leader lesson the family freezer: making the most of what goes in provided by: barbara brown, ph.d.,...

Leader Lesson

The Family Freezer: Making the Most of What Goes In

Provided by: Barbara Brown, Ph.D., R.D./L.D.Food Specialist, Oklahoma Cooperative

Extension Service Associate Prof., Department of Nutritional

Sciences

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service 2

The situation

• Not a new home preservation tool

• What is going into your freezer?

• How is your food wrapped?

• How long will food be stored in the freezer?

2011

California Agriculture, California Experiment Station, March, 1947


Plusses of freezing

• Save food when you have time• Use oven efficiently when bake extra to

freeze• Less waste if leftovers are frozen (if used)• Prepare special diet & baby foods in

quantity & freeze in single portions• Save time by doubling, tripling recipes• Eases cooking for 1 or 2• May save $ by making own convenience

foods

2011


On the minus side

• Expensive when total cost of packaging, energy use, & freezer itself

• More energy used to cook, freeze & reheat a dish than to cook for immediate use

• Some dishes have a relatively short storage life compared to storage life of the ingredients

• Must allow time for thawing unless a microwave is available

• Some foods don’t freeze well or don’t justify work & cost of freezing

2011


Cost associated with freezing

• Initial cost of freezer, divided over 20 years if new, nine years if used

• Lost interest on cash outlay for freezer

• Freezer maintenance and repair• USDA estimates 2% of purchase

price of new freezer/year• Used freezers may be higher

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Cost associated with freezing (continued)

• Electricity needed to reach and maintain 0oF

• Packaging materials• Water & fuel to prepare food for

freezing• Cost of ingredients

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Figuring the cost

• Takes 0.l kilowatt hours to freeze 1 pound of food & lower its temperature to 0oF

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Energy required depends on many factors

• Temperature of room where freezer is located

• Frequency of door openings• Size of freezer. In general, larger

freezers use more electricity than smaller ones.

• Insulating properties of freezer• Clean, well maintained freezers use

less energy

2011


Energy required depends on many factors

• Full freezers use less total electricity & less electricity/pound of food to maintain 0oF

• Turnover of food—cost to maintain frozen food mounts daily

• Chest vs. upright• In general, chests are more

economically to operate than uprights• Manual defrost vs. frost-free• Frost-free freezers cost considerably

more to operate

2011


Example of energy costs:Frost free vs. manual defrost

• Cost to run a 15-cubic foot freezer for 1 year when electricity costs 7 cents/kilowatt hour:• Frost-free freezer cost $123.27/year• Manual defrost freezer cost

$81.37/year• Difference = $41.90• $838 over 20 years of freezer

life

2011


Operation cost of a 15-cubic foot freezer/pound of food for

1 year

2011

Cost of food is not included! Cents/poundElectrical energy 0.1 kwh/pd to freeze + 2.3 kwh/pound to maintain 0oF 2.4 kwh/pound @10 cents/kwh

24.0Packaging (estimate 2-6 cents/pound) 5.0Water (estimate) 0.4Repairs (2% x $450/525 pounds) 1.7Cost of freezer $450/20 years/525) 4.0Interest from alternate investment lost (6% rate) 5.1Total cost/pound 40.2


Safety of frozen foods• Freezer is set at recommended freezer

temperature (0oF) will keep food safe to eat indefinitely• Food must be safe to eat when it goes

in• Slows movement of molecules causing

microbes to enter a dormant state• Harmful bacteria not killed by freezing

temperatures • Begin to grow as food thaws• Parasites can be destroyed by freezing

2011


Freezer storage

• Color, flavor & texture eventually deteriorate• Recommended storage times are

for quality only• Effects of too long a storage• Some foods develop rancid or off

odor• Appearance suffers even if edible• Usable in soups, stews,

casseroles2011


Keep it cold

• Keep freezer set at 0oF or lower• Use appliance

thermometer to monitor• Refrigerator freezing

compartment can’t maintain temperature if opened often1. Use only for short-

term frozen storage

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To help keep unit cold

• Allow air movement inside freezer• Reduce number of items in freezer

& add shelf space• Allow air to circulate more

efficiently for a more thorough freeze

• Keep foods away from back vent• Blocks air circulation & results

in a warmer freezer

2011


Preparing homemade convenience foods for freezing

• Freeze slightly undercooked if will be reheated

• Cool quickly after preparation by:• Put pan in ice water, stir if possible OR• Put in serving size freezer

containers & refrigerate until cool• Freeze as soon as cool

2011


Not all foods freeze wellFood Usual use Condition after thawing

Cabbage*, celery, cress, cucumbers*, endive, lettuce, parsley, radishes

Raw Limp, water-logged, quickly develop oxidized color, aroma & flavor

Irish potatoes, baked or boiled

Soups, salads, sauces or with butter

Soft, crumbly, water-logged, mealy

Cooked macaroni, spaghetti , pasta or rice When frozen alone Mushy, taste warmed over

Egg whites, cookedSalads, creamed foods, sandwiches, sauces, gravy or desserts

Soft, tough, rubbery, spongy

Meringue In desserts Soft, tough, rubbery, spongy

Icings made from egg whites Cakes, cookies Frothy, weeps

2011

*Cucumbers & cabbage can be frozen as marinated foods (freezer pickles or slaw)


Not all foods freeze well (continued)Food Usual use Condition after thawing

Cream or custard fillings Pies, baked goods Separate, watery, lumpy

Milk sauces Casseroles, gravies May curdle or separate

Sour cream As topping, in salads Separates, watery

Cheese, block Sandwich slices Crumbles

Crumb toppings On casseroles Soggy

Mayonnaise, salad dressing On sandwiches (not in salads) Separates

Gelatin In salads or desserts Weeps

Fruit jelly Sandwiches May soak bread

Fried foods All except French fried potatoes and onion rings

Lose crispness, become soggy

2011

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation, http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/


Don’t know how it will freeze?

