Tip on Freezing Food: Cool Your Meal Before You Freeze It
Cooling before freezing is necessary for two important reasons: firstly, extra heat will raise the temperature of the freezer, and secondly, the outer edges of the hot or warm dish will freeze hard quickly while the inside may not cool in time to prevent spoilage.
Follow these steps when preparing and freezing your own main dishes to ensure food safety and quality:
- Cool precooked dishes as quickly as possible before they are placed in the freezer.
- For fastest cooling, place the pan of hot food in a sink filled with ice water (or in a larger pan of ice water). If you’re cooling a soup, stew, or sauce, stir occasionally to help it cool evenly.
- Once the dish is cooled, portion it into meal-sized containers or packages. Label and date the containers. Place them in the coldest area of your freezer until completely frozen. Rearrange as necessary.
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