Freezing Prepared Foods

Freezing Recommendations for Commonly Prepared Foods

Food

Preparation

Serving

Storage Time

COMBINATION DISHES

Foods should be undercooked.

Baked beans and other bean dishes; rice or spaghetti dishes; lasagna; chow mein; soups; stuffed peppers or eggplants; meat pies

Use a minimum of bacon, ham or salt pork; omit potatoes in soups and meat pies. Cook until nearly done, and cool by setting pan or oven/freezer- tempered baking dish in a shallow pan of ice water. Stir occasionally. Wrap package compactly to eliminate air space and freeze promptly. For meat pies, use top crust only and freeze unbaked pie before wrapping.

Partially thaw in refrigerator to prevent overcooking and heat in top of double boiler, or at 400 °F for 30-45 minutes. For meat pies, cut vent in crust and bake without thawing at 400 °F for 45 to 60 minutes, or until piping hot and crust is golden brown.

MEAT

Meat loaf

Prepare as usual. Do not put bacon strips on top. May bake if you wish. Package.

Unwrap and cook unbaked meat loaf at 
350 °F for 1½ hours, previously baked for 
1 hour or until hot.

3-4 months

Roast — beef, pork or poultry.

Roast as usual. Remove as much fat as possible. Keep pieces large. Cut meat from the bone to save space. To keep meat from drying out, cover sliced meat with broth, sauce, or gravy and package in rigid containers leaving headspace.

Thaw in refrigerator and reheat in foil at 325 °F for 15-20 minutes. Unthawed meat with sauce may be slowly heated on top of stove or in oven.

2-4 months

POTATOES

Mashed

Store leftovers in a straight-sided container; or add a beaten egg and shape into patties. Shape and store with double layer of paper between patties.

Thaw just enough to slip potatoes into top of double boiler; heat over boiling water. Dip patties in flour and fry slowly without thawing.

2-4 weeks

Stuffed (baked)

Cut freshly baked potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out potato, leaving skin unbroken. Mash scooped-out potato and season. Pile into shells. Cool and wrap.

Remove from package or wrap. Place on baking sheet. Reheat at 325 to 350 °F until piping hot. Add cheese if desired.

1 month

French Fries

Use a high-starch content potato for frying (Idaho or similar type). Fry in hot fat until a light brown.

Spread on cookie sheet and place in 400 °F oven until thawed and crisp.

1-2 months

Sweet Potatoes

Dip boiled, peeled potatoes in lemon juice or package with cooking water around them. Freeze candied or mashed potatoes in a casserole. Leave skin on baked potatoes.

Reheat in 325 to 
350 °F oven until hot throughout.

3 months

COMPARTMENT PLATES OR TRAYS

Package foods together that have similar storage and heating times. Most vegetables need only blanching before freezing. Sauces may be added. Package in foil trays.

Do not thaw. Heat, covered with foil, at
 400 °F for 20 to 30 minutes. For crisp foods, uncover the last 10 to 15 minutes.

1 month

BREADS

Biscuits, muffins, coffee cake, fruit bread

Prepare as usual, cool. Freeze in pan and cover tightly or package in aluminum foil for reheating.

Thaw in wrapping at room temperature or heat in pan or foil in 325 to 350 °F oven until hot.

muffins: 6-12 months

Waffles

Cook to a light brown. Separate in layers in plastic container or freeze separately and then package.

Heat without thawing in the toaster until hot and crispy.

1-2 months

Yeast: rolls, sweet rolls, loaves, coffee cake

Dough may be shaped, placed in pans and frozen; or baked before freezing. Cover uncooked bread tightly and freeze before product rises. For baked bread, cool, then cover pan tightly or place product in foil.

For unbaked bread, uncover and let bread rise before baking. Bake at 350 to 375 °F. For baked bread, reheat in pan or foil at 300 °F for 15 to 20 minutes.

3-6 months

Use day-old bread, spread to edges with soft butter or margarine. Add filling and spread evenly. Omit crisp vegetables, hard-cooked egg white, tomato, jellies and jams. Mayonnaise tends to separate. Use salad dressing or home-cooked dressing. Package.

Thaw at room temper- ature in wrappings, 3 to 4 hours. Sandwiches for grilling, such as cheese or ham, should be thawed before grilling. Frozen sandwiches in a lunch box will keep other foods cool as they thaw.

Others: 3-6 months

CAKES

Shortened cakes

Prepare and bake as usual in layers or loaf pan. Cool. Remove from pans and wrap tightly. Loaf cake may be cut to family-size pieces before wrapping. For best results, freeze cake and frosting separately. See note below.*

Thaw cake in wrapping at room temperature. Ice and serve.

2-4 months

Angel food, chiffon, sponge cakes

Bake thoroughly; cool. Frosted: Freeze before wrapping. Do not use egg white frosting. Unfrosted: Wrap and freeze. Place in container that will prevent crushing. *Note: Fudge frosting and powdered sugar icings made with fat freeze well. Cooked candy-type frostings may stay soft and creamy between layers, but often crack and crumble on outside of cake.

Frosted or filled: Unwrap and thaw in refrigerator. Unfrosted: Thaw in wrap on rack 1 to 2 hours at room temperature. If wrapped in aluminum foil, thaw at 300 °F. for 15 to 20 minutes.

Egg-yolk cakes:
2 months

COOKIES

Baked

Prepare and bake as stated in recipe. Cool thoroughly. Package in foil or rigid container with two layers of waxed paper between cookies.

Thaw in containers at room temperature. Remove from containers and serve.

6 months

Unbaked

Refrigerator cookies: Form dough into roll. Slice if desired. Package in moisture- and vapor-resistant paper. Drop cookies: Drop on sheet or just package bulk dough.

Thaw dough in refrigerator. Firm cookie dough may be sliced before completely thawed and baked.

6 months

PIES

Baked fruit, mince, nut pies

Make as usual. Cool rapidly. Freeze before packaging. Pies are easier to wrap after freezing.

Let stand at room temperature about 15 minutes, then heat in 
350 °F oven until warm, about 30 min.

3-4 months

Unbaked fruit, mince, nut pies (unbaked fruit pies have a better fresh-fruit flavor than frozen baked pies, but bottom crust tends to get soggy)

Make as usual except add 1 extra tablespoon flour or tapioca or ½ tablespoon cornstarch to juicy fillings to prevent boiling over when pies are later baked. Do not cut vents in top crust. Steam and cool light fruits before making pies. Freeze in pan. Package.

Unwrap and cut vent holes in upper crust. Put pan on cookie sheet. Bake without thawing at 450 °F, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 °F for 20 to 30 minutes or until top crust is brown.

Chiffon

Prepare as usual. Freeze, then wrap.

Unwrap; thaw in refrig-
erator for 1 to 2 hours.

2 weeks

Custard, Pumpkin

Bake until done. Cool quickly. May use fan. Wrap and freeze.

Unwrap; thaw in refrig-
erator or in 325 °F oven. Serve chilled or reheat in 375 °F oven.

2 months