Freezing 101: Learn to freeze just about anything

Your freezer is like an icy time capsule filled with delicious food relics from seasons past. You might not see it yet, but your freezer plays an important role in helping you prevent food waste by allowing you to extend the shelf life of your tastiest dishes and ingredients.

What’s more, freezing food is fast, easy, cost-efficient and super convenient. The best part? You can freeze just about anything! 

And we have your step-by-step guide right here.

Fruits, veggies & herbs

The juiciest, most refreshing fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water. This is something you’ll want to consider before freezing produce like blueberries and cucumbers. The water within the food will expand when frozen and then contract when thawed, creating mushier fruits and veg.

Fruits

Here’s how to freeze fruits perfectly:

1. Pick fruits that are ripe and at peak flavour (seasonal is best!)
2. Wash your fruit under cold water and dry completely
3. Cut them into bite-sized chunks
4. Lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 2-3 hours. If you pile fruits on top of each other, they will stick together when frozen and it’ll be harder for you to break them apart
5. Store frozen fruit in an airtight container or freezer bag

There are a ton of delicious fruits that freeze beautifully including mangoes, grapes, berries, honeydew, pineapple, and even avocado. 

Looking for a way to get rid of overripe bananas? Instead of throwing them out, peel and add them to a freezer bag until you’re ready to make banana bread. Thaw them at room temp and remove the excess liquid before using.

While citrus fruits aren’t the most freezer-friendly, they can still be frozen and used in your morning smoothies. Just make sure you remove the peel and seeds first. 

Vegetables

Similar to fruits, you want to select veggies that are in season because that’s when they’re their most flavourful.

Here’s how to freeze your vegetables like a pro:

1. Wash in cold water and blanch them before freezing. Using this technique will help your veggies retain their flavour, colour and texture
2. After blanching, let your vegetables cool completely before storing them in either a reusable freezer bag, moisture-vapour resistant container, BPA-free freezer container or glass canning jar
3. Leave about ½ inch of headspace at the top of your freezer bag and storage containers to allow the produce to expand

There are plenty of vegetables you can freeze, including asparagus, green beans, beets, broccoli, peas, peppers, pumpkin, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, sweet corn, eggplant, leafy greens, mushrooms… the sky’s the limit!

Herbs

To freeze herbs, simply wash, dry and chop them up finely so that they’re ready to cook with. Then place a small amount in an empty ice cube tray and fill it with water or olive oil before freezing. That way all you have to do is drop a cube into a hot pan or pot before adding the rest of your ingredients.

Bread & baked goods 

One of our favourite ways to save bread, muffins, cakes and other delicious baked goods from going stale or developing mold is to freeze them. Here’s how:

Bread

Slice and store loaves, baguettes, bagels, English muffins and dinner rolls in the freezer to preserve that fresh-from-the-oven flavour. Bread can be defrosted in the refrigerator or directly in the oven or toaster. 

Baked goods

Cupcakes, muffins, brownies, cookies... These tasty treats are also easy to freeze since they're already perfectly portioned. 

Place them in a container and freeze them for up to three months. When you’re craving a sweet treat like a muffin, nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds and dig in.

For flakier desserts like scones or cookies, let them thaw in the fridge then reheat in the oven.

Pancakes & waffles 

When freezing pancakes or waffles, allow them cool to room temperature then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet before sticking them in the freezer. Reheat by letting them thaw in the fridge overnight and then pop them in the toaster.

Cakes & pies

Cakes and pies freeze really well whether you baked a fresh one for this weekend’s family dinner or you have some left over from your kid’s birthday party. Simply wrap your cake or pie in aluminum foil and place it in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge.

Doughs

It can be helpful to freeze your dough ahead of time, especially if you know you won’t have the time to bake an entire pie the day your guests arrive or the morning of your kid’s bake sale.

From cookie dough and pie dough to pizza dough----you can freeze virtually any dough you like. Portion it first then wrap it tightly in cling film or seal it in a freezer bag for up to six months. Thaw your dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling it out.

Dairy products

Freezing dairy products will preserve the flavour of the food, but can sometimes change the texture. This is something to keep in mind before freezing any dairy product. Also, once thawed, you should not refreeze.

Milk

Pasteurized milk can be frozen, including low and non-fat. This also goes for any plant-based dairy alternatives. Freeze in hermetically sealed containers or freezer bags, then thaw in the fridge and shake before serving to help restore smoothness.

Cheese

Hard or semi-hard cheeses like raclette or gruyère can be frozen by cutting them into small pieces (no more than ½ pound per piece). But before you freeze, it’s important to note that the texture of the cheese will change. Flavour-wise, it will still taste just as delicious as fresh cheese. 

Yogurt

Cultured dairy products like natural yogurt can be frozen, but they may lose their smooth, silky texture in the process and can become grainy. Flavoured yogurts tend to freeze better since the fruit and sugar act as stabilizers. If your yogurt is about to go bad, we would recommend freezing it into delicious yogurt popsicles!

Cream

Freeze only heavy creams containing 40% or more of fat. Creams that are lighter in fat or half and half don’t freeze well. Creams that have been frozen also don’t whip as well as fresh creams. You can still achieve the fluffy consistency of whipped cream, but it won’t whip to its usual volume.

