The invention of the freezer has been a gift to mankind by preservation gods. However, as much as it helps food prolong its life, there are certain types that lose their taste or change appearance once they get stored in that cold nook.
Naturally, we just toss every leftover in the freezer, but according to the experts, not all foods are meant to be stored there. Here is a list of those that can be frozen:
Banana Bread
Food historian Julia Skinner explained that yeast-based breads that have been frozen and thawed will undergo texture changes. However, those without yeast, like banana or zucchini bread, will likely retain its shape and texture.
Because these types of bread have a lot of moisture sealed in, they are less likely to dry out once frozen. She does advise to slice the bread first and wrap it in parchment paper before keeping it in the freezer.
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Most fruits and vegetables weep liquid once taken out of the freezer and that’s because these already contain a lot of water that becomes ice crystals, which cut cell membranes. Meatballs soaked in tomato sauce is one of the most freezer-friendly.
That’s because meatballs are composed of eggs, cheese, and breadcrumbs (which are all binding components), and ground meat, which means they are already broken down. The tomato sauce, meanwhile, is also made up of crushed tomatoes, which means the cell membranes have also been cut.
Bagels
Bagels may not sound like an ideal food to freeze but apparently, you just have to know how to do it properly, Korean Food Made Simple star Judy Joo said. All you need to do is to put each in a plastic wrapper and store them in a sealable bag before properly stacking them into the freezer.
Braised Foods
Braising meals is time-consuming, which is why it’s perfect to do this during the weekends or your days off. It is worth it if you’re looking for something ready to reheat when you need it.
Chef Jet Tila, who was also in the Iron Chef America, said that braised foods are essentially immune to freezer burn because of the juices or gravy. The best thing to do is to keep it in the fridge days before you want to consume it so that it can thaw properly.
Curry
Curry is a good food to freeze and that’s because of its complex flavors. Digest the Passion founder Chris Martin said its savory profile makes it ok to undergo the process, plus, it’s technically easy to store because it can literally fit most molds.
