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Use your freezer to store all types of
prepared foods. Keep an inventory of items in the freezer and use foods
within their recommended storage times.
Here are a few tips to guide you with
recipe selection and preparation:
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For "wet" vegetables such as spinach,
drain well, pressing out excess moisture.
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Use fat sparingly in sauces -- it doesn't
combine well when reheated. Stirring may help during reheating.
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Freeze most casseroles before baking,
especially when ingredients are cooked. Exceptions include dishes that
contain uncooked rice, raw vegetables, or uncooked meat that has been
frozen and thawed.
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Add crumb toppers at reheating time.
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Cool foods quickly before wrapping for
the freezer. Place the pan of cooked food in ice water to cool to room
temperature.
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Package foods properly. Use freezer
containers or moisture-vaporproof material such as freezer paper, heavy
foil, or plastic freezer bag. Or, cover other containers with a lid;
fix tape around edges to make a leakproof seal. Allow headspace (room
for food to expand) when packing liquid or semiliquid foods.
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Be sure to label packages with their
contents and the date. Freeze at 0oF.
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