Butter

Salted and unsalted butter can be stored in the freezer for up to five months. If you freeze unsalted butter though, its flavour will fade faster, so it should not be stored for long.

Eggs

From whole eggs to just the yolks, here’s how to freeze eggs perfectly:

Whole eggs: 

1. Thoroughly mix egg whites and yolks until combined. Careful not to whip any air into the mixture! 
2. Add either 1 tablespoon sugar or ½  teaspoon of salt per 1 cup of whole eggs depending on if you’ll be using them in a sweet or savoury dish. This will help prevent graininess. 
3. Strain the egg mixture through a sieve, then place in a container, leaving a ½ inch of headspace before sealing and freezing. 

3 tablespoons of egg mixture = 1 whole egg

Egg yolks: 

1. Gently stir yolks together and add either 2 tablespoons of sugar or 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 cup of egg yolks depending on if you’ll be using them in a sweet or savoury dish. This will help prevent graininess.
2. Strain the yolk mixture through a sieve, then place in a container, leaving a ½ inch of headspace before sealing and freezing. 

1 tablespoon of yolk mixture = 1 egg yolk

Egg whites: 

1. Gently mix whites together and strain through a sieve. 
2. Place in a small container, leaving a ½ inch of headspace before sealing and freezing. 

2 tablespoons of egg white mixture = 1 egg white

Eggs will keep up to a year in the freezer.

Fresh Meat & seafood

The first thing you should do after buying fresh meat or seafood---especially if you don’t plan on eating them within a day or two---is to freeze them as soon as you get home. Here’s how:

1. Remove the items from the styrofoam or plastic grocery trays.
2. For ground meat, divide into portions or patties, then double-wrap them in either two layers of cling wrap or aluminum foil, or one layer of cling wrap/aluminum foil, followed by a reusable freezer bag. Keeping your food as airtight as possible will help extend its shelf life and prevent freezer burn.
3. Store up to three months in the coldest part of your freezer, which is located at the very back and away from the door.
4. Keep in mind! To defrost your meat or seafood, you’ll want to let it thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking. Short on time? Submerge your wrapped food in a bowl of cool water to help speed up the process.
5. Cooked leftover meat & seafood

Sometimes we get stuck with leftover cooked meat we know we won’t have time to eat during the week. Instead of letting it sit in your fridge untouched, store it in your freezer. This is a handy trick to use if you’re meal prepping or just want to add an extra dose of protein to your soups and salads.

Soups

Did you know you can whip up a big batch of soup and freeze it into individual portions? Perfect those days when you need a quick and easy lunch or dinner.

The best way to freeze soup is to let it cool completely. If you place it in your freezer when it’s still hot or warm, it will turn sour. Once it’s come to room temperature, add it to either a jar, airtight container or resealable bag, making sure to leave ½ an inch of headspace before sealing and placing it in your freezer. 

To thaw, simply leave it in the fridge overnight and warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving.

Sauces, jams, dips & condiments

Fun fact: you can freeze almost any condiment! So instead of throwing away that half-bottle of ketchup that’s about to go past its prime, freeze it in an ice cube tray then store the ketchup cubes in a reusable bag. You can do the same for dips too, but watch out for dips containing dairy since the texture may become grainy when thawed.

When it comes to sauces and homemade jams, let them sit at room temp for up to 2 hours, then refrigerate until cool before storing in Mason jars or airtight containers. 

As with most frozen foods, you’ll want to let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.

Nuts, seeds & legumes

Even nuts, seeds and legumes (think chickpeas, lentils, black beans, etc.) sometimes need to be frozen to extend shelf life. Here’s how to do it right:

Nuts & seeds

Nuts and seeds are probably some of the easiest foods to freeze. It doesn’t matter if they’re raw, toasted, salted or sweet---you can freeze any kind of nut or seed you like simply by using an airtight container or resealable bag to store them in the freezer. 

The best part? You can eat them straight out of the freezer. No thawing needed.

Nuts and seeds will stay fresh for up to a year in the freezer.

Legumes

Canned or cooked, your legumes should be frozen in their cooking liquid or water. Dried legumes don’t freeze that well, so it’s best to place them in airtight containers and store them in your cupboard.

Baked pasta & casseroles

Baked pasta dishes like lasagna and cannelloni make excellent freezer meals. You can either freeze the entire dish by wrapping it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil (make sure the casserole dish is freezer-safe) or transfer the contents into containers for quick individual weeknight meals. Let your dish cool completely before wrapping and freezing.

Other dishes like tourtière, Shepherd’s pie and stuffed zucchini also freeze wonderfully using the same technique as above.

Leave your frozen casserole dish on the counter for at least one hour before placing it in the oven. This will help prevent the glass from cracking due to temperature changes.

And there you have it! You’re now ready to start freezing foods. The next step is to take a look inside your fridge and cupboards to see which items are about to expire and start freezing. Don’t forget to label everything you put in your freezer with a freeze date and expiry date, so you know how much time you have to eat it. 

Want more freezer tricks? Check out these 8 tips to make the most out of your freezer.