Can we talk about freezing food?

Stargazer77 · ‎03-09-2010

When preparing/cooking, when do you freeze your food?

For instance, lasagna. Do you prepare the lasagna and freeze it or do you cook the lasagna and freeze it?

How about meatloaf? Do you prepare your meatloaf and freeze it or do you cook your meatloaf and freeze it?

Are there certain things that freeze better prepared as opposed to cooked?

If you'd like to add other things you freeze, feel free. You never know when you'll inspire others.

*QVC Community member since 10/24/2006*

loriqvc · ‎11-06-2011

@Stargazer77 - I'm sure people will be happy to respond here, but if you check out the "Recipes" forum, there are quite a few threads on this subject that might be very helpful for you—just search for "freeze" or the name of a specific food you'd like to find out about if you don't want to scroll through everything.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

@loriqvc wrote:
@Stargazer77 - I'm sure people will be happy to respond here, but if you check out the "Recipes" forum, there are quite a few threads on this subject that might be very helpful for you.

@Stargazer77 Yes, by all means do that. Just don't resurrect an old thread because people here don't like when that happens.

sandy53 · ‎03-12-2010

I think both of those examples should be frozen prior to cooking them. If you cook them before freezing they would taste more like leftovers.

Freezing tends to dry out food. I add a little more liquid (sauce) to pasta dishes that I am going to freeze to make up for any drying that takes place.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

When I make lasagna, I make two or three. I freeze two before I cook them. When I make meatloag, I make two. I cook them both and then I freeze one. When I roast a chicken, I often roast two and freeze one.

Free2be · ‎03-10-2010

I freeze what can't be consumed that day, or the day after, after it is cooked. My freezer is always full but not very much "left over" for another meal. Sometimes a casserole too large for two but usually a soup because it is made in a larger quantity.

mimomof4 · ‎03-08-2018

Whenever I make Lasagna or a baked spaghetti I always make 2-4 and typically cook 1 but freeze the rest.

For any meal I am making specifically for freezing, I put into the freezer without cooking.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

I am a nut for food storage, so I do freeze a fair amount. The key, however, is that, if you want foods to stay pristine, is to vacuum seal them. If I didn't vac-seal, I would not be freezing such things.

Since lasagne was mentioned - when I've made a lasagne, mine is a pretty huge pan, so there is enough to feed an army. What I do is let it cool, cut it into individual square portions (since I'm not feeding a family or crowd), freeze them in L&L, then vacuum seal them in onesies or twosies.

That way, it will stay pristine for years and I can pull out just one or two servings at a time, leaving the rest to stay devoid of air and fresh.

Just the other day I had some turkey chili that I had made and vac-sealed in 2015. It was just like the day I made it. I basically do the same thing with my chilis and soups - After cooling (always!), I put it into Lock & Lock containers of 1 or 2 servings (one of those feeds me 2-3 times, but it's 1 serving for the husband), freeze those, then pop them out and vacuum seal them. I still have quite a bit of turkey chili and split pea soup from 2015 and I don't have to worry about it not being as good as day one.

I could go on all day, but I'll spare you.

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

I cook sausage with gravy & freeze to use on a biscuit.

We make steakburgers & freeze before cooking.

We cook Ham & Bean soup, Jambalaya, Gumbo & Chili & freeze.

If you are not sure how it will taste after cooking & freezing put a little in the freezer so you can check it out. If it's to your liking go ahead & freeze it.

Yes some things are better frozen before cooking & some things are good if frozen after cooking.