Freezing food in the freezer is the most convenient thing in the world, isn’t it? But the freezer is often used badly: it is overfilled, never cleaned, and becomes a graveyard for abandoned bags of food… Mistakes are also made when handling food for freezing: for example, how many of you put food in the freezer when it is still hot? Here are the 10 most common mistakes that we have all made at least once when using the freezer!
If the freezer is too full, the cold air doesn’t circulate, so it doesn’t freeze the food properly. This means that when you go to take something out, you find one single, unmanageable block of ice. What should you do? You need to freeze things wisely, and above all, use all your stocks cyclically to avoid too much accumulation.
Putting food in the freezer without writing the date on the bag is a big mistake. Even frozen food has an expiry date: 2 months for fresh fish, 4-6 months for meat, 6 months for vegetables. If you write the date on, you will be able to use up your stocks intelligently, starting with the oldest.
Food often becomes “unrecognizable” once it is frozen. What could it be, that whitish stuff? Chicken, fish, or a slice of cake? To avoid defrosting unknown food, just write the name of the product or the dish on its bag in a permanent marker.
The bigger a piece of meat or fish, the more time it will take to freeze evenly. But the freezing process is truly safe only when it happens fast. So what should you do? Cut meat into slices no thicker than 2cm, fish into small chunks, and cube vegetables before putting them in the freezer.
Never put hot saucepans, scalding baking trays, or bags of food that are still steaming in the freezer. This is damaging for both the food and the freezer itself. Indeed, the rise in the internal temperature of the freezer damages the food and it is one of the causes of ice building up on the freezer’s wall.
Letting warm, humid air enter the freezer (especially if it is frost-free) is dangerous, because it leads to sudden ice formation. Furthermore, the food stored inside will undergo repeated temperature fluctuations. Only open your freezer when you need to. This is why it is a good idea to keep it organized: once it is open, you only need a glance to see what to take and where it is.
Putting food in the freezer with no apparent system is a very common error with many negative consequences: a chaotic freezer, difficulty finding the right food, bags forgotten about for years, food cooked with the care that is no longer anywhere to be found! How should you do it? Assign each drawer (or each shelf) a food group. For example first drawer, frozen food from the supermarket and herbs; the second drawer, preserves, and home-cooked food; the last drawer, meat, and fish.
If your freezer is not freezing properly, or if it is already old, check the state of the seals. A well-sealed door guarantees that this appliance will work at its best. On the other hand, perished seals allow warm air to enter and cold air to escape. If the rubber is ripped or loose, it’s time to change it!
If you often find jars and containers that have exploded, it means you are overfilling them. Once frozen, liquid and semi-liquid foods increase in volume by about 10%. So don’t fill containers right to the brim – leave a little space.
If despite everything, your freezer has still accumulated ice build-up, you need to get rid of it. Defrosting the freezer is important for freeing up space, keeping it clean, and helping the door to hermetically seal. You can use water and vinegar, or hot water and some rags, but remember to unplug it first.
If, instead, you want to melt the ice quickly without rinsing, try Mister Magic® Easy-Defrost, which melts even the most compacted ice with just a few sprays. You should clean and defrost your freezer regularly!
