Can you freeze spaghetti? Storing: Leftovers with cooked meat or chicken can be stored in the freezer for 2 to 6 months. Egg-containing casseroles are best eaten within 2 to 3 months. For a more comprehensive list of cold food storage, check out this list put together by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. In some cases, your frozen food items can be used straight from the freezer. Those frozen bananas and berries can go straight into a smoothie or shake. In other cases, though, you’ll need to plan ahead and properly defrost and thaw food before working with it—especially when it comes to working with raw meat.
Sign, seal and deliver (to the freezer): Jot down the item name and date on every meal-prep item you freeze. Depending on what’s inside, I like to scribble other details as well, to help me out when I pull meals from the freezer. You might want to make a note of the recipe name, freeze date, number of servings or portions and reheating/cooking directions. Use good quality freezer bags to freeze soups, beans and sauces. They save space because you can lay them flat to freeze. Once frozen, you can stack them up on top of each other or keep them in bins upright.
Sour Cream – This one changes consistency, so it’s best to bake or cook with when thawed. It probably won’t make the best topping for your tacos, but it would taste delicious in a casserole! Ricotta Cheese – Be mindful that this also changes consistency. However, there are so many ways to use ricotta cheese after it’s thawed! Lasagna roll ups, anyone? Cream Cheese – This is one that can change consistency. But if you thaw it slow and steady in the fridge, you’ll get the best result! Try to plan ahead when you want to use frozen cream cheese. Cheese, Sliced or Shredded – It’s always great to have cheese on hand! While you can freeze a whole block of cheese, we wouldn’t suggest doing that since it’s hard to use once you thaw it. Slice or shred it before you freeze to make it more convenient for meal prep. Read additional details at How Long Does Spaghetti Last.
Don’t: Thaw on the Counter Thawing food properly is critical to preventing foodborne bacteria from multiplying to dangerous levels, says Hutchings. Don’t plan on thawing any kind of food at room temperature, she advises, even seemingly “safer” options like leftovers or cooked meats. Instead, she offers these four methods: Thaw by cooking This works especially well for small pieces of food, including ground or chopped meat. Thaw in the microwave This is typically the second-fastest way to thaw food (cooking is the fastest). It’s not recommended for large food items, such as whole chickens, but it is ideal for smaller foods or foods that will be added to a larger dish later.