Keeping your meal-prepped foods fresh is important, and freezing is one of my favorite ways to do it. I’ve tried freezing different dishes, and it has really helped me with my lunch prep. Here are some easy tips based on what I’ve learned:
Before you freeze your food, make sure it’s cool. If you freeze hot food, ice crystals can form. This can change how it tastes and feels when you thaw it. I usually wait about 30 minutes after cooking before I freeze my food.
It’s a good idea to divide your meals into single servings. This helps with portion control and makes it easy to grab just what you need for lunch. I like to use good freezer bags or airtight containers for this.
When food is exposed to air, it can get freezer burn, which makes it taste bad. I try to vacuum seal my food if possible. If I can’t do that, I push out as much air as I can from the bags and make sure the containers are tightly closed.
This might seem like a boring task, but writing down what’s in each container and when you made it is really important. I like to write the cooking date and a best-by date (which is usually 1 to 3 months for most meals). This way, I know exactly what’s in my freezer and when to use it.
Some foods freeze better than others. Stews, soups, and cooked grains (like rice and quinoa) freeze nicely. But leafy greens don’t do so well; they can turn mushy when thawed. I like to add greens fresh when I heat up my meals.
When you’re ready to eat, think about how to thaw your food. I usually take meals from the freezer to the fridge the night before, so they can thaw slowly and safely. If I need to hurry, I’ll use the microwave, but it’s better to avoid cooking food when it’s still frozen. This helps keep the quality of the meal.
By using these tips for freezing, I’ve kept my lunch game strong and stopped food from going bad. It saves me money and time, and it helps reduce food waste, making meal prep much more fun!
Keeping your meal-prepped foods fresh is important, and freezing is one of my favorite ways to do it. I’ve tried freezing different dishes, and it has really helped me with my lunch prep. Here are some easy tips based on what I’ve learned:
Before you freeze your food, make sure it’s cool. If you freeze hot food, ice crystals can form. This can change how it tastes and feels when you thaw it. I usually wait about 30 minutes after cooking before I freeze my food.
It’s a good idea to divide your meals into single servings. This helps with portion control and makes it easy to grab just what you need for lunch. I like to use good freezer bags or airtight containers for this.
When food is exposed to air, it can get freezer burn, which makes it taste bad. I try to vacuum seal my food if possible. If I can’t do that, I push out as much air as I can from the bags and make sure the containers are tightly closed.
This might seem like a boring task, but writing down what’s in each container and when you made it is really important. I like to write the cooking date and a best-by date (which is usually 1 to 3 months for most meals). This way, I know exactly what’s in my freezer and when to use it.
Some foods freeze better than others. Stews, soups, and cooked grains (like rice and quinoa) freeze nicely. But leafy greens don’t do so well; they can turn mushy when thawed. I like to add greens fresh when I heat up my meals.
When you’re ready to eat, think about how to thaw your food. I usually take meals from the freezer to the fridge the night before, so they can thaw slowly and safely. If I need to hurry, I’ll use the microwave, but it’s better to avoid cooking food when it’s still frozen. This helps keep the quality of the meal.
By using these tips for freezing, I’ve kept my lunch game strong and stopped food from going bad. It saves me money and time, and it helps reduce food waste, making meal prep much more fun!