What Not to Freeze
Q. What foods are not recommended for freezing?
A. According to the University of Illinois Extension Service, some foods deteriorate almost to the point of being unusable after being frozen and thawed.
They may be perfectly safe to eat or use, but freezing food can change the texture or physical structure of some foods so that they may not be able to be used in the same way as fresh. Some may still be used for cooking, and some may not be usable at all upon thawing.
 Kim Jensen |
The University of Illinois Extension Service has developed a list of foods that probably should not be stored in the freezer as well as the reasons why:
| Food | Result of Freezing | |
| Cheese in blocks | Crumbles | |
| Cooked egg white | Crumbles | |
| Cottage cheese | Separates; becomes mushy | |
| Cream pies | Watery custard; soggy crust | |
| Custards | Watery | |
| Eggs | Cooked eggs become rubbery; raw yolks and whites become gummy | |
| Gravy | Fat separates; whisk when reheating | |
| Green onions, tomatoes | Watery, limp; OK for cooking | |
| Lettuce | Watery, limp | |
| Mayonnaise, milk, milk sauces, sour cream, yogurt |
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| Potatoes, raw | Texture changes; may darken | |
| Radishes | Poor texture; pithy |
While these foods shouldn't be frozen, ice cream most certainly should be. Learn about ice cream, sorbet and other fun frozen treats on the next page.
To learn more about freezing foods, check out the following related links:
