theIndusParent Logo
theIndusParent Logo
  • Pregnancy
    • Fertility & Conception
    • First Trimester
    • Second Trimester
    • Third Trimester
    • Labour & Delivery
    • Post-delivery Care
    • Miscarriage
    • 9 Months
  • Baby
    • Development
    • Breastfeeding
    • Weaning
    • Health
    • Behaviour
    • Gear & Wear
    • Baby Names
    • Nine Months-0 to 1
  • Toddler
    • Development
    • Health
    • Behaviour
    • Life Skills
    • Trendy Wear
    • 9 Months Season 3: Toddler Years
  • Pre-teen
    • Development
    • Health
    • Education
    • Behaviour
    • Lifeskills
    • Fashion
  • Mums
    • Awesome Working Mums
    • Celeb Mums
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Sex
    • Labour Story
  • Health
    • Nutrition
    • Fitness
    • Home Remedies
    • Chakra Healing
    • Experts' Corner
  • Family & Leisure
    • Relationships
    • For Dads
    • Essential Life Tips
    • Money
    • Recipes
    • Celebrations
    • Travel
    • Vastu
    • Astrology
    • Baby Photos
    • Video
    • Events & Workshops
    • Review
    • Contest
  • हिंदी
  • தமிழ்
  • বাংলা
  • Video

How can you safely thaw and refreeze food?

3 min read
How can you safely thaw and refreeze food?How can you safely thaw and refreeze food?

Plenty of families eat a lot of leftovers. It's totally convenient, so we understand why. But can we really thaw and refreeze our foods safely?

Plenty of parents cook in big batches and freeze what they can’t finish to eat at a later date—it saves plenty of time and is super convenient as well. But once you’ve thawed out a once-frozen meal, can you refreeze it again?

Food editor Rick Martinez and chef instructor Rick Martinez tells Huffington Post that you can keep refreezing and re-thawing food. But there’s a caveat—you can thaw and refreeze food, but you probably shouldn’t.

Why not? There are two main reasons:

1. Thawing and re-freezing makes your food mushy

This is because the water in your food expands during freezing and changes the consistency of your food. You can probably get away with refreezing soup as it’s mostly water, but with meats and other dishes, you’re probably going to end up with a sloppy, pathetic mess.

2. Thawing and re-freezing introduces bacteria

Freezing does stop bacteria from growing, but it doesn’t kill bacteria that’s already there. And when we thaw our food, we introduce more bacteria.

But sometimes, we do need to refreeze food, just so we don’t waste anything. You might get away with it if you do it the right way.

Go to the next page to find out how to properly thaw and freeze your food.

Here are some tips on freezing and thawing from Bon Appetit and Huffington Post to ensure that you do it correctly:

Freezing

1. Don’t freeze in glass jars

That is, unless you know that they’re freezer-safe. Opt for plastic containers and freezer bags instead.

2. Never use hot water to defrost something

You might accidentally cook the frozen food, which will change its texture and flavor.

3. Wait for hot food to cool down to room temperature before putting them in the freezer

But don’t wait too long. Give it a few hours to cool down but don’t leave anything overnight to cool.

Thawing

1. Move it from your freezer 6-8 hours before you plan to eat it

If it’s something bigger like a whole chicken, you might need more time to let it thaw.

2. If you failed to do that, use water to speed up the process

Run the food (still in a sealed container) under room temperature tap water. This helps your food thaw faster.

3. If you use a microwave, cook and eat it immediately

As microwaves heat foods unevenly, this works best for soups.

READ: 11 Foods you don’t need to store in your fridge

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the article, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ and Twitter to stay up-to-date on the latest from theIndusparent.com

Partner Stories
109-year-old woman shares her secret to long life
109-year-old woman shares her secret to long life
Man's bowels fall out after sitting on toilet for too long
Man's bowels fall out after sitting on toilet for too long
4 things parents should not do for their children
4 things parents should not do for their children
Kids at Harm in Maids' Hands
Kids at Harm in Maids' Hands

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Cristina Morales

  • Home
  • /
  • Article
  • /
  • How can you safely thaw and refreeze food?
Share:
  • Singapore Mum Loses Fingers And Toes To Rare Disease But Remains Strong For Her Son

    Singapore Mum Loses Fingers And Toes To Rare Disease But Remains Strong For Her Son

  • Marie Kondo's Secrets To Decluttering For Tired Parents!

    Marie Kondo's Secrets To Decluttering For Tired Parents!

  • Wife Finds Out That Husband Was The Blood Donor Who Saved Her Life 11 Years Ago

    Wife Finds Out That Husband Was The Blood Donor Who Saved Her Life 11 Years Ago

app info
get app banner
  • Singapore Mum Loses Fingers And Toes To Rare Disease But Remains Strong For Her Son

    Singapore Mum Loses Fingers And Toes To Rare Disease But Remains Strong For Her Son

  • Marie Kondo's Secrets To Decluttering For Tired Parents!

    Marie Kondo's Secrets To Decluttering For Tired Parents!

  • Wife Finds Out That Husband Was The Blood Donor Who Saved Her Life 11 Years Ago

    Wife Finds Out That Husband Was The Blood Donor Who Saved Her Life 11 Years Ago

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Ages + Stages
    • Baby
    • Baby Concerns
    • Baby Development
    • Baby Formula Feeding
    • Baby health
    • Baby Milestones
    • Breastfeeding
  • Family Life
    • Family & Leisure
    • Essential Tips
    • Family Fun
    • Events
    • For Dads
    • For Mum and Dad
  • Health & Wellness
    • India
    • International
    • Lifestyle
    • Kid's Entertainment
    • Indoor
    • Learning Activities
  • Toddler
    • Toddler Behaviour
    • Toddler Development
    • Toddler Discipline
    • Toddler Education
    • Toddler Health
    • Toddler Life Skills
  • Gallery
    • News
    • Celebrity
    • Features
    • Bollywood
    • Video
    • Marriage
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it