While cooking is a pleasure for some, it represents a real mental burden for others. To ease the pressure on panicked cooks, TikTok comes to the rescue, as usual, with numerous batch cooking videos focused on freezing sauces and dishes to simplify the process. We’ll tell you how to do it without risking food poisoning.
Beware of breaking the cold chain
“Yes, you can absolutely freeze your meals,” dietician Anaëlle d’Almeida told 20 Minutes without hesitation . At least, as long as there’s enough space in your freezer! Batch cooking saves time by cooking several meals at once and then eating them later. And that’s true! “A dish can be safely kept frozen for several months, as long as it remains at -18°C and the cold chain hasn’t been broken,” the dietician explained. This means avoiding situations like a broken freezer or prolonged exposure to high temperatures for several minutes or hours.
Because, as the professional points out, “long before freezing, the dish already contains food that may carry bacteria (contaminated or spoiled food, etc.).” It’s important to note that freezing doesn’t kill bacteria already present in food, but only slows their multiplication and activity.
The only drawback would mainly be the taste, smell, or color of your dishes, because “some foods lose their organoleptic qualities after thawing,” explains the dietician. This is the case, for example, with raw vegetables, cream-based dishes, shell eggs (which must be peeled before freezing, otherwise the shell will crack), or canned foods frozen directly in their metal can.
Convenient, certainly, but not necessarily for everyone, especially for those who like variety! It’s one thing to freeze large quantities of food to save time, it’s another to enjoy eating it once it’s defrosted.
How to freeze food safely?
If the necessary precautions have been taken during preparation, “there is no real risk in terms of freezing,” assures Anaëlle d’Almeida. Here are a few guidelines that the professional highlights to avoid health risks:
For dishes that have already been reheated, it’s best to avoid refreezing them. “Beyond the health risks, it can also damage the texture and taste,” says the dietician. If you can’t finish everything, don’t leave it at room temperature: put it straight in the refrigerator and eat it within 24 hours to avoid food waste.
