds so much promise and excitement for all the potential dishes that will come. There’s a new recipe for cauliflower hummus (wink, wink) you want to try. You expect to cook a beautiful bunch of Swiss chard with garlic and herbs, and wilt it down into a frittata filling.

Thawing something from the freezer to cook for dinner has saved us from many a last-minute grocery store run, but what happens if you forget about what you thawed or your plans change? Can you safely throw that meat or poultry back in the freezer to cook another time? You can, but only in one instance! If you defrosted meat or poultry in the refrigerator, you can refreeze it without cooking it.

Going out for ice cream is so easy: order your scoop, and someone with strong arm muscles reaches down into the freezer, carves out perfectly round scoops with ease, and hands you your cone. I never seem to be able to recreate these smooth movements at home, though, since my ice cream is always rock-hard straight from the freezer.

What you need to know so your strawberries don't go to waste!

There are lots of ways to thaw frozen food: you can put it in the refrigerator, run it under cold water, leave it out on the counter, or even use the defrost setting on your microwave. Which method is the best and safest one to use? The refrigerator is the safest method of thawing food because it keeps the food out of the “Danger Zone” (temperatures between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria multiplies rapidly) the whole time it is defrosting.

As much as we all probably strive to plan ahead and make getting dinner on the table easy and stress-free, let’s face it: it doesn’t always happen, even with the best of intentions. Even if you’ve got a freezer stocked full of meat, you can’t do much with it until it’s defrosted. And while the best place to thaw is in the refrigerator, what happens when you forgot to do it and dinner has to happen soon?

Where do you store your olive oil? It’s tempting — and awfully convenient – to store oil right next to the stove, within arm’s reach, but is that really the best spot? Olive oil is a pantry staple that we use almost daily, and whether you have a standard work-a-day oil, or fancy bottle of extra-virgin, the key to making sure it lasts is proper storage.

Among the constant food staples in my kitchen is bread. You’ll rarely find me without a hearty loaf of multigrain (homemade, on really good weeks), and a fresh baguette. But, as much as I love carbs, it’s sometimes tough to eat my way through without facing stale slices or dry heels. Though I’d like to use the stale leftovers for croutons or bread crumbs, there’s never quite enough to make a worthwhile amount, or other times it doesn’t fit into my cooking plans.

While I love cooking with fresh vegetables whenever possible, there are times when relying on frozen vegetables just makes more sense. Whether it’s because of availability, budget, seasonality, or just simply convenience, frozen vegetables are a staple I’ve come to rely on throughout the year. While the selection tends to rotate, there are five favorites that I always have on hand.

It’s common practice in the United States to store eggs in the refrigerator because eggs here are power-washed and lose their natural protective coatings, making them more susceptible to contamination. But should you put your eggs in the cute little egg tray in the door of your refrigerator? The answer is no — the door is the warmest part of the refrigerator and the temperature there can fluctuate, especially when the refrigerator is opened.

When we buy root vegetables, like radishes, beets, carrots, and turnips, the leafy green tops are sometimes still attached. This has to be one of the best two-for-one deals out there. Not only are the tops edible, they’re also quite delicious. But there’s some simple advice to follow when storing root vegetables and their green tops that will help them both last even longer.

How do you keep your eggs stored in the fridge? Do you stick with the carton, or leave them loose in a bowl or pretty tray? If you ditch the carton and keep your eggs piled in a bowl or other type of open container, exposed to the other items in the fridge, it’s time to rethink your strategy. While arranging your eggs in a pretty tray or the caddy that came with your fridge might look pretty, there’s a better way to store your eggs.

As I was skimming Cook’s Illustrated’s The Science of Good Cooking, this tip caught my eye: Even though we use bay leaves much in the same way as dried herbs and spices, they shouldn’t be stored in the spice drawer with everything else. Guess where they should be stored instead? Turns out that the freezer is the best place to store bay leaves! If bay leaves are frozen, they retain almost as much flavor and aroma as a freshly opened jar or package of bay leaves.

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream. Am I right? As I’ve mentioned before, ice cream is an important part of my freezer stockpile. In summertime I store the canister to our ice cream maker in the freezer whenever it’s not in use so that we can quickly and easily get churning. If you’ve followed the Freezer Cure for any length of time, though, you know that the freezer is for more than just ice cream. Especially in the dessert department!

Yesterday I shared the freezer meal party I hosted with my mom and sisters (50 meals, $300!). One important thing to figure out when cooking for the freezer — whether it’s one meal or 50 — is how you’re going to package it. You probably know the basics of freezer packaging (see Jessica Fisher’s rundown of the essentials here), but I wanted to share three of my current favorites for getting meals packaged up neat and tight.

Last spring I embarked on an ambitious project: filling my freezer with two months of meals to feed my husband and myself after our first baby was born. I cleared out my freezer; came up with a list of vegetable-centric, freezer-friendly recipes; gathered the necessary supplies; and sketched out a cooking plan. Along the way, I gathered lots of helpful advice from our readers.

I grew up on canned soups. That was just how soup was made, right? I clearly remember the first time as a child that I had homemade soup at a restaurant. Cream of chicken, good cream of chicken. I came home begging my mother to get me some cream of chicken soup. Imagine my dismay when I heated up a can. It definitely was not like the soup I’d had at that restaurant Aunt Cass took me to! I had seen the light.