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The Foods You Should Be Freezing To Give Them A Longer Lifespan

No freezer is complete without a stash of cookie dough in it.
Freezer compartment of a refrigerator containing meat and frozen vegetables as well as bread
Gilles_Paire via Getty Images
Freezer compartment of a refrigerator containing meat and frozen vegetables as well as bread

When it comes to cooking (and saving money), the freezer is your best friend. There are a lot of articles circulating the web that discuss surprising foods you can freeze and foods you should never freeze. These articles are important, but it’s a lot of information you have to gather in order to get the full picture. Today, let’s put an end to that and consolidate all that input so you can get the most out of your freezer.

Below is a list of all the foods you can freeze.

If a food you want to freeze is not on the list, chances are it can be safely frozen but will not defrost with a satisfactory texture. (We leave that choice up to you.) Some foods that are on the list below will also change texture when defrosted but are still included on the list because they can still be cooked without losing any quality.

Check it out:

A look inside a packed freezer.
Gilles_Paire via Getty Images
A look inside a packed freezer.

Milk ― if you plan to use it for cooking purposes.

Cheese ― not the soft kind like goat, and preferably shredded.

Butter

Cracked eggs

Cream cheese ― if you plan to cook or bake with it (think cheesecake).

Buttermilk

Whipped cream ― for those rare occasions when you’ve made too much.

Homemade pancakes, waffles and French toast

Fruit ― basically all of it, especially if it’s going into a smoothie once frozen. Some fruits like citrus, grapes and watermelon will turn to mush when defrosted.

Vegetables ― with the exception of salad greens, cucumbers, celery (if you plan to eat it raw) and raw potatoes.

Cooked rice

Cooked pasta ― be sure to cook it 2-3 minutes less than the recommended cooking time or else it will turn to mush when defrosted.

Uncooked homemade egg pasta

Pies

Cakes

Muffins and quick breads

Brownies and cookies

Corn on the cob ― blanche it first.

Avocados

Tomato Paste

Roasted tomatoes

Flour

Nuts

Pesto

Hummus

Peanut Butter

Mashed potatoes

Chocolate ― so long as you prepare it properly by first cooling it in the fridge.

Cookie dough (unbaked)

Chips

Tortillas

Homemade soups and chili

Broth and stock

Meat, cooked and uncooked (bacon included)

Seafood

Wine

Bread

Bread dough (risen and unbaked)

Fresh herbs (when preserved in olive oil)

Citrus juice

Maple syrup

Now get freezing!

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