• Try freezing a small portion, then check quality

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Packaging

• Pack amount to be used at one time• Choose packaging that matches

thawing & reheating method you’ll use• Freezer- & microwave-safe

containers for those to be thawed and/or cooked in microwave oven

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Packaging options

• Use moisture-vapor-proof packaging• Plastic containers, freezer bags,

heavy-duty aluminum foil, coated freezer paper, wide-mouth canning jars (leave 1 to 2 inches headspace)

• Convenience foods—glass or metal baking pans lined with plastic wrap or foil; when frozen lift out food & put in freezer bags or wrap with freezer paper

2011


Vacuum-packaging

• More oxygen removed, the better the quality

• Vacuum-packaging does not kill microbes• Must keep food cold while thawing

• Vacuum-sealed bags not designed for cooking

• Replacement bags can be expensive, more difficult to locate

2011


Freezer burn• Moisture loss from the food surface• May look like fuzzy, grayish white

spot on food surface• Not harmful but causes off-flavors,

dries out & toughens food• Packaging in moisture/vapor-proof

containers or wrapping & storing food for recommended length of time helps prevent

• Cover fruit with syrup & cooked meat with gravy or sauce to help prevent

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Rules for wrapping1. Wrap tightly2. Wrap again (double wrap)3. Wrap individual portions separately

when appropriate• Wrapping tightly & double wrapping

help maintain quality & prevent freezer burn

• Wrapping individual portions separately lets you remove some food to prepare without thawing unneeded food

2011


Best storage materials are easy to mark

• Label foods with the date & contents so that keeping an inventory is easy

• Use permanent markers to label either on strip of masking tape or directly on package/container• Remove permanent marker from

empty plastic containers with rubbing alcohol

• Throw away canning jar lids & plastic bags

2011


Package dating & freezing

• Don’t buy foods with out-of-date Sell-By or Best-if-Used-By dates

• Buy the food with the longest Best-if-Used-By date for best food quality. If you can’t use perishable foods within 3 to 7 days, freeze

• For quality purposes, freeze food before Best-if-Used-By date to maintain the highest quality while frozen

• Once food is frozen the package date becomes irrelevant

2011


Putting food into the freezer

• Freeze at 0oF or below• Place packages against cooling

surfaces of freezer for quick freezing• Freeze only what can be frozen in 24

hours• Usually 2-3 pounds/cubic foot

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Keep an inventory

• Post list of frozen food with freezing date near freezer• Add & subtract

from list

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Using frozen foods

• Reheat food that was cooked & frozen to 165oF• Use a thermometer to check to

avoid overcooking

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Thawing frozen food• Room temperature• Ok for nonperishable foods (bread, cakes,

cookies)• Leave food in package until thawed

• Refrigerator• Best for perishable foods (meats, main

dishes, cooked meat, side dishes, eggs)• Microwave oven• General guideline: 6-8 min/pound thawed on

defrost setting (30% power)• Frozen foods may be cooked without thawing• Allow 1/3 to 1/2 more cooking time

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Using thawed food

• When you thaw, open, & prepare frozen food, use within 3—7 days to keep it safe

• Discard improperly thawed and opened, or prepared foods that have been uneaten within 4 days

2011


Freezer tips

• Freeze whole grains and foods that contain them to slow the onset of rancidity

• Yeast: freezing not recommended• Bagels & English muffins defrost more

quickly when frozen pre-sliced or separated• Hamburger patties: separate burgers with

square pieces of parchment paper then place in freezer bag• Also works with tortillas, crepes, French

toast, pancakes

2011


Freezing tips for meat

• May be left in original packaging up to 2 weeks• For longer storage, wrap tightly in

freezer packaging to prevent freezer burn

2011


Freezing coffee• Coffee beans: if use a bag in

less than 10—12 days, store beans in original bag or zipper-lock bag away from heat & light• For longer storage, freeze

• Ground coffee: store in freezer• Measure amount needed

into filter & warm to room temperature before brewing

2011


Power outages• Keep the door shut• Full freezer usually okay for 48 hours;

1/2-full only 1 day• Refrigerator freezing compartment

may not keep foods frozen as long• If the freezer is not full, quickly group

packages together to stay cold more effectively• Separate meat & poultry from other

foods so if they begin to thaw, juices won't drip onto other foods

2011


If power stays off consider…

• Putting dry ice, block ice, or bags of ice in freezer• Use appliance thermometer to

monitor freezer temperature• Moving foods to a family or friend's

freezer• Invest in a generator—know how to

use it safely

2011


If power stays off don’t…

• Move food outside • Can thaw when exposed to sun

even when temperature is very cold• Food may become too warm &

foodborne bacteria could grow• Food could be exposed to

unsanitary conditions or animals

2011


When power comes back on…

• Determine safety by checking condition & temperature of food

• Refreeze or use food that is partly frozen, still has ice crystals, or is as cold as if it were in a refrigerator (40°F)• Not necessary to cook raw foods

prior to refreezing

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Throw away

• Perishable foods that have been warmer than 40°F over 2 hrs

• Any food contaminated by raw meat juices

• Soft or melted ice cream (low quality)

2011


Summary

• Freezing food offers many benefits• Freezing is an expensive method of

preserving food• Use proper packaging and label food

to be frozen• Monitor what is in your freezer and

use it before quality deteriorates• Have a plan for power outages

2011

2011 Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service 41

leader lesson the family freezer: making the most of what goes in provided by: barbara brown, ph.d.,...

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