--- slug: how_to_freeze_food category_path: home_kitchen/kitchen_dining/storage_organization/food_storage_bags title: "How to Freeze Food" lead: "Cool food before freezing, pack it airtight in bags or containers with the air squeezed out, and label each with the contents and date. Freezing in flat, thin portions freezes it faster and stacks better, leave headspace for liquids that expand, and never refreeze raw food that has already thawed." recommendation: name: "Cool, pack airtight with air removed, freeze flat in portions, label with the date — don't refreeze thawed raw food" reason: "Freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, but doing it well is what keeps the quality, and the enemy is air, which causes freezer burn (dry, greyish patches). Cool cooked food to room temperature first so it doesn't warm the freezer or grow bacteria while cooling inside it. Pack it airtight: press the air out of freezer bags or fill rigid containers close to the top, and wrap awkward items tightly, because less trapped air means less freezer burn. Portion it into the amounts you'll actually use, and freeze bags flat and thin — they freeze quicker, thaw quicker and stack neatly. Leave a little headspace in containers of liquid, since water expands as it freezes and can crack a full sealed tub. Always label with the contents and the date, and rotate older items to the front, because everything looks the same once frozen. Freeze food while it's fresh, not as a last resort for food about to spoil, and set the freezer to about -18°C. A few safety points: cool quickly, blanch most vegetables briefly before freezing to preserve them, and don't refreeze raw meat or fish that has thawed — though you can refreeze it once it's been cooked. Thaw in the fridge, not on the counter." published: 2026-07-09 updated: 2026-07-09 ---