Kelly Turner
There is a freezer compartment in every household – after all, freezing is very practical. But not everything is suitable: Which 6 foods you should not freeze?
Meat or fresh vegetables are left over when cooking? Would you like to stock up and make some things last longer? Then put it in the freezer compartment or chest freezer. Or? Unfortunately, these 6 foods are not suitable for freezing – and these are the reasons.
1. It is better not to freeze raw fruit and vegetables with a high water content
Fruits and vegetables that are high in water become mushy after thawing and lose their texture when frozen raw. It often helps to blanch them in boiling water before freezing. You can then easily freeze white cabbage and other types of cabbage, kohlrabi or carrots, for example. This also preserves color and vitamins. But can you also freeze tomatoes, onions, or bananas?
However, these fruits and vegetables are not suitable for freezing:
- Lettuce leaves
- Cucumbers
- Radishes
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Bananas
- Watermelon
- Grapes
- Apples
- Pears
While lettuce, cucumber, and radishes do not tolerate freezing at all, you should only freeze tomatoes and onions that have been processed in previously cooked dishes. Frozen fruit will also go mushy, but you can use it to make ice cream or smoothies after thawing.
2. Freeze raw potatoes? No way
Uncooked potatoes taste sweet when frozen because the starch in the tubers is converted to sugar. In addition, the potato will become mushy and translucent. The situation is different with boiled potatoes, which can be frozen well – just as well as processed, for example in puree or fries.
3. Garlic doesn’t belong in the freezer either
We love the tubers for their pungent and aromatic flavor. Garlic gives many dishes the right flavor. However, freezing it is not such a good idea: garlic loses its typical taste and consistency. Some don’t mind, but you should try it before freezing large quantities of garlic.
4. Can you freeze eggs? Not recommendable
It is better not to put raw eggs in the fridge: they can burst because the liquid expands during the freezing process. But even boiled eggs are not suitable for freezing, because they taste watery after thawing and their consistency becomes tough and rubbery. If you absolutely must freeze eggs, the raw shelled yolk and white can be placed in the freezer, either together or separately. However, even they later no longer taste like fresh eggs and should only be used for scrambled eggs or cakes.
5. Be careful when freezing these dairy products!
Butter and margarine freeze well. Milk and yogurt, for example, are different: they flake out after defrosting and become gritty. Hard cheese, on the other hand, loses its flavor and soft cheese becomes mushy. Do not freeze these dairy products:
- Fresh milk
- Yogurt
- Quark
- Hard and soft cheese
6. Gelatin foods? Please do not freeze
Many cakes and puddings contain gelatine. If these are frozen and thawed again, the gelatine liquefies: it loses its binding ability, making the food watery.
As simple and practical as freezing is: It is better not to freeze these 6 foods, but to enjoy them fresh.
