A complete guide to freezing food: What you can and can't put in the freezer | The Independent | The Independent

2022-08-15 05:44:52 By : Ms. Josie Wu

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You can freeze more foods than you might think

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Roughly one third of all the food produced for human consumption across the world is wasted every year.

This equates to approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food being thrown away - which is a cost to the environment and our bank accounts.

But one incredibly helpful tool in the crusade against food waste is the freezer.

However, many of us aren’t sure what the rules are when it comes to freezing food.

Which foods are safe to freeze? How long can you keep something in the freezer for? Should you freeze food when raw or cooked?

Speaking on Australia's Today show, Dr Joanna McMillan dispelled some of the myths around freezing foods and revealed which ingredients many of us don't know can be safely frozen, such as eggs and herbs.

“Freezing is a really amazing way of preserving our food because you don't have to use chemical preservatives,” Dr McMillan said.

“It’s actually one of the oldest means of preserving foods [...] I think we under-utilise the freezer in today’s age where we think everything that’s fresh is better for us and it’s actually not the truth.”

However it's worth bearing in mind that freezing doesn't completely remove bacteria, so if something is on the verge of going bad, it may be too late to pop it in the freezer.

As a general rule, nothing should be kept in the freezer for longer than nine months to a year, but there is variation amongst different food items.

Make the most of your freezer to make your life easier - and help save the planet at the same time.

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