According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), 99 percent of all holiday meals generate leftovers. Wrapping food properly in air-tight plastic containers can extend the life of your favorite holiday dishes. Follow these simple food packaging and storage tips to make the most of your holiday leftovers.
• To prolong freshness, contain and store foods in a refrigerator or freezer within two hours after cooking.
• Be sure stored foods are tightly wrapped. When using a sealable plastic bag, try to squeeze out as much air as possible. This will conserve space and help to prevent freezer burn.
• Divide different parts of the meal into multiple plastic containers and freeze them separately.
• Store leftovers in shallow plastic containers, less than two inches deep, for rapid, even cooling. Larger or deeper containers take longer to freeze or thaw.
• While it is generally okay to refreeze partially thawed foods, keep in mind that refreezing can cause foods to become watery or soft. Also remember that although freezing does reduce the growth of microbes, it won’t eliminate bacteria that already exist in your food, so it’s important not to let thawed foods sit at room temperature.
• You can slightly undercook plant-based foods (e.g., pasta, rice, and vegetables) that will be frozen, as they can be fully cooked when they are reheated. Always be sure to thoroughly cook meat, fish and poultry before serving.
• If possible, thaw food in the refrigerator so it doesn’t have an opportunity to sit at room temperature. It takes most frozen foods about 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator to thaw completely. Eat thawed foods as soon as possible, since food spoils more quickly at this point than when it’s fresh.
• Use these containers for freezer packaging: zip-top plastic freezer bag, plastic coated freezer paper, plastic containers with wide mouths and tight-fitting lids, and heavy-duty plastic wrap.
• Add casserole toppings (like cheese or bread crumbs) when the dish is being heated to serve.
• When you have questions about food freshness, remember this: When in doubt, it’s best to throw it out!
Tips from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC® Freezer Friendly Meals and plasticsinfo.org
