Freezing food is a convenient way to reduce waste and save time. While some common foods can be frozen, experts note that freezing should be done in a specific way to avoid ruining the flavor and texture. Many items — like soups, stews and frozen fruit — handle the freezer just fine, maintaining their texture and flavor when properly stored. However, not all foods are freezer-friendly. Some lose their texture, separate, or become inedible after thawing, leaving you with disappointing results. To help you avoid common mistakes, here are some foods that you shoud never freeze.
- • Milk and cream-based sauces turn grainy and watery when frozen.
- • Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and kale don’t retain their original texture once frozen and defrosted.
- • Cooked pasta becomes gummy and has a mushy texture when frozen and reheated.
- • Raw potatoes, like leafy greens, don’t handle freezing well due to their high water content, becoming mushy and grainy when defrosted.
- • Eggs in the shell should never be frozen because the liquid inside will expand, crack the shell, and ruin the egg.
- • Fried foods lose their signature crispy texture once frozen and reheated, often turning soft and soggy.
- • Soft cheeses like cream cheese, ricotta and goat cheese don’t freeze well and tend to separate and become grainy after thawing.
- • Mayonnaise-based salads like chicken salad and egg salad don’t freeze well because the mayo separates during the thawing process, resulting in an unappetizing texture.
- • Fresh herbs like basil, cilantro and parsley lose their flavor and texture when freezing.
- • Cucumbers turn mush and slimy once frozen because of their extremely high water content.
- • Yogurt should only be frozen if you plan to use it in smoothies. Otherwise, they will come out with a watery, grainy texture that’s off-putting.
- • Whole avocados turn brown and mushy when thawed after being frozen. If you want to freeze them, slice or cube them and seal them in an airtight container with some lemon or lime juice.
- • Tomatoes should never be frozen because they become soft and watery once frozen. Once again, if you plan to use them in soups or sauces, feel free to freeze them.
- • Coffee should never be frozen because it actually compromises their flavor because the moisture affects their natural oils and the beans absorb flavors from the freezer.
- • Watermelon and citrus fruits become mushy and lose their texture once frozen.
