8 foods your freezer can ruin, if you’re not careful

Using your freezer smartly is one of the best ways to save money, reduce food waste, and make cooking faster and easier. A running joke among my colle...

Using your freezer smartly is one of the best ways to save money, reduce food waste, and make cooking faster and easier. A running joke among my colleagues is how much I say you can freeze - bread! Cake! Tomato paste! Vegetable scraps! Full meals! But the fact is, not everything should be frozen.

Some foods should never go on ice because their quality suffers too much. Others can be frozen if you keep in mind certain caveats and prepare them properly. Here’s what to know about foods you shouldn’t freeze, or freeze only in specific circumstances.Certain vegetables - Avoid freezing high-water vegetables, including watercress, endive, lettuces, cucumbers and radishes, Gina Homolka advises in "Skinnytaste Meal Prep.” They will turn mushy when thawed. Others, such as celery, cabbage and tomatoes (peel and core first) can be frozen but are then only suitable for cooked preparations, such as soups and stews, the National Center for Home Food Preservation says.

Most vegetables you want to freeze will benefit from blanching, as food writer Angela Davis explained for us in 2020. Typically that means boiling for two to three minutes before shocking them in an ice bath. Have a look at her full primer on how to blanch and freeze vegetables.

Potatoes can be tricky. Raw spuds may turn mushy and grainy, and even in cooked dishes, they can discolor, disintegrate or lose their flavor. The Penn State Extension recommends using prepared, frozen potatoes within two to four weeks. It suggests freezing small new potatoes after blanching. Also, "when possible, add potatoes to frozen dishes when they are ready to be served.” Oil-blanched potatoes intended for fries freeze well, in addition to twice-baked potatoes or potato casserole, says chef Ashley Christensen, author of "It’s Always Freezer Season Cookbook” with Kaitlyn Goalen.Fresh herbs - Don’t use frozen herbs as garnishes, as their color and texture won’t hold up. "Mince the herbs as finely as you can and fill your tray about ¾ of the way full,” Davis wrote. "Top the herbs off with olive oil to best preserve flavor, but water works, too. Freeze until solid, then transfer the frozen herb cubes to a storage container.” Another option is to combine herbs and oil in a food processor and transfer to a container, ice cube tray or bag, where you can simply break off what you need.

You can freeze herb sprigs and leaves after washing, draining and patting them dry, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Wrap well and pop in a resealable bag. Again, use only in cooked situations.Liquid and cultured dairy - Frozen milk, cream and buttermilk "will lose their viscosity and creaminess” when thawed, Christensen says.