When's the last time you cleaned your freezer?
Months ago?
Years?
Have you even used food from the freezer recently?
Keep watching for tips to make sure your food from the freezer is safe and tasty.
Perhaps you're still using those plastic containers you got from your favorite takeout place three
years ago… or inherited from your grandparents.
The reason you keep getting freezer burn whenever you use that iffy container is because it's
likely not as airtight as you want it to be.
When containers aren't airtight, moisture can get into the food and result in ice crystals.
Freezer burn isn't exactly dangerous, but it does affect the quality of your food.
Meat will become dry and tough, and vegetables will shrink.
Sound appetizing?
We didn't think so.
The New York Times recommended the best containers to use to prevent freezer burn, including
Ziploc bags, heavy silicone freezer bags, or airtight containers that lock.
Not, in fact, all that ancient Tupperware.
"It's a Tupperware party, and it's really fun!
The girls get together and meet their own friend, and make some new ones!"
We've all been there: throwing that cut of steak or some pork chops on the counter in
the morning to make sure it's ready to go by 5 p.m. dinner.
But the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends always thawing food in the fridge
for safety.
If food is left out on that counter, it's put into what the FSIS calls "the danger zone":
when food is between 40 degrees and 140 degrees for too long.
What happens when you eat food that's been in the danger zone?
Simply put, you may be at risk for food poisoning.
For defrosting food fast, there are three safe methods: the fridge, cold water, or microwave.
Still, there's an important footnote here: While there's always the temptation to use
the hottest water you can to get the meat to defrost faster, hot water is a no-go.
It, too, puts food at risk for being in the danger zone.
The reason why most people hate frozen veggies is they don't seem to live up to their fresher
counterparts.
But they can really turn out to be just as good — you just need to defrost them the
right way.
If you have the time, defrost them in the refrigerator.
Also, here's a little pro tip: squeezing vegetables like kale also helps get rid of moisture that
might keep them soggy while cooking.
Some veggies can go straight from the freezer to the fryer, stovetop, or oven.
Water-heavy veggies like spinach and onion should be sauteed for the best results, while
broccoli and cauliflower are ideal when roasted in the oven.
It's easy to depend on a fridge and freezer that came with your house or in the apartment
you're renting.
It may not even cross your mind to check how cold that old setup is — but if it's not
cold enough, it can put your food at risk.
It's very easy to get into the habit of paying attention to the temp of your appliances:
Just buy a simple freezer thermometer and make sure it's at 0 degrees.
Freezing food does not kill bacteria, even at the correct temperature.
Bacteria can lay dormant when frozen and "reactivate" when they're thawed, which means food needs
to be immediately cooked, tossed, or put into the fridge.
Otherwise, you could put yourself at risk of food poisoning.
"Uh, you're not actually going to eat that, are you?"
"No, let him, boys, let your father poison himself."
"Come on, Martin, you've proved your point!"
"Not yet, I haven't!"
It's easy to fall into the habit of tossing everything into the freezer — leftovers,
extra food, and extra groceries.
However, it's just as easy to forget the food you've put in there.
The next time you search through the freezer and find something that's a surprise, think
about when you might have put it in there.
Because, should you really have that kind of relationship with your fridge and freezer?
"Apples on a sandwich?"
"Yea.
Bridget.
She's opening me up to all new experiences."
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
It's not dangerous to store food for a longer amount of time, but it does decrease the quality
of the food.
Not surprisingly, meats and vegetables have the shortest duration in the freezer before
the condition deteriorates.
More surprising is the fact that shrimp and crayfish can be frozen for up to 18 months.
Who knew?
The danger zone temperatures even mean that you'll need to pay attention to when your
freezer is shut off or out of order.
The most common predicament people face are power outages.
If a power outage lasts for more than two hours, you'll need to check your freezer temperature,
which is why a thermometer is handy.
Any food that is in a freezer that's at 40 degrees for more than two hours is at risk
of causing food-borne illness.
Most meats need to be discarded once they're held at that temperature for more than two
hours.
However, processed cheeses and fresh fruits are okay to keep.
Surprisingly, one fruit that stands out is coconut.
It needs to be discarded after two hours in the danger zone.
Keeping the refrigerator and freezer doors closed during a power outage does help keep
it cool, but once the power's back, it's better to be safe than sorry.
You can ensure your freezer is as efficient as possible by keeping it full.
When the items in the freezer become fully frozen, they help to keep the freezer at a
low temperature.
But you can fill your freezer up too much, too, so don't go overboard.
An overfull freezer will commonly cause the sensor to read the temperature incorrectly,
which can cause problems.
If you don't have enough food to fill your freezer for maximum energy efficiency, you
can fill the empty space with newspaper, bags of shipping peanuts, or even Ziploc bags filled
with water.
Also, keep this in mind: When the freezer is organized with air space around the edges
and top of the food items, it allows for maximum energy efficiency since the food in the middle
will help keep the freezer cold.
Can you name all the items in your freezer off the top of your head?
We didn't think so.
Maybe you haven't even used any of them just because you have no idea what's in there.
The best way to maximize freezer efficiency and keep everyone safe is to keep track of
what's in your freezer at all times.
This can just mean adding labels to the bags and containers of the food you already have
in there.
You may even decide to keep a continuous inventory for your fridge and freezer.
Whether it's an app, a dry-erase board, or paper, make sure to keep track of the quantity
of food you have and the date it was put into the freezer.
When you do this, you can avoid guessing what you have in there, keep up your freezer efficiency,
and avoid food waste.
It also helps you know what you do and do not have before making a grocery run, and
anything that makes grocery shopping less stressful is a total win.
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Mashed videos about food storage tips are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.