How to Freeze and Thaw Leftovers to Reduce Waste (2023)

FAQs

How do you freeze and thaw leftovers? ›

Safe ways to thaw leftovers include the refrigerator, cold water and the microwave oven. Refrigerator thawing takes the longest but the leftovers stay safe the entire time. After thawing, the food should be used within 3 to 4 days or can be refrozen.

Buying frozen foods can help you, your supermarket, and the whole supply chain waste less. It can also make it easier to land healthy foods on your plate on a lazy night. Less food goes to waste when it's shipped frozen, since it's not as perishable on the journey from the farm to your refrigerator.

Using containers: Divide cooled leftovers among plastic containers, leaving enough room at the top for swelling. Cover with plastic wrap (this helps prevent freezer burner), then the lid. Label and date top and side of container. Using sealable bags: Place sealable place in a bowl to help stabilise.

There are four ways in which to defrost food safely - in the refrigerator, in the microwave, as part of the cooking process or under cold running water.

Pickling, drying, canning, fermenting, freezing and curing are all methods you can use to make food last longer, thus reducing waste. Not only will these methods shrink your carbon footprint, they will save you money as well. What's more, most preservation techniques are simple and can be fun.

Cover leftovers, wrap them in airtight packaging, or seal them in storage containers. These practices help keep bacteria out, retain moisture, and prevent leftovers from picking up odors from other food in the refrigerator. Immediately refrigerate or freeze the wrapped leftovers for rapid cooling.

Storing leftovers

Always use a clean container to hold the leftovers, or wrap the leftovers in leak-proof plastic bags to prevent cross-contamination. Keep different types of leftovers separate. Eat refrigerated leftovers within 2 to 3 days, or freeze them for later use.

Why should you freeze leftovers? ›

If you want your leftovers to last longer, freeze them. Just be sure to keep track of how long you had it in the fridge before you put it in the freezer. Freezing stops bacterial growth in its tracks like a car at a red light.

Buy in bulk, and freeze additional leftovers, pasta sauce, meat, and more in your primary or secondary freezer. Freezing additional items is a great economical way to extend your food supply and avoid food waste.

Resources could be conserved for more productive uses

When food is wasted, so too is the land, water, labor, energy, and other inputs that are used in producing, processing, transporting, preparing, storing, and disposing of the discarded food.

The toaster or toaster oven is usually my go-to reheating appliance because it provides even, gentle heating. If you're worried that food will dry out, just cover it with foil. Aim for a low-temperature oven (no more than 350°F), and check on your food once in a while until it's heated through.

Food should be completely cooled before freezing – actually, it is even better if you allow it to fully cool down in the fridge first and then freeze. If you store a bag or container with hot food along with an already frozen one, it might defrost slightly, creating a safety breach.

Freezing leftovers is a great way to extend the life of your food. But you might be wondering: how long can leftovers last in the freezer without losing quality? To maintain the quality of your food, the longest you should keep frozen leftovers is 3–4 months.

Foods thawed inside the refrigerator are safe to refreeze even without subjecting them to any cooking method. These foods were not exposed to the danger zone. On the other hand, foods thawed in water or using the microwave must first be cooked before refreezing.

In the refrigerator: This is the easiest method but it takes a long time, so you must plan ahead. (A pound of meat can take a entire day to thaw.) Advantages to this method are that it's hands-off and the refrigerator keeps food at a safe temperature.

You can thaw frozen foods safely in three ways: refrigerator thawing, cold water thawing and microwave thawing. In the process of thawing, never keep food in the “Danger Zone,” between 40 °F and 140 °F.

Can you put leftovers in the freezer? ›

Keep in mind that the FDA states that leftovers can be safely stored in the freezer indefinitely, but “can lose moisture and flavor” when stored for too long. They suggest freezing leftovers for a maximum of three to four months for freshness, but we've noticed that some items start to degrade a bit quicker.

If you must prepare foods in advance or want to keep leftovers, be sure to store them under either hot (near or above 60 °C) or cool (near or below 10 °C) conditions. This rule is of vital importance if you plan to store foods for more than four or five hours. Foods for infants should preferably not be stored at all.

Proper food storage helps to preserve the quality and nutritional value of the foods you purchase, and also helps make the most of your food dollar by preventing spoilage. Additionally, proper food storage can help prevent foodborne illnesses caused by harmful bacteria.

Thawing is the process of taking a frozen product from frozen to a temperature (usually above 0°C) where there is no residual ice, i.e. “defrosting”. Thawing is often considered as simply the reversal of the freezing process. However, inherent in thawing is a major problem that does not occur in the freezing operation.

Keep in mind that the FDA states that leftovers can be safely stored in the freezer indefinitely, but “can lose moisture and flavor” when stored for too long. They suggest freezing leftovers for a maximum of three to four months for freshness, but we've noticed that some items start to degrade a bit quicker.

Freeze Within the 4-Day Window

If you've put several portions worth of, say, stuffing in the refrigerator and later realize there's no way your family is going to get through them all before the four-day fridge limit, you can still freeze them. If a food is safe to eat, it's safe to freeze, Andress says.

Rigid containers and flexible bags or wrapping are two general types of packaging materials that are safe for freezing. Rigid containers made of plastic or glass are suitable for all packs and are especially good for liquid packs. Straight sides on rigid containers make the frozen food much easier to remove.

How long should you leave food to cool before freezing? ›

It's much better to allow food to cool before putting it in the freezer. You could do this by leaving food at room temperature while it cools, although make sure not to leave it out for longer than two hours, as this is when bacteria will start to multiply, and you could risk food poisoning.

Myth: You shouldn't put hot foods in the refrigerator.

Fact: Hot food can be placed in the refrigerator. Large amounts of food should be divided into small portions and put in shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator.

Any leftover food should be put in the freezer or fridge within two hours of being cooked. This is to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria. In what? All leftovers should be stored in sealable, shallow containers as this will help them to cool quicker.

The freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients. In meat and poultry products, there is little change in nutrient value during freezer storage.

The basic idea behind refrigeration is to slow down the activity of bacteria (which all food contains) so that it takes longer for the bacteria to spoil the food.

Liquids in glass containers, cans, and plastic containers are also susceptible to exploding in the freezer, according to Murphy. Certain dairy products like milk and sour cream do not freeze well, said Murphy.

Zip-top bags are especially good for freezing food because you can more easily get all the air out of them than out of rigid containers. You can use them for everything from blanched spinach to chicken thighs and, after laying them flat to freeze, stack them to economize space.

Ziploc® Containers with lids feature easy-to-use, leakproof Smart Snap technology. They are BPA free and safe for use in the microwave, dishwasher, freezer and fridge (when used as directed). Use them to store food, organize supplies, or while on the go. Reusable and recyclable.