61°F
weather icon Partly Cloudy

Freezer cool way to save time, money

Freezing food saves time by reducing grocery store runs and money when you purchase sale items in quantity. Make the most of your investment by using your freezer to its full potential.

Here’s what ruins frozen foods. Ice, moisture and air are frozen food’s enemies. Freezing preserves food by slowing the growth of bacteria and reducing the rate at which natural decomposition (sorry, couldn’t think of a more appetizing word) happens. Most foods contain water, and frozen water becomes ice crystals. These crystals expand and break fragile cell walls resulting in some foods (looking at you, fruits and vegetables) becoming mushy and watery once defrosted.

When dry air circulates around frozen foods, it causes damage by dehydration. This is known as freezer burn. While freezer burned food is safe to eat, removing the yucky bits will improve the taste. Some say that’s what ketchup is for.

You can prevent freezer burn. Before freezing, prepare foods by wrapping them and storing properly to prevent damage. Be sure to remove as much air as humanly possible and use zipper-top freezer bags (not storage bags), heavy-duty plastic wrap, aluminum foil or freezer paper. All foods benefit from double wrapping.

When using freezer safe storage containers, fill almost to the top (to allow room for expansion) and place plastic wrap over the surface of the food before placing the lid.

Optimize space. Use storage containers that leave no unused space. I’m fond of zip-top freezer bags whenever possible. The zip-top baggies freeze flat and stack. A full freezer is a happy, energy-efficient freezer.

How to freeze meat and poultry. As soon as practical, remove foods from their store packaging and divide into meal-appropriate portions. For short-term storage, place into freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. For storage three months or longer, first wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap again in foil, freezer wrap or freezer paper, and lastly pop it in a freezer bag.

Brushing meats with a little oil or adding marinade (a big glug of Italian dressing is perfect) before freezing protects meat from freezer burn and the meat marinates as it thaws. Win, win!

Label everything. Me: “I don’t need to label this; I know I’ll remember.” Narrator: “She would not remember. In fact, she immediately forgot what it was.” Sound familiar? Write on everything with a Sharpie pen. I keep mine in my freezer bag box, so it doesn’t disappear. Write what it is, the date and any details.

Also, keep an inventory of what you have in the freezer. It’s much easier to look at a list than stare longingly into the freezer abyss yearning for inspiration.

Cool before you freeze. To improve the quality of your frozen foods, cool them to refrigerator temperature before putting in the freezer. Besides, putting hot food in the freezer can partially thaw other foods, and that’s bad.

Little bits. When recipes call for a small amount of an ingredient, save the remainder for next time in small baggies or freeze in ice cube trays, then store in baggies. This is especially good for things like chipotle in adobo, tomato paste, coconut milk and enchilada, pizza and tomato sauces.

Some foods freeze poorly. Don’t freeze produce with high water content and expect to enjoy them like raw later. This holds true for foods such as apples, citrus, salad greens, cucumber, bean sprouts and raw potato. Some can be cooked after freezing, like tomatoes, onion, peppers, mushrooms and celery. Some can be eaten while frozen, like grapes and watermelon.

And don’t freeze hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise, meringue, gelatin, sour cream, cottage cheese or custards.

Use ’em or lose ’em. When you stock, rotate the oldest foods to the front and plan to use them. Some foods expire faster than others so use those first. Check https://www.foodsafety.gov for how long items will last in the freezer.

Housekeeping. Keep your freezer thermostat turned to zero or lower. Twice a year, vacuum the exterior coils behind the freezer to maximize cooling efficiency.

In case of emergency. If you lose power, do not open the freezer door. Foods should remain frozen for about 24 hours, leaving you time to resolve the issue.

The No. 1 rule of freezing: If it didn’t taste good to begin with, it won’t taste any better after freezing. In fact, it will probably taste worse. Don’t wait until food is on its way out before freezing. It’s a freezer, not a time machine.

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is a recipe developer and food writer of the website “Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous!” Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com.

MOST READ
THE LATEST
City has major projects on plate

The city is taking on several projects in 2025, all designed to help keep Boulder City a great place to live, work, play and retire. Think of them as the Four P’s: Power, PD, Pool, and Pickleball. Each project has different funding components.

Helping Out

Photo courtesy Roger Hall

Garrett named Nevada STEM school

Garrett Junior High School is proud to announce that we were recently selected as a Governor Designated Nevada STEM School by the Office of Science Innovation and Technology of Nevada (OSIT).

The Sound of Music

Photos by Ian Cruz • Boulder City Review

Seniors turning the page

As we are approaching graduation, many seniors are finalizing college applications, scholarships and preparing for their new adventure.

Student engagement key at Mitchell

At Mitchell Elementary School, we are continually looking for ways to engage our students in learning and leadership.

Millions of Americans live with Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease was the fifth-leading cause of death among people aged 65 and older in 2021 (ALZ.org). And health and long-term care costs for those living with dementia were estimated at $360 billion in 2024 with a projected rise to nearly $1 trillion in 2050.

Film festival returns for 21st season

For the past 21 years, Boulder City has hosted the Dam Short Film Festival, which year after year has been ranked as one of the top 100 such festivals in the world.

A sneaky way to spread holiday cheer at King

On Saturday, Dec. 14, King Elementary School hosted “The Very Merry Grinchmas,” a holiday event full of festive fun that had more than 200 students and families gathering at Boulder Creek Golf Course for an unforgettable day.

Garrett gears up for second semester

The start of a new year is always a time for a fresh start and new opportunities. At Garrett Junior High, it’s the perfect time for our students to set new goals, challenge themselves, and make a plan for what they would like to accomplish.