How To Prevent Freezer Burn
Whether you buy in bulk, have fruits and vegetables growing, or just need to keep leftover food in the freezer, avoiding freezer burn is key to storing the food. What is freezer burn? Scientifically speaking, freezer burn is the result of a chemical process called sublimation. This happens when a substance transforms from a solid to a gas without passing through the liquid state. In layman’s terms, the ice becomes a gas without first melting and evaporating. This dehydration and oxidation cause dry pockets within the food, which can impact the flavor and texture. Freezer burn is caused by improperly freezing your food and/or exposure to air. All foods are susceptible to this effect, but foods with higher moisture content can develop it quicker.
In order to prevent this from occurring, try following these few steps the next time you put food in the freezer!
- Wrap Food Tightly – When preparing the food for the freezer, be sure to wrap it tightly, and multiple times to limit the amount of air that can get to the food. The use of a vacuum sealer is really helpful with this! If you do not have one of those (yet), try wrapping with plastic wrap, then foil, then in a ziplock bag to make sure its secure!
- Keep your freezer cold – Keeping your freezer at or below 0 degrees F will ensure there is not extra moisture and that your food will freeze quicker.
- Don’t Freeze/Thaw more than once – Once you have defrosted food in the freezer, don’t refreeze it. Planning ahead when you package the food to make it easier to take out of the freezer really helps with this. Wrap your chicken breasts in packs of 2, rather than 4 in case you only want a few. Use smaller bags where appropriate to allow for less to be defrosted in real time!
- Open and Close your freezer quickly – Every time you use the freezer, be sure to close it quickly. Leaving it open for a while as you get food ready will allow foods to defrost and the potential to get freezer burn!
Give this tip a try the next time you are freezing some food. And of course, if you have food that is suffering from freezer burn, it is not the end of the line! Trim around the most impacted areas, and you are still able to enjoy the food. It might lose some flavors, but it is 100% safe! After freezing any meats, be sure to check out how to properly defrost meat, so you can prepare a great meal!
