How to properly store your frozen creations

One of the most important part of freezing meals is the process and containers you place the food in. If you just throw it in an old soup container you got from your local take out, you may be disappointed when you pull out your frozen meal and it has suffered from freezer burn. While freezer burn is not dangerous, it greatly affects the quality, taste, and texture of the food.

I like to use heavy-duty plastic containers with tight fitting lids that specifically say freezer safe. Freezer safe tends to mean a thicker plastic is used and I find the lids fit on tighter than regular tupperware. I put a layer of plastic wrap over the surface of items like soups or chili before I put the lid on to prevent it from sticking to the lid. When I freeze items like stuffed peppers, for example, I individually wrap one in foil, place them in the freezer. Once they are completely frozen I place them all in a large ziplock bag, label, and date. The bags must be freezerbags. Other bags are not as thick and are not able to keep the food protected from the tempuratures and odors of your freezer. 

If freezing a lasagna or macaroni and cheese dish, I prep everything, place it in a disposable aluminum pan and cover the surface with plastic wrap and then put on the lid. I purchace the ones that look like take out pans from the dollar store. They are inexpensive and the pan itself is reuseable, the lids are not. You can also just cover them in foil. The reason I do this is because then I can quickly throw it in the oven and not have to transfer it. I rarely use glass because even freezer-safe glass can crack as the food expands. If you must use glass, leave enough room for expantion 3/4-1 inch, and make sure it is tempured glass.

I tend to freeze my food in individual portion so that it can easily serve one person. this way my husband can grab one out of the freezer and bring it to work. Also its easy for me to grab one out when my twins are napping, because I have to eat when I can. If I'm freezing for a dinner party or a frozen casserole swap, then I freeze in larger portions. Please note the larger the portion, the longer it takes to freeze, and the long it takes to thaw.

If I am freezing breads or bagels, slice bread and half bagels before freezing so they are in easy one-person servings. Place them into the freezer bag flat or place wax paper in between so they're less likely to stick together.

Be sure to squeeze out any excess air when placing items in freezer bags. When there is excess air,  freezer burn can occur. Close the bag 3/4 of the way, then press as much of the air out as possible.  This also applies to containers. When you're storing sauces, chilies, or soups in containers, leave 3/4 an inch of space at the top of the container to prevent the liquid from sticking to the top. Place plastic wrap dircetly on the food and place the lid on. This allows the food to not only to expand, but prevents the food from freezing to the lid.

It is very important to label and date your food as you make it. Most dishes can't last more than a few months in the freezer (longer in a deep freezer). I would say nothing older than 4 months. If you have a deep freezer you can go 6 months. Anything longer than this and you're at risk for freezer burn and the taste starts to change. So you want to clearly date bags and containers so that you don't have to guess when you made it. This also allows you to rotate your dishes in the freezer keeping older dishes on top and newer dishes on the bottom.

It is very important to wait for hot foods to cool down completely and come to room temperature before freezing them. Muffins and bread cause condensation if placed in bags when they are warm, this forms ice crystals and that will affect the quaility of the food. Be sure not to over crowd your freezer or your food won't freeze properly. You must leave enough space so the cold air can circulate around the food, allowing the food to freeze faster and keep it as fresh as possible. When the food is frozen, you can stack them however it fits in your freezer.