A good organization is a key to achieving a balanced diet. At least, according to my experience. In our case, I plan to plan meals for the week (including mid-morning snack and snack) during the previous weekend. In this way, I make sure that we eat in a balanced and healthy way, buy only what is necessary (and therefore, avoid spending more and, more importantly, throwing food) and save ourselves running at super weekdays.
Then, on Sundays, I take the opportunity to cook everything I can prepare beforehand. Many times, since I wear, I make rations of more than freeze for those days when planning fails, there is any unforeseen or simply, we do not feel like cooking. Also, take advantage when we go to the fishmonger and bakery we like to buy and freeze fish and bread for at least two or three weeks.
But can all foods be frozen? The truth is that most, yes. But it is also true that many of them lose some flavor and texture. Among the foods that cannot be frozen include eggs, potatoes and stews that contain rich in fat (cream, mayonnaise, etc.) foods, salad vegetables (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, etc.), Rice or fried foods. In the case of pasta, although in principle should not be frozen, we do freeze fresh pasta craft.
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The rest, with specific exceptions, can be. In our case, as I said, the foods we freeze are the following. The recommended storage times are an estimate at the quality level.
Bread:
In the case of bread, it is best to keep it at room temperature or directly in the freezer, where we can have it perfectly for about three months. If the bread is of quality, thawing it directly in the oven or in the toaster is practically the same as freshly made.
This is not useful for old loaves of bread or the typical ‘chicle’ bread, which will not know anything and will break the one you try to defrost. It is more convenient for me to freeze the already cut bread (so you can only remove those slices that you are going to eat) and wait until it cools down a bit before putting it in the freezer. If you freeze it when the bread is still hot, the slices stick and then it is difficult to separate them without breaking them.
Fish:
I try to eat salmon at least once a week. This habit was part of the diet my doctor did to raise vitamin D levels along with other blue fish, dairy, and fortified foods. As I did very well and then I got better (in autumn and winter, however, I turn to nutritional supplements on time, if necessary), it is a diet plan that I try to maintain.
So, when I go to the fishmongers, I use to buy enough salmon (in slices or steaks) that I clean and freeze when I get home. I also do it with other white fish (sole, hake, monkfish, etc.), especially if they are at a good price, as well as with calamari, whose season here is in September and October. In the case of bluefish, can be kept in the freezer for about 2 or 3 months; While white fish and squid can be stored for up to 6 months. Freezing fish is a good strategy to make sure we eat a minimum of rations from this food group.
Meat:
As with fish, we can also freeze meat of all kinds: beef, pork, chicken, lamb, rabbit … If you cannot go often to the market, it is worth taking the opportunity to buy quality meat and freeze it at home.
Veal steaks can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 year, just like roast beef. In the case of chicken, whether it is in fillets or thighs, about 9 months; While bacon, sausages and hamburgers should not be more than 1 month in the freezer.
Sausage:
We can also freeze sausage. In fact, we can have it in the freezer about two months. Although becoming less and less, at home we usually freeze the sweet ham and turkey.
Vegetables:
I love vegetable creams. Of zucchini, pumpkin, carrot, cauliflower, broccoli … Above all, now in autumn and winter. That’s why I almost always prepare them in large quantities to be able to have more rations than to freeze.
If you like to add creams or purees to a question, cream of milk or a little yogurt, it is better to freeze them ‘sin’. That is, it is preferable to freeze only vegetable cream and, once thawed, add these fattier ingredients when heated. To freeze vegetables, it is advisable to boil them in boiling water to reduce or stop the action of the enzymes, so that they stop ripening and avoid the loss of flavor and color. If we skip this step, the enzymes of vegetables can remain active in the freezer and,
Fruit:
In the case of the fruit, I only freeze those pieces that I see that we are not going to eat and that I do not want them to be spoiled. For example, a lot happens to us with bananas. If I see a banana that starts to turn black, I cut it into pieces and freeze it. Then I use it for fruit smoothies.
Also, sometimes, I freeze leftovers from some stew that I could prepare. If this is the case, we have about 3 months to eat them.
Of course, to freeze food properly it is important that the freezer is at about -18 ° C and use containers suitable for it. If we are going to keep food in its original packaging for more than two months, we recommend covering them with heavy-duty aluminum foil or paper and freezer bags. It is also important to label the content and date of freezing with a label.
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As I explained in the post How to Organize the refrigerator of this health blog, I like to use Tupperware airtight glass or jars mason, although I recognize that often succumb to freezer bags for practicality. It is advisable, in general, to freeze food as fast as possible.
To optimally defrost food, it is advisable to do it progressively, in the refrigerator or at room temperature. My trick is, at night, put in the fridge the cream, the fish or the meat that we are going to eat the next day for dinner. Normally, noon, if we do not eat at home, we try to prepare tappers with fresh food (salads very complete type, meals, etc.).
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