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11 Frozen Foods You’re Probably Storing Wrong

Keep your favorite frozen foods longer in the freezer with these smart storage tricks.

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Raspberry, blackberry and blueberry background
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Fresh berries: Freeze on a cookie sheet

To prevent fresh berries from turning to mush in the freezer, wash the fruit thoroughly, pat it dry, and place on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the berries are frozen, then pack the berries in airtight containers. By freezing pieces of fruit individually, you can take out only what you need for recipes and return the rest to the freezer.

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Close up raw ground beef
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Meat: Save labels

When rewrapping prepackaged meat for freezing, cut the label from the original wrapping and tape it to the new package. You will have a record of the cut of meat, its weight, and the date of purchase. To prepare raw hamburger patties for freezing, separate them with small plastic coffee-can tops, stack them in a pile, place them in a plastic bag, and seal. Freeze raw or cooked meatballs on a cookie sheet, then transfer them to a container, seal, and freeze. They will stay separate and you can use as many as you want when you need them.

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Bread background, top view of white, black and rye loaves on black
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Bread: Wrap with care

Bread will dry out quickly in the refrigerator, but it freezes well for up to six months if wrapped in plastic, then foil. When putting the bread in the freezer, don’t crush the loaf. To crisp up the crust, remove the bread from its wrapping, thaw, and then put in a 350°F oven for ten minutes.

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Apple pie close up background
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Pies: Layer and label

To freeze a freshly baked pie, cool to room temperature. Wrap in plastic and foil and label with a piece of tape, noting the type of filling and the date. If a pie has a sticky filling that is hard to wrap, freeze the pie first and then wrap it.

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Background of parsley. Top view. Ripe parsley close-up.
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Herbs: Mince first

You can freeze some fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, and basil. Wash the herb, shake, then pat dry with paper towels. Mince it and freeze in a plastic container. In addition, fresh ginger root keeps well frozen. Put the ginger in a plastic bag and put in the freezer, grate it as needed.

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Scooped chocolate ice cream or chocolate ice cream from top or from above background
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Ice cream: Use plastic wrap

To keep ice cream fresh and tasty after the first serving, press plastic wrap onto the surface of the remaining ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Then replace the carton top and return the ice cream to the freezer. Don’t let an open container of ice cream sit in the freezer too long; it is best eaten soon after it is purchased.

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Whisking with a mixer sugar and eggs to make a cake
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Eggs: Whisk first

That’s right—you can extend the life of your eggs by putting them in the freezer. There’s one caveat, though: You should never freeze them in the shell. Instead, crack the eggs and whisk them together, suggests the USDA. You can whisk the yolks and whites separately or together, but the yolks on their own could get thick and syrupy in the freezer. Add a pinch of salt and 1.5 teaspoons of sugar to improve their quality. On the other hand, these are 16 foods you should never keep in the freezer.

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Bananas isolated on black background
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Bananas: Peel first

Overripe bananas keep well in the freezer until you’re ready to use them in banana bread or a smoothie. You can either pop the whole, peeled bananas into a freezer bag, or cut them into slices. If you choose the latter option, freeze them first on a wax paper-lined baking sheet before transferring them to bags so the pieces don’t stick together.

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Soup with meat and vegetables. Close up, top view
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Soup: Dole out into bags

A plastic storage container seems like the obvious vessel for frozen soup or stock, but they can actually be pretty finicky. Liquids expand when frozen, so filling it to the top could burst the plastic—so it’s best to leave 1/2 in. of headroom, and to cover the surface of the liquid with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn. Wondering if it’s safe to eat food with freezer burn? Here’s what you should know.

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Ripe fresh vegetables. Summer time.
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Vegetables: Start by blanching

Raw veggies have a unique property that makes them deteriorate in the freezer: They have low acidity, meaning enzyme activity brings their quality down. Luckily, blanching—partially cooking them in boiling water—can slow the process, according to the USDA. Bring water to a boil, then add the vegetables. Once it starts boiling again, leave the vegetables in for a few minutes, using this information from the National Center for Food Preservation as a guide.

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raw bacon background
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Bacon: Freeze by the strip

When you over-buy bulk bacon and can’t use it all in time, make sure the same problem doesn’t happen again with your frozen strips. Tear off a long sheet of wax paper, then lay a strip of bacon near the edge. Fold the wax paper over so the bacon is covered, then place another bacon strip next to the first. Continue folding single slices of bacon until you have a nice stack, with wax paper separating each slice. Next, check out these other freezing and defrosting tips that will save you tons of time.