Tips For Freezing Make-Ahead Meals

Making meals ahead and freezing them is convenient, but it’s important to do it right. Here are some tips:

Once the food is cooked, cool it quickly either by refrigerating it in a shallow container or by placing it in a large shallow pan in a sink partially filled with ice water. Stir it frequently. Food should be no warmer than room temperature when it goes into the freezer.

For freezing, use heavy-duty foil, freezer paper, or airtight, moisture-proof containers designed for freezer storage. When using resealable plastic bags, make sure they are designed for freezing. Be sure to squeeze all the air from a bag before sealing it.

Set packages to be frozen directly on the freezer shelves, not on other food. Leave some space around each new package so air can circulate. Once frozen, the packages can be stacked.

If you’ll be freezing a lot of food, lower the freezer’s temperature 10 degrees for 24 hours.

Some foods do not freeze well, including cooked egg whites; crackers and chips; crumb toppings; cream, custard or meringue-topped pies; mayonnaise or salad dressings and some raw fruits and vegetables, such as apples and tomatoes.

If you thaw your food before reheating it, always defrost it in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.

A two-quart frozen casserole will take about 1-1/2 hours to reheat at 350 degrees. Microwaves work well for reheating; check your microwave instruction book.