Helping you prepare foods in a hurry!

Can You Freeze These Foods?

Alice Henneman, MS, RD, UNL Extension in Lancaster County

Sign-up for Free Cook it Quick! Newsletter | Contact us | Email a friend | Search

Dear CIQ: Can you freeze fresh meats in supermarket wrappings?

Unless you'll use the frozen meat or poultry in a month or two, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that you add a second wrapping for long-term storage. Overwrap with airtight heavy-duty freezer foil, freezer paper or place the package inside a freezer bag.

While it's safe to freeze fresh meat or poultry in its supermarket wrapping, this type of wrap is permeable to air. Overwrapping the package helps maintain quality and prevent "freezer burn."

Foods with freezer burn are safe to eat though they may be in dry in spots. Freezer burn causes grayish-brown leathery spots because air reaches the surface of the food. Cut freezer-burned portions away either before or after cooking. Discard heavily freezer-burned foods for quality reasons.

Dear CIQ: Can you freeze milk?

While pasteurized milk can be frozen; it may separate or be slightly grainy when thawed. Frozen milk works best for cooking, but you may find it's still okay for drinking.

Freeze milk in plastic freezer containers or special freezer-proof glass jars. Leave some extra space at the top since milk expands during freezing. If packaged in a wide-mouth container, leave 1/2-inch head space for pints and 1-inch for quarts. If packaged in a narrow-mouth container (such as jars), leave 1 1/2-inch head space for either pints or quarts.

Plan to use frozen milk within a month. Thaw milk in the refrigerator. Stir well before using.

Dear CIQ: Can you freeze cheese?

Hard or semi-hard cheese can be frozen if cut in 1/2 to 1-pound blocks. Wrap in plastic wrap and then put in freezer bags. After freezing, cheese may become crumbly and mealy, but, it will retain its flavor. It works best for cooking.

Plan to use frozen cheese within 4 to 6 months. Thaw cheese in the refrigerator. Use soon after thawing.

The cheeses that freeze best are brick, Camembert, cheddar, Edam, mozzerella, muenster, Parmesan, provolone, Romano and Swiss. Blue cheeses are more prone to becoming crumbly but they'll still taste good. Cream cheese and cottage cheese do not freeze well.

CIQ Comments: If you have food you can't use right away: Chill out and freeze it!

---