Can I Freeze These?

Freezing foods really help us a lot not only in saving time but also in preserving food quality beyond its normal shelf life. Having a spacious chest freezer makes us feel that we can stock up on anything that’s on sale in the supermarket and use them later when we need it. However, we must remember that unfortunately, not all foods can be frozen successfully. There are certain types of foods that undergo changes in texture when frozen. It is true that most foods can be frozen but not all foods have the same freezer life and some dishes will not freeze well as the others.

THE FOLLOWING SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE FREEZER:

1. Eggs in their shell. Eggs may not be able to withstand the temperature of the freezer and may cause its water content to expand. This will lead to cracking of it shell that may cause any type of bacteria to come in. Eggs can pose a serious health threat if frozen.
2. Certain vegetables. Celery, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, marrows, radishes, watercress, etc -- or basically fresh and water-rich vegetables. These vegetables are water-based and they freeze easily. However, they form ice crystals that melt during thawing. After thawing, these vegetables become soggy and limp; the crispness will not be present in them anymore. However, if you really need to freeze these vegetables, it is advised to blanche the vegetables first. Unblanched veggies that are stored directly in the freezer will lose their crispness and fresh flavour. Veggies that lost their crispness can still be cooked for soups.
3. Cheese. Soft kinds of cheese such as cottage cheese, ricotta cheese and cream cheese will lose their fluffy texture when the water in them returns to room temperature. On the other hand, hard types of cheese will turn crumbly. Crumbly cheese is okay for grating, though. But not for slicing.
4. Food emulsions. Food emulsions are usually a mixture of two or more type of liquids. The best examples of this are mayonnaise and cream. Emulsified foods may develop large ice crystals that puncture the cell walls when frozen.
5. Egg-based sauces. Egg itself cannot be frozen so it’s very logical that egg-based sauces cannot be frozen as well. Mayonnaise and hollandaise tend to separate during the freezing and thawing processes. The separation results to a product that looks a little weird for cooking.
6. Fillings. The best examples of fillings are cream and custards. Leftover fillings don’t freeze well. The fillings tend to look watery and weepy when thawed which can ruin the looks and consistency of a perfectly good recipe.
7. Potatoes. Potatoes when frozen look mushy. This is good though, but what’s not good is that the appearance of the potato changes. Potatoes darken when frozen. Furthermore, mashed and boiled potatoes seem to turn runny after being thawed while cubed potatoes become grainy in texture.

Freezing works because it slows down the presence of enzymes and other microorganisms that causes the foods to decay. However, we should always remember that not all foods can be frozen. The goal to make preparation easier while keeping goods safe should always be in the top of our priority list.