It’s important to note that these recommendations are for home freezing. Professional operations can flash-freeze and individually quick freeze (IQF) at peak quality for many of the foods on this list, such as grains and produce, and the quality is quite good.
1. Leafy Greens
Leafy green vegetables, such as lettuce andcabbage, have a high water content, which freezes into ice. This expands their volume, destroying cells and making their texture soft. Frozen leafy greens are safe to eat but may not be pleasant to the palate.
What Is Freezer Burn?
If you want to use the food but don’t like the taste or texture of the freezer burn, you can cut the freezer-burned parts off, either before or after cooking.
2. Certain Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Enzymes in fruits and vegetables promote chemical reactions, such as ripening. Freezing slows enzyme activity in foods but does not stop the activity.
Blanchingvegetablesbefore freezing inactivates the enzymes and prevents deterioration. Blanching involves putting the vegetables in boiling water or steam for a brief period, then immediately rapidly cooling them in cold (60 degrees F or colder) water for the same amount of time.
It is important to follow suggested cooking times for each vegetable. Over-blanching cooks the vegetable, while under-blanching stimulates enzyme activity instead of halting it.
Typically, fruits are not blanched.Ascorbicacid (vitamin C) can be used to minimize enzyme activity in frozen fruits. Mixtures of ascorbic acid can be bought for home use.Citric acid, lemon juice, sugar, or sugar syrup can also be used, but they are not as effective as ascorbic acid.
Some vegetables and fruits don’t freeze well, including:
3. Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbsthat have been frozen become limp when thawed, making them undesirable for garnishes. However, they can be used in cooked dishes. To freeze fresh herbs, wash and drain them, pat them dry with paper towels, and wrap a few sprigs or leaves in freezer wrap. Place the wrapped herbs in a freezer container, seal the container, and put the container in the freezer.
4. Eggs
Eggs in the shell should not be frozen. If eggs in the shell are frozen, discard any that crack during freezing. Uncracked, frozen eggs can be kept frozen until needed and then thawed in the fridge, but their uses are limited. Freezing makes the yolk thick and syrupy, and it won’t blend well with the egg white or other ingredients.
Cooked egg whites do not freeze well and tend to become soft, tough, rubbery, or spongy.
Hard-cooked eggs are also not freezer-friendly as the white becomes rubbery.
To freeze whole eggs:
To freeze egg yolks:
To freeze egg whites:
Liquid egg substitutes and opened frozen egg substitutes should not be frozen. Homemade eggnog should also not be frozen.
5. Most Dairy Products
Opened milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, and butter should not be frozen.
Many dairy products can be safely frozen if they arepasteurizedbefore freezing, thawed in the fridge, and used within a few days of thawing, but quality may be affected.
Some dairy products separate or become mushy when thawed after freezing, including:
Other possible issues include:
Can Thawed Foods Be Refrozen?Most frozen, thawed, and then cooked foods can be refrozen as long as they haven’t been sitting at room temperature for longer than two hours (allowing for bacterial growth) or have otherwise been spoiled.Freeze leftoverswithin three to four days.Do not freeze foods that have been out for longer than an hour in temperatures above 90 degrees F.Do not refreeze previously frozen ice cream and other frozen desserts, casseroles, pot pies, frozen dinners, orfrozen pizzas.
Can Thawed Foods Be Refrozen?
Most frozen, thawed, and then cooked foods can be refrozen as long as they haven’t been sitting at room temperature for longer than two hours (allowing for bacterial growth) or have otherwise been spoiled.Freeze leftoverswithin three to four days.Do not freeze foods that have been out for longer than an hour in temperatures above 90 degrees F.Do not refreeze previously frozen ice cream and other frozen desserts, casseroles, pot pies, frozen dinners, orfrozen pizzas.
Most frozen, thawed, and then cooked foods can be refrozen as long as they haven’t been sitting at room temperature for longer than two hours (allowing for bacterial growth) or have otherwise been spoiled.
Freeze leftoverswithin three to four days.
Do not freeze foods that have been out for longer than an hour in temperatures above 90 degrees F.
Do not refreeze previously frozen ice cream and other frozen desserts, casseroles, pot pies, frozen dinners, orfrozen pizzas.
6. Jell-O
Jell-O and other foods made withgelatintend to weep if they are frozen then thawed.
7. Fried Foods
With the exception of French-fried potatoes (fries) and onion rings,fried foodsdo not freeze well. They tend to lose their crispness and become soggy.
8. Cooked Pasta or Rice
Cookedpastaand rice tend to lose their texture and get mushy when frozen and thawed. They also taste rewarmed.
How to Safely Thaw FoodsNever thaw frozen food:In a basement, garage, car, dishwasher, plastic garbage bag, on the kitchen counter, outdoors, or on the porchAt room temperatureFrozen food can be safely thawed in:The refrigerator: This can take a while, but keeps food safe as it defrosts.Cold water: Frozen food can be placed in a leak proof plastic bag and immersed in cold water. Water needs to be changed every 30 minutes, and frequently checked to make sure it is still cold. Cook immediately after thawing.The microwave: Best done in a glass or ceramic container with a cover that allows for steam to escape.Microwavesoften have a defrost setting. Cook immediately after defrosting.The oven: Foods can be reheated from frozen, as long as the internal temperature of the food reaches 167 degrees F.
