In our previous episode on freezing food – Podcast 220: FAQ – Freezing Food: Our How-To’s In Bulk Cooking, we touched upon the convenience and benefits of bulk cooking and storing food for later use. But many of you asked, “How do we defrost it safely and effectively?” This is crucial, as the way you defrost food can impact both its quality and safety. So in this episode, we will discuss hints and tips on how to defrost your food the right way.

Defrosting your lunchbox

When it comes to defrosting lunchbox foods, the approach varies depending on the climate you live in. For example, because Jo lives in a warmer climate in Queensland, she will often pack her kids’ lunchboxes with foods that are still frozen such as scrolls, biscuits, and slices. By lunchtime, they’re perfectly defrosted and ready to eat. However, in colder climates like where Tracey lives in Tasmania, you might need to pack your lunchbox the night before to ensure everything is defrosted by lunchtime.

You can even freeze fully iced and decorated cakes.  We like to freeze them in slices, so you can defrost them as needed. This will prevent them from going stale or mouldy, especially in humid climates where condensation can be an issue.

If you get condensation over your container, take the lid off and wipe it all down, or just put the food in a new container. It’s good to always keep an eye on moisture levels.

Fruit and veg

When it comes to other frozen items like lemon juice/zest, garlic, veggies, stewed fruits, and onion, these can often be used straight from frozen, especially in slow-cooked dishes.

When it comes to tomato paste, it is always best to buy it in glass jar form as it should be free from additives.  To ensure we don’t waste any, we often portion the tomato paste out into an ice-cube tray and freeze it.  Once frozen we simply pop them out and store them in a reusable freezer bad or container. That way all you have to do is defrost what you need for the recipe you’re cooking.  Again, if we are slow cooking, we will just pop frozen tomato paste cubes in with the recipe of the ingredients.

Defrosting meat

When defrosting meat, it’s essential to think about food safety. Do not put frozen meat in warm water, as you can create bacteria in your meat, which can then lead to contracting food poisoning. We also strongly advise against leaving meat out to defrost all day on the bench.

Instead, the recommended guidelines are to defrost meats in the fridge. You can take it out of the freezer the night before and put it in the fridge overnight. It should then be defrosted when it’s time for you to cook.

A massive asset in your kitchen is our Additive-Free Lifestyle App, as it will help you prepare your meals the night before. Knowing what you’re cooking ahead of time allows you to defrost ingredients like meat in your fridge overnight, making your cooking process much smoother.

You can also defrost them using cold water for about an hour, or reheat them safely in a frying pan or microwave.

But remember, food doesn’t always have to be reheated to be enjoyed. Cooked meats like chicken can be eaten cold, so if you’ve frozen cooked chicken for sandwiches, just defrost it in the fridge and use it as needed.

Conclusion

In summary, safe defrosting is all about planning and understanding how different foods react to the defrosting process. Your climate plays a significant role, as does the method of defrosting you choose. Always prioritise food safety and remember that when cooking additive-free, it is also free from preservatives, which means food won’t last as long, but with these simple tips you should ensure you’re not wasting any food.

For additive-free recipes, check out our everyday additive-free cookbook range, where we have just released our brand new cookbook, everyday gluten-free.  You can check them all out on our online store.

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Much love,
Jo & Tracey x