9 Foods You Should Never Put in the Freezer

Without a doubt, freezers changed the world by allowing us to store food for extended periods of time. But while freezers technically can accommodate virtually anything, that doesn’t mean you should stick every type of food into one. Properly sealing your food in freezer-safe containers or vacuum-sealed pouches, plus making sure your freezer is the correct temperature (a consistent 0°F, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture), are only half the battle when it comes to ensuring food that goes in is just as good when it comes out. You also need to know which foods to avoid putting in the freezer in the first place, since some things simply don’t do well in one.

Below are a few foods you shouldn’t put in a freezer—unless you want to risk ruining a perfectly good meal.

1. Milk (and Other Dairy Products)
2. Whole Cucumbers
3. Certain Lettuces
4. Shellfish That Has Already Been Frozen, Then Thawed
5. Cooked Pasta
6. Raw Potatoes
7. Soda (and Other Canned Goods)
8. Fried Foods
9. Jell-O
10. Chef-Approved Tips for Freezing Food

Milk (and Other Dairy Products)

When milk freezes, the fat separates from the liquid, which may cause it to curdle—and leave you with a grainy and slushy texture once it has been thawed. It’s best to just discard milk and buy a new carton rather than trying to prolong its use by sticking it in the freezer.  

Whole Cucumbers

Experts generally advise against freezing whole cucumbers because of their high water content; the ice crystals that form will cause the vegetables to lose their snap and crispness after they’ve thawed, which is part of the fun of eating them in the first place. It is possible, however, to freeze sliced or pureed cucumbers, so long as you do so correctly.

Certain Lettuces

Some lettuces—including romaine—have a high water content, so freezing them is generally not recommended because (like cucumbers) they’ll be soggy and unappetizing when defrosted. That said, if you plan to use the lettuces in something like a soup, or have heartier leaf like kale or radicchio, freeze away!

Shellfish That Has Already Been Frozen, Then Thawed

You can most definitely freeze fresh shellfish once without issue—but after you’ve thawed it, you should cook it post-haste. Not only can quality degrade if it’s refrozen, but you also run the risk of increased bacterial growth if you’re thawing at room temperature and not in the fridge. (And, as The Kitchn notes, most seafood in the case at your local grocery store was already frozen for transport and thawed for display, so you won’t want to put it back in your freezer.) It’s best to discard shellfish if it goes unused for a while after defrosting.

Cooked Pasta

According to experts, when pasta is cooked, frozen, and then reheated, the pasta will have the mushy texture of an overcooked noodle. If you absolutely must freeze cooked noodles, consider doing as The Kitchn recommends: Cook them until they’re not quite al dente before throwing them in the freezer, then reheat the noodles in sauce.

Raw Potatoes

Instead of freezing raw potatoes—which, thanks to the vegetable’s high water content, can ruin the texture once thawed—try blanching, mashing, or roasting them before popping them in the freezer.

Soda (and Other Canned Goods)

Putting a warm can of soda into a freezer to quickly cool it down might be tempting, but avoid it unless you want to clean up a slushy mess: The contents of that soda can (or any other canned good) are likely to expand, leading to an explosion. If you absolutely have to use the freezer to get soda cold quickly, pour it into a freezer-safe container before doing so. Or play it safe and just use ice.

Fried Foods

It’s fine to buy and cook frozen French fries from the grocery store, but if you cook those French fries and then refreeze them, they’ll be soggy once defrosted—and the same goes for any other leftover fried foods you throw in your freezer. As Tasting Table notes, the melted water will destroy any crunch and crispiness the food once had (not even frying it again will fix that), and the oil used to fry it might not fully freeze and could go rancid. Life’s too short for mushy French fries, so in general, they’re best enjoyed immediately after cooking. If you must, you can refrigerate for a couple of days and then reheat.

Jell-O

Jell-O, which is made from gelatin, doesn’t fare so well once frozen: The gelatin will actually start to break apart, which in turn can transform the treat you had in mind for after dinner into a slippery, watered-down shadow of its former jiggly glory. That said, there are some folks who swear by frozen Jell-O—they claim that while the texture definitely changes and becomes more chewy, it’s still worth a try.

Chef-Approved Tips for Freezing Food

In 2020, Chef Frank Proto from the Institute of Culinary Education sat down with Mental Floss to discuss a few key tips for freezing food. Here are some takeaways you can use in your own kitchen:

• To freeze most vegetables, cut the veggies to roughly the same size. Then, blanch them by immersing them in boiling water (how long will depend on the vegetable and size of your cut) followed by ice water. Make sure the veggies are dry before sticking them in an airtight bag and freezing.
• Skip blanching when freezing tender veggies and fruits. Instead, clean them, dry them, then pre-freeze on a cookie sheet before sealing them in an airtight bag.
• Putting hot soups in the freezer can lead to freezer burn, so you’ll want to make sure soups and stews are totally chilled before freezing. You want to cool them as quickly as possible to cut down on the risk of bacterial contamination; to quickly cool soups, split them into smaller containers or dip the whole pot into a larger vessel of ice water.
• If you’re not vacuum-sealing, wrap meat in plastic wrap and foil before sticking it in the freezer. Don’t forget to write the date on it so you know how long it’s been in there!

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