Freeze and Unfreeze Food: 6 Things You Really Need to Know

Freeze and Unfreeze Food: 6 Things You Really Need to Know

When it comes to freezing and defrosting food, do you think you're doing everything that's right? The truth is you may be making some mistakes that compromise your health, but they can also make you waste time in the kitchen. See six very useful tips.

© Shutterstock


13/09/2026
by

Adriano Guerreiro

Tthe well-filled freezer is always a help to make dishes quickly and cook effortlessly. It is therefore important to have this area well organized and to know how to freeze and thaw food in the best way. The goal is to always ensure food security. Does it do anything right?

 

The Super Organized page shared some tips on how to freeze and thaw food in the best way. These are tips that can make all the difference and that will help you take fewer risks and buy more time in the kitchen.

Freeze and thaw: 6 very useful tips

“There’s always something in the freezer that saves us on a hasty day and there’s always that bag that nobody knows very well what it is,” they start by saying.

“Some simple care makes all the difference: freezing in portions, identifying everything right and thawing in the right way helps to better conserve food and avoid waste” continues the Super Organized page. Get the tips.

1- Split and pack

“ Freeze in portions you usually use at every meal. Use your own containers or bags and remove as much air as possible from the bags.”

2- Identify 

“ Identify the food and freezing date. So you always know what you have and how long you have.”

3- Organize the freezer

“ Put the oldest foods ahead and, if possible, keep a short list of what is frozen.”

4- Disengelle in the fridge

“ Pass the food to the refrigerator the day before. Meat and fish must remain in a container in the lower part.”

5- Never thaw on the counter

“Avoid defrosting food at room temperature. If you use the microwave, cook them immediately.”

6- Not everything needs to be thawed

“ Many vegetables, soups and broths can go directly from the freezer to the confection.”

Read Also: 6 ‘bad’ foods you can (and should) eat to reduce stress

You want to defrost meat safely? Follow these indications

When you thaw meat, what do you do? You leave it on the counter? It's a very unsure way of doing it. Kimberly Baker, a dietist quoted on Martha Stewart's website, explained how to defrost meat effectively and safely. According to the expert, “the safest way to thaw the meat is in the fridge”.

Ideally, the refrigerator should be less than 4°C. To keep the meat “out of the temperature danger zone”. Then “put the meat in a watertight container on the bottom shelf” in the refrigerator.

It also explains that “freezing in cold water is faster than thawing in the refrigerator, but it requires more attention to ensure that the meat remains below 4oC”. 

Want to try it? Put the meat in a plastic bag. Then she has to “submerge the meat in cold water from the tap, changing the water every 30 minutes,” adds the specialist. 

You should never use hot water to thaw the meat. Why? It can raise the meat temperature in a very dangerous way. “This creates an environment where bacteria, which are already present in the flesh or inside, can grow rapidly.”

8 foods that will help you sleep better, according to nutritionists

What you eat before you go to sleep can influence – positively or negatively – your night's sleep. Experts reveal eight foods that will help you sleep better, given your nutrients.

Mariline Right Rodrigues

logo_nacloset_285_285_4k_webp2
Privacy

This site uses cookies so that we can offer the best possible user experience. Cookies information is stored in your browser and perform functions such as recognizing it when you return to our website and helping our team understand which sections of the site you consider most interesting and useful.