*Photo used for illustrative purpose*
1. Water-Rich Vegetables
These include crunchy celery, lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, and
watercress. The fact that they are water-rich means they freeze easily,
but freezing ruptures the cell walls that give them their structure, so
when they are defrosted they go limp and mushy. (They also develop an
unpleasant oxidized aroma, flavor, and color.) However, pickled and
fermented veggies will freeze just fine, since their cell walls have
already been broken down. Fresh tomatoes can be frozen if you plan to
cook them after defrosting, but if you want to eat them raw, don't
freeze—they'll have a mushy, runny texture.
2. Whole Eggs
Eggs in the shell bust open when frozen, admitting dangerous bacteria.
(If you really want to freeze eggs, take them out of their shells,
first.
3. Coffee
You can store unopened, freshly roasted bags of coffee in the freezer
for up to a month, but after you've opened the bag, don't freeze it
again. Thawing and refreezing coffee beans leads to moisture
condensation on the beans, causing them absorb unpleasant freezer
smells.
4. Soft Dairy Products
Sour cream, cottage cheese, and whipping cream separate and become watery after freezing.
5. Potatoes
Potatoes will discolor and lose texture if you freeze them raw;
cooked potatoes turn waterlogged and mealy. Bottom line: Don't freeze
your spuds.
6. Emulsions
Freezing causes mayonnaise and salad dressings to separate and turn
watery. (This also goes for recipes containing mayonnaise, such as dips
or mayo-based salads.)
7. Block Cheeses
Freezing tends to make cheese very crumbly so that it doesn't slice or
shred well after. (To avoid this, you can shred your cheese before
freezing it.)
8. Meringues + Cooked Frosting
Freezing turns airy meringues tough and rubbery; and makes cooked
frostings soften and weep. Finish those desserts now instead of putting
them on ice for later.
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