How to Safely Thaw Foods
Never thaw frozen food:In a basement, garage, car, dishwasher, plastic garbage bag, on the kitchen counter, outdoors, or on the porchAt room temperatureFrozen food can be safely thawed in:The refrigerator: This can take a while, but keeps food safe as it defrosts.Cold water: Frozen food can be placed in a leak proof plastic bag and immersed in cold water. Water needs to be changed every 30 minutes, and frequently checked to make sure it is still cold. Cook immediately after thawing.The microwave: Best done in a glass or ceramic container with a cover that allows for steam to escape.Microwavesoften have a defrost setting. Cook immediately after defrosting.The oven: Foods can be reheated from frozen, as long as the internal temperature of the food reaches 167 degrees F.
Never thaw frozen food:
Frozen food can be safely thawed in:
9. Some Condiments
Cooked egg or cream-basedsalad dressingsdon’t freeze well because they separate.
Jams and jellies made with gelatin can break down when frozen.Sandwiches made with jams and jellies and then frozen can soak the bread.
10. Certain Icings
Frozenmeringuecan shrink and become tough, rubbery, and spongy.Boiled or fluffy icings made with egg whites can weep and become frothy and sticky.
11. Coffee
Moisture, air, heat,and light negatively affect coffee beans and grounds.
Coffee absorbs moisture, odors, and tastes from the air around it. Many home storage containers let in small amounts of air, which can cause coffee to become freezer-burned over time.
If freezing coffee, make sure it is in a truly airtight container. When you go to use frozen coffee, quickly remove no more than a week’s worth at a time, and immediately return the rest to the freezer to avoid condensation forming on the frozen coffee.
12. Canned Foods and Bottled Beverages
Canned andbottledfoods and carbonated beverages should not be frozen as they can burst.
Cans frozen accidentally (such as those left in the car in cold weather) can present health problems.
When throwing out burst cans of food, wrap the burst can in plastic and dispose of it where no one (including animals) can access it.
13. Certain Spices
Some spices, seasonings, and flavorings do not freeze well, including:
It’s best to season lightly before freezing, then add additional seasonings when reheating or serving.
14. Mayonnaise and Creamy Casseroles
Mayonnaiseseparates when frozen. Creamy dishes, such as potato salad and macaroni salad, can become water, tough, or mushy.
15. Cured Meats
Bacon and cured hams have an extremely short freezer life (less than a month) because the salt in them increases the rate at which rancidity develops in the meat.Hot dogsand luncheon meats can weep when frozen because their emulsion becomes broken.
16. Stuffed Poultry
It is unsafe to freeze stuffedpoultry. The time it takes the stuffing to cool in the bird before freezing and to thaw and reheat after freezing can allow for the growth of food poisoning bacteria and food spoilage.
Summary
Most types of food can be safely frozen, but freezing can affect the quality of some foods.
Foods that shouldn’t be frozen or may not freeze well includeleafy greens, certain fruits and vegetables, fresh herbs, eggs, some dairy products, Jell-O, fried foods, cooked pasta or rice, some condiments, certain icings, canned foods and bottled beverages, certain spices, mayonnaise, and creamy casseroles, cured meats, and stuffed poultry.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.McGill University.Can previously frozen, thawed, and cooked food be refrozen?Food Safety and Inspection Service.Freezing and food safety.Ohio State University.Food preservation: freezing basics.University of Georgia, College of Family and Consumer Sciences. National Center for Home Food Preservation.Freezing.North Dakota State University.Food freezing guide.Oregon State University.Foods that do not freeze well.North Dakota State University.Food freezing basics: freezing dairy products, eggs and other foods.University of Missouri.How to freeze meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.FoodSafety.gov.Cold food storage chart.Government of Canada.Safe food storage.University of Minnesota.Refreezing food.National Coffee Association of U.S.A..How to store coffee.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.McGill University.Can previously frozen, thawed, and cooked food be refrozen?Food Safety and Inspection Service.Freezing and food safety.Ohio State University.Food preservation: freezing basics.University of Georgia, College of Family and Consumer Sciences. National Center for Home Food Preservation.Freezing.North Dakota State University.Food freezing guide.Oregon State University.Foods that do not freeze well.North Dakota State University.Food freezing basics: freezing dairy products, eggs and other foods.University of Missouri.How to freeze meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.FoodSafety.gov.Cold food storage chart.Government of Canada.Safe food storage.University of Minnesota.Refreezing food.National Coffee Association of U.S.A..How to store coffee.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
McGill University.Can previously frozen, thawed, and cooked food be refrozen?Food Safety and Inspection Service.Freezing and food safety.Ohio State University.Food preservation: freezing basics.University of Georgia, College of Family and Consumer Sciences. National Center for Home Food Preservation.Freezing.North Dakota State University.Food freezing guide.Oregon State University.Foods that do not freeze well.North Dakota State University.Food freezing basics: freezing dairy products, eggs and other foods.University of Missouri.How to freeze meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.FoodSafety.gov.Cold food storage chart.Government of Canada.Safe food storage.University of Minnesota.Refreezing food.National Coffee Association of U.S.A..How to store coffee.
McGill University.Can previously frozen, thawed, and cooked food be refrozen?
Food Safety and Inspection Service.Freezing and food safety.
Ohio State University.Food preservation: freezing basics.
University of Georgia, College of Family and Consumer Sciences. National Center for Home Food Preservation.Freezing.
North Dakota State University.Food freezing guide.
Oregon State University.Foods that do not freeze well.
North Dakota State University.Food freezing basics: freezing dairy products, eggs and other foods.
University of Missouri.How to freeze meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.
FoodSafety.gov.Cold food storage chart.
Government of Canada.Safe food storage.
University of Minnesota.Refreezing food.
National Coffee Association of U.S.A..How to store coffee.
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