Freezing is the almost magical trick to take advantage of foods that are not in season, avoid waste or extend the life of certain products. Yes, but here it is:you should not freeze just anyhow! Here is a reminder of 5 basic rules, which ensure freezing in compliance with sanitary rules.
Of course, it happens to wait until the last moment to say to yourself “Oops, we may have to freeze this stuff, we won’t have time to eat it before the expiry date”. But as a general rule, we try to do it as soon as possible. Why ? Quite simply because the cold does not stop the proliferation of bacteria, nor the deterioration of food. Thus, a fruit that begins to spoil will not become beautiful again at -25°C (the ideal temperature for the freezer). If we wait too long, we risk losing the taste qualities of the food. If, however, a food has been frozen at its expiry date, it must be consumed as soon as it is thawed.
Individual packaging avoids the mixing of odors and tastes, but also the deposit of frost directly on the food. Box, aluminum foil or freezer bags, everything is good! We take this opportunity to indicate the freezing date on the food. By the way, you can prepare small portions to avoid having to defrost everything at once.
This is THE basic rule that we often know:you should never refreeze a product that has been thawed. The reason ? Quite simply because, when the food returns to room temperature, the bacteria that had been “put to sleep” by the cold start to proliferate again. Worse:if you put it back in the freezer, these same bacteria multiply! When defrosting, to avoid the proliferation of bacteria, place the food in the refrigerator or in the microwave, but not at room temperature (except in the case of small portions that are cooked immediately).
It is not because a food is in the freezer that it can be kept ad vitam aeternam. Anything that is pie or pizza will keep for about 2 months, bread can last up to 3 months. Cooked meals can be consumed within 3 months after freezing, as can fish, while for meat, it can take up to 6-8 months (lean meats keep longer than fatty ones). Finally, fruits and vegetables can be stored for up to 10 months.
No, even if it's tempting, you can't freeze everything. It is therefore not recommended to put green salad, dairy products and foods containing a raw egg yolk (for example mayonnaise) in the freezer. On the other hand, the egg white can be placed in the freezer (it even makes it easier to beat them for a meringue). Good to know:the more a food is rich in water, the less well it supports freezing and risks not being able to stick to defrosting (we think for example of tomatoes or cucumber for which it is not very recommended).
