These 3 Things Don’t Belong in Your Freezer

If your freezer is currently an unorganized hot (cold?) mess, we have plenty of suggestions to help you get things under control. A $4 shelf solution, for example. And some plastic containers that are perfect for freezer doors. And, now, three things that definitely do not belong in there. If you have any of these things hiding out in your freezer, go take them out right now. (We’ll wait.) Doing so will help you make more space for the things that do belong in there.

Ready? Here are three things that don’t belong in the freezer.

Boxes take up a lot of unnecessary space in your likely already crowded freezer! Consider this the permission you needed to ditch those boxes. If you’re worried you’ll need help when it comes to cooking or reheating, just cut out the cooking instructions and tape the panel to the bag (or just write the directions on a strip of masking tape).

We get the urge to want to preserve expensive spices, but freezing certain spices can drastically change their flavors. For example, garlic, pepper, and cloves are known to become strong and bitter in the freezer, while the cold temps and moisture distort the taste of spices like curry and celery powder. Keep your spices in a cool, dry place instead.

Just because you know what’s in a container now, does not guarantee that you’ll remember what’s in it a few months from now. In fact, we can almost promise that you will not. Stop playing that guessing game! And start labeling your frozen goods! Use a marker (and masking tape, if need be!) to write the name of whatever your freezing and the date. Always both of those things.