Can you freeze ricotta cheese? Storing: Leftovers with cooked meat or chicken can be stored in the freezer for 2 to 6 months. Egg-containing casseroles are best eaten within 2 to 3 months. For a more comprehensive list of cold food storage, check out this list put together by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. In some cases, your frozen food items can be used straight from the freezer. Those frozen bananas and berries can go straight into a smoothie or shake. In other cases, though, you’ll need to plan ahead and properly defrost and thaw food before working with it—especially when it comes to working with raw meat.
Why make freezer meals? Your freezer is one of the most useful tools in your kitchen for make-ahead meals and freezer-friendly dishes.Not only do freezer meals help on those busy weeknights, but they also cut back on food waste and allow you to stock up on ingredients that go on sale. These benefits all add up to saving time, money and calories. Maximize space in your freezer: Use good quality freezer bags to freeze soups, beans and sauces. They save space because you can lay them flat to freeze. Once frozen, you can stack them up on top of each other or keep them in bins upright.
Yes! Produce is one of those food types that seem to go bad before you can eat it. The beauty of freezing fresh fruit and veggies – it can be past its prime and you can still freeze it for smoothies or cooking in something else! Bananas – Whole, sliced, blended, whatever floats your boat! They make a delicious addition to a smoothie and obviously make good banana bread. Berries – Whole cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. These are all super easy to freeze and they’re GREAT in smoothies! Fruit – Sliced watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, grapes, kiwi, etc. freeze well. Just make sure you flash freeze (spread them out on a sheet pan and freeze) before putting them into a freezer baggie or else you’ll end up with a huge clump of fruit that you’ll never get apart! See even more info on can you freeze butter.
“Commercially caught fish and shellfish, flash frozen on the boat at sea, are usually vacuum-sealed and safe to keep for six months, although the flavor may go stale if you keep it that long,” he says. Even mild thawing can shorten a fish’s freshness, he adds, so it’s important to keep frozen seafood completely frozen. That means if you’re running other errands after going to the grocery store, it may be worth bringing a cooler with ice packs to ensure your frozen fish stays at the right temperature. If you’re buying fresh fish, use freezer-designed packaging like freezer bags or freezer paper. You may also want to consider investing in a vacuum sealer for fish and other foods.