How to Freeze Food
To freeze food, start by letting it cool to room temperature if it's hot. Then, chill it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes so it's not warm when it goes in the freezer. Next, transfer the food to sealable freezer bags or containers in single-meal portions so you can easily thaw the right amount when you're ready to eat it. Finally, label the bags or containers with the name of the food and the packaging date.
Choose freezer-friendly foods. Meat (beef, pork, etc.), poultry ( turkey , chicken, etc.), fish, vegetables, fruits, bread, raw pastry, grated cheese, butter, margarine, milk, casseroles, soups, stews, chili, and meatloaf all freeze well. Avoid freezing raw eggs, cooked grains and pastas, most fried food, mayo, sour cream, fruit jelly, meringue, gelatin, and milk sauces. Season lightly before freezing dishes. Freezing causes many seasonings and spices to change flavor. Spices like cloves and pepper, and foods including green pepper, garlic, imitation vanilla, and some herbs, will have a strong, bitter taste after being frozen. Onion and paprika may also shift in flavor, and celery seasonings get stronger. Curry will also taste off and slightly musty. If you're cooking large portions to freeze for later, season lightly. You can add seasoning to your liking once the food has been defrosted and reheated. Let hot food cool at room temperature before refrigerating it. Hot and recently cooked foods need to be chilled in the refrigerator before freezing. However, they need to cool down at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before putting them in the fridge. You can just leave the dish out on the counter to cool down. Chill room temperature food in the fridge before freezing it. After cooling for 20 to 30 minutes, transfer the food to a wide, shallow dish. Place the shallow dish in the fridge, uncovered. Chill the food until it reaches refrigerator temperature. If you put hot or warm food in the freezer, it will raise the temperature inside, causing frozen foods already in the freezer to partially thaw and then refreeze. This can negatively impact the quality, taste, and texture. Use high quality packaging and freezer bags. No matter what size you choose, make sure the bags are flexible and labeled as “freezer bags,” not “storage” or “sandwich” bags. Use moisture resistant wrapping materials like plastic freezer wrap, freezer paper, and heavy-weight aluminum foil. Rigid containers made of plastic or glass also work great because they're easy to stack in the fridge. Make sure the containers have airtight lids. Choose materials that are easy to write on or otherwise label. Pack foods in single-meal portions. Not only do foods freeze faster when packaged in smaller portions, but the food is easier to defrost and use later. Because of bacteria growth, it's not safe to defrost a large portion of food, use some of it, and refreeze the leftovers. The only exception is if you cook the food before you refreeze it. The heat will kill the bacteria. In general, avoid freezing more than one quart of food in a single package. The faster a dish freezes, the better the quality will be once it's thawed. Arrange the food so that the package has a flat, square shape. Thin, flat packages of food are easier to store because you can stack them in your freezer. Flat, rectangular packages also freeze more quickly and defrost evenly. Round packages defrost unevenly because they take longer to defrost in the center. Seal food tightly in the bag, container, or packaging. Freezer bags have 2 types of closures – the fold-over types that are secured with twist ties, and the zipper or pressed seal closures. All of them work fine as long as you remove as much air as possible from the bag before you seal it up. Make sure the seal is tightly closed. Use freezer tape on packages wrapped in butcher paper. Check containers for a firm seal before putting the food in the freezer. Label the package clearly with the dish name and packaging date. To avoid having a freezer full of mystery foods, label every package with the dish name and the packaging date. You may want to write the number of servings and any other helpful information on the outside of the package, as well. Use a permanent marker so the label will remain legible in the months to come. Put the packages in the freezer with plenty of space around them. Avoid packing frozen food tightly in your freezer. When you first put the food in the freezer, arrange the packages in a single layer with a little room around each one. That way, the air circulates and the food freezes faster. Once fully frozen, you can stack them to make room in the freezer for other items. Trim the fat and bones from all meat before freezing. This will release excess fluids and gases that are present in the meat, helping to retain the freshness and quality during freezing. Store meats from large cuts, like steaks and venison, in the freezer for up to 12 months. Freeze chicken for up to 9 months. Transfer chicken to freezer bags and remove all the air from each bag before sealing it. You may want to wrap the bags in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper before putting them in the freezer. This will protect against freezer burn and add an extra layer of protection against contamination. Store meats for the appropriate length of time. The shelf life varies from meat to meat, mostly depending on how much fluid is present in the meat. Store cured ham and bacon in the freezer for up to 1 month, cooked meats for up to 2 months, and ground meat in the freezer for up to 3 months. Keep sliced and shaved meat and hotdogs in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Freeze most fish for up to 3 months. Fatty fish, like salmon, go rancid the fastest. Toss those out after 2 to 3 months. Lean and cooked fish will last from 4 to 6 months. Store oysters for 2 to 3 months. Shrimp and scallops will be fine for 3 to 6 months. Store other shellfish between 2 and 3 months. Lobster, however, can be stored for up to 12 months. Double wrap fish to control the smell. When freezing fish, package them tightly and then wrap them again. This will prevent that fishy smell from filling your freezer and tainting the other foods in there. Stick to using freezer-friendly veggies. Many vegetables freeze well, but there are some that do not. In general, cabbage, celery, cress, cucumbers, endive, lettuce, parsley, radishes, potatoes, and veggies with a high water content will not freeze well. They will lose their flavor and often become limp once thawed. Blanch vegetables before freezing them. Most vegetables retain their color, flavor, and texture best when blanched first. The time will vary for different vegetables, but in general, boil the vegetables for 3-5 minutes, then plunge them into an ice bath. Dry the vegetables with a paper towel and package them up. Peppers and onions are the exceptions; do not blanch these vegetables. Always wash the vegetables before blanching. Throw vegetables out after 8 to 12 months in the freezer. Most frozen veggies will retain freshness and flavor for up to one year. After that, toss them out. The sooner you consume the vegetables, the better they will taste. Toss out frozen tomatoes after 2 months. Wash and trim your fruit before freezing. This will help retain the freshness of your fruit and prevent it from turning brown in the freezer. Rinse the fruit under fresh, running water, then slice each fruit into pieces. Pat the pieces dry with a paper towel, then package them up in well-sealed containers or bags. Store most fruits in the freezer for 10 to 12 months. Most fruits can be frozen for up to a year. After that, toss them out. Citrus fruits have a shorter shelf life – they will retain their flavor and appearance for 4 and 6 months. Fruits with high water content, like watermelon, do not freeze well. Toss out bananas after 2 months. 
Choose freezer-friendly foods. Season lightly before freezing dishes. Let hot food cool at room temperature before refrigerating it. Chill room temperature food in the fridge before freezing it. Use high quality packaging and freezer bags. Pack foods in single-meal portions. Arrange the food so that the package has a flat, square shape. Seal food tightly in the bag, container, or packaging. Label the package clearly with the dish name and packaging date. Put the packages in the freezer with plenty of space around them. Trim the fat and bones from all meat before freezing. Freeze chicken for up to 9 months. Store meats for the appropriate length of time. Freeze most fish for up to 3 months. Double wrap fish to control the smell. Stick to using freezer-friendly veggies. Blanch vegetables before freezing them. Throw vegetables out after 8 to 12 months in the freezer. Wash and trim your fruit before freezing. Store most fruits in the freezer for 10 to 12 months. 