17 Everyday Foods That Should NEVER Go in Your Freezer!

The Food and Agriculture Organization says that freezing is a powerful long-term preservation process that can significantly lengthen the shelf life of many foods. For many foods, freezing works wonders, but freezing is not for every food.

If you freeze the wrong foods, you can destroy them by thawing—texture degradation, spoilage, or even a safety hazard. Here are 17 foods that should never be in your freezer.

Eggs in the Shell

You shouldn’t attempt to freeze eggs in the shell because when the liquid in the egg expands and freezes, the chance of cracking the shell and letting bacteria get in increases. Freezing also changes the texture of the yolk, making it thick and gel-like—not very good for many recipes.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov), improperly stored eggs are among the top five causes of foodborne illness outbreaks. Before storage, eggs can safely be frozen only by cracking and whisking.

Dairy Products (Cream, Yogurt, Soft Cheeses)

Although it’s possible to freeze some dairy products, such as cream, yogurt, and soft cheeses, to keep them fresher and longer, it’s not generally recommended.

Ice crystals form, upsetting the texture and making the food watery, grainy, and less palatable. Often, that change hurts the quality and taste enough to make it unsuitable for most culinary applications.

Fried Foods

According to Business Insider, freezing fried foods is a no-no, as it will ruin their signature crunch, and once they thaw, they become soggy.

Freezing fried foods makes the crispy coating, batter, and crumbs absorb moisture and break down their texture. Fried foods also diminish their quality and taste after being reheated.

Fresh Herbs

‘Freezing fresh herbs is not recommended, says The Mediterranean Dish. Ice crystals formed in their cells make them mushy and decay faster. This process utterly transforms their texture, leaving them limp and unsuitable for garnishing.  

However, if you have no time and leave the fresh herbs unfrozen, they may still be useful in soups and sauces, where their appearance does not matter. How you dry herbs will depend on the type of herb, and yes, drying herbs may be the better option if you want your dried herbs to look pretty in presentation and retain the herbs longer.

Potatoes (Raw or Cooked)

Cold temperatures are also unsuitable for storing raw potatoes: the starches turn into sugars, making them mushy and unpleasantly sweet when thawed.

Depending on their type, frozen cooked potatoes can potentially lose quality. Keep them in the fridge for best results if you plan to use them soon.

Coffee Beans or Grounds

Naturally, coffee absorbs moisture and odors from its surroundings (hygroscopic). The beans sometimes condense after being removed from the freezer environment, resulting in a stale flavor and possibly a foul freezer-tasting odor. Repeated freeze-thaw of coffee, even with airtight containers, can undermine its quality over time.

Salad Greens

According to Glad®, salad greens like lettuce, mostly water, do not freeze well. They freeze their cellular structure to become mushy, watery, and inedible when thawed.

They are not good for fresh salads because of their texture and flavor problems. To keep salad greens crisp and fresh, store them in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer.

Mayonnaise-Based Salads

Although freezing mayonnaise is technically possible, Ancaster Food Equipment advises against it. Frozen mayonnaise breaks down the creamy emulsion into oil and liquid.

After thawing, it becomes watery, clumpy, and unappetizing, and it can often be unusable—particularly in dishes like salads, which require more consistency.

Soft Fruits (Watermelon, Citrus Segments)

Ice crystal formation damages the cell walls of these fruits, and most become mushy and lose their shape after thawing. It also inflicts excessive juice leakage, so the fruit looks and feels different, which makes it less desirable for fresh use.

Cooked Pasta

Mashed suggests using undercooked pasta initially before freezing to avoid mushy, overcooked pasta when you reheat the dish.

Freezing cooked pasta is not advised because ice crystals may form in its structure. After thawing, excess water will be released from the pasta, resulting in a mushy, unappetizing result.

Carbonated Beverages

Freezing carbonated beverages forces the liquid to expand, leaving you with a mess or, worse, a safety hazard. After thawing, the drink is flat and unappealing because the freezing process also releases the drink’s carbon dioxide, which is responsible for the drink’s fizz. Freezing can change the beverage’s taste even if the container does not break.

Spices

According to Martha Stewart, spices should not be stored in the freezer, as moisture and humidity can rot their flavor and potency and make them aromatic, often clumping.

Freezing spices is not practical unless they are vacuum-sealed, which makes it inconvenient to thaw out a small amount each time you need some.

Saucy Foods with Cornstarch

Do not freeze sauces and soups thickened with cornstarch if you wish to reheat them later. Freezing starch causes defibration, and when it is thawed, the water is released, making the food watery.

Since starch is hygroscopic, the water it has expanded to swell is frozen, which interferes with the thickened structure and the quality of the food.

Breaded Meats Before Cooking

Freezing breaded meats before grilling or frying is not usual since the breading is affected, and thus, it becomes soft or “sleeks” away during the cooking process. Because of exposure, the outside layer of the breading is more likely to be affected by the freezer burn, which will adversely affect the texture and taste.

However, the most recommended procedure for guaranteeing a tasty crust and bread quality is to bread the meat before cooking.

Condensed Milk

MedicineNet says condensed milk can be frozen, although the product will not be fully frozen because of the high sugar content, which turns into crystals when frozen.

Also, freezing it in its can may cause the can to explode; thus, it must be transferred to a safe-for-freezer can before freezing. Condensed milk should be frozen in appropriate containers and consumed within three to six months.

Whole Raw Onions or Garlic

Whole raw onions or garlic can be frozen, but their texture changes: They become difficult to peel, soft and mushy when thawed, and useless for eating raw.

Whenever possible, chop or slice the onions and garlic before freezing so they are more convenient (and effective in cooked dishes).

Jelly-Based Desserts

Jelly formation Gelatin loses its structure when frozen, so the texts become runny, and there are inconsistencies. Frozen gelatin-based foods deform, so they cannot be used to prepare products such as jelly cakes or mousse. Preservation by refrigerator is a safer way to carry out this function for prolonging the shelf life of foods.

Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

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