A scrumptious meal does not always have to be immediately made and consumed. The world of freezing has made it possible to keep a delicious snack the same and eat it much later after it was made! However, freezing is not just stocking up foods into the freezer and hoping that they will retain their original taste and texture forever. There are a lot of important pointers to be kept in mind if you want to know how to store frozen food.
Air and freezers
Air is a huge factor in the freezing process. Too much air or too little of it can have adverse effects on your frozen foods. While packing frozen foods, it is essential that the food is packed in air-tight containers or pouches with as little air as possible. While packing foods in sheets too, it is paramount that they are packed with as little air as possible.
In short, the food needs to be stored with as little air as possible. The same goes for freezers too. An empty freezer is not as effective as a moderately filled freezer. That does not mean that you should over-fill your freezer either. Make sure you have enough space for air in your freezer and not too much. Too much empty space can be filled with some pouches filled with water!
No warm or raw foods!
One common mistake that many people make is that they freeze foods when they are still warm. This needs to be avoided at all costs. Foods need to be frozen once they reach room temperature. The optimal time to freeze foods should also be when they are their freshest. In this way, your freezer will keep the nutrients locked and keep your food good as new. This goes for all kinds of foods, especially fruits and veggies.
Another important tip to remember while freezing foods, especially fruits and veggies, is to first freeze them individually. This can be done using trays and laying chunks of them in the freezer. This helps avoid the formation of ice crystals which reduce the quality of the food. After the chunks are individually frozen, they can later be stored together in airtight bags or containers. This is the same idea behind IQF technology (Individually Quick Frozen), a method that is used by many frozen food manufacturers.
One great frozen snacks range which follows IQF technology is the ITC Master Chef Frozen Snacks range. It is made with fresh veggies and natural ingredients and is curated by the best ITC chefs too.
Temperatures and power outages
A very popular belief about freezing food at home is that the colder the temperature, the better the food freezes. This is untrue as most foods just require about 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to freeze effectively. Another amazing fact about freezers is that they can keep cool for about 48 hours. This is particularly helpful when freezing at home. If you are afraid of power outages, then it is best to not open a freezer during one, as the freezer can keep itself cool for very long.
Following these guidelines will easily help you understand how to store frozen food for a week. In fact, with these tips, your frozen food will stay its best for at least two months! Once you are ready to consume your frozen food, make sure you defrost it in the refrigerator section or in your microwave. Once defrosted, your frozen food is ready to cook or eat any way that you want!
