Buzz
No matter your financial situation, you'll always find a way to spend. This same logic applies to freezer space. While a packed freezer might operate more efficiently, that's not why I'm gazing at a solid wall of frosty enigmas. Like most people, my freezer has become a burial ground for forgotten kitchen items.
Once upon a time, I ran a tight operation, keeping a precise spreadsheet of frozen items, organized by shelf. But, as with many other things, the pandemic threw me off track. I started hoarding 'just in case' goods on every store visit. Now, as we near the two-year mark, some of these items are about to expire, and honestly, I’m over living with frozen mysteries.
Is freezer organization sexy? Absolutely. Plus, it’ll save you a lot of cash and help you plan your meals for next week.
When it comes to freezers, I have true Champagne problems—not just with your typical kitchen fridge/freezer, but also with an extra one hidden away in the garage. That said, I’d argue that organizing your freezer becomes even more crucial when working with the limited space of an average kitchen fridge. So let’s dive in. Here’s what you’ll need:
Clear packing tape
Sharpie
Gallon Ziplocks or a vacuum sealer
Pad of paper
White duct tape
Frog tape
Begin by clearing out your stash
Start by removing everything from the freezer and placing it on the counter. It sounds simpler than it actually is: Some packages might have frozen together, or you might encounter something that’s leaked or exploded, coating your frozen items in a sticky mess of orange juice. Both issues have the same fix: rinse them with cold water. The cool water will melt just enough of the sticky substance so you can separate frozen items by gently tapping them in the sink.
Once everything is out, begin sorting the items you recognize into four categories:
Meat/seafood
Fruits/vegetables
Other ingredients—anything you've stored in the freezer like butter, egg roll wrappers, leftover pie dough, the pesto you make every summer but never use, and so on
Frozen meals/ready-to-eat items
Go through the items and get rid of anything that shows signs of freezer burn, is completely covered in frost, or has passed its expiration date. Seriously, that half-empty, frost-covered bag of corn isn’t coming back into your meals. The leftover cookie dough you saved last year? It’s past its prime and ready to be discarded.
Take a good look at what’s left. Can any of it be repacked into smaller bags? Are the bags still sealed? Is everything labeled properly? Take the time to re-bag, reseal, and relabel as needed. A Sharpie works great for fresh bags, but for frozen items, use a piece of paper, write the contents, laminate it with tape, and place it inside the sealed bag. Don’t just note the contents—add a date. Avoid writing directly on containers, as the marker will fade or freeze off. That’s where frog tape comes in handy.
Next, jot down everything you’ve found on your pad of paper. (Three bags of peaches, four frozen steaks, one pound of chicken wings, etc.)
Never refreeze anything that contains meat or dairy unless it has been cooked first.
Assess what's still in your freezer
Take a look at what’s left—the items that are unrecognizable. In this case, we’ll rely on some deduction.
Start by rinsing off bags or containers with cold water until the frost disappears. This can help uncover what’s inside. If you still can't identify the contents, try defrosting a small portion, if possible. I’m notorious for tossing quarts of unlabeled stock into my freezer, but you can scoop some out with a spoon, microwave a bit, and crack the case. (Ah, duck fat. I knew you were hiding in there.)
If it’s meat, you can slice off a small piece with a sharp chef’s knife and repeat the process. For a mystery casserole or dough, cut a slice and pop it in the microwave. Once you’ve identified it, label it, repackage it, add it to the list, and categorize it properly.
If, after all this, you’re still unsure about something and the only way to reveal the mystery is by defrosting it, then go ahead and do that. It’s not like you’ll use it if you can’t identify it. Defrost it and put it to use tonight or tomorrow. Just remember, do not refreeze any meat or dairy unless it has gone through a cooking cycle. For example, if you defrost a steak and then cook with it, you can freeze the cooked result. Keep in mind that everything loses a bit of flavor after the defrosting-and-refreezing process.
Now, it’s time to restock your freezer. Start by cleaning the empty freezer with hot rags. If you notice any cracks in the plastic, seal them with white duct tape. Make sure the rubber seals are thoroughly cleaned, as they’re crucial to the freezer’s efficiency—getting a tight seal is key. If the freezer light is out, take a moment to order a replacement from a hardware store. It’s a simple fix.
Next, reload everything. If possible, create zones based on the categories: frozen meals, meat/seafood, fruits/vegetables, and miscellaneous items. The miscellaneous stuff usually finds its way onto the door.
Use a spreadsheet to organize your freezer
If you happen to have an extra freezer, think about how you use each one. For me, my small indoor freezer is for things I use regularly or plan to use soon. The garage freezer is for bulk items and long-term storage. When I shop, I’ll put a portion of my groceries in the garage freezer and fill the indoor freezer with what I plan to use in the upcoming week.
Take the list you created of everything in your freezer and transfer it into Google Sheets. Use that sheet as your shopping guide each week. (How many times have you bought something you already had in the freezer or let food go to waste? How many times have you found yourself standing in front of the freezer wondering what to cook?) Start with the spreadsheet to see what you already have. This also helps with more efficient and cost-effective shopping.
Is using a freezer spreadsheet overkill? Maybe, but hear me out: You're at the store, eyeing a sale on pasta and thinking of making stuffed shells. You go to grab the ricotta, but you *think* you might have some frozen from a few months ago, though you're not entirely sure. You pull out your phone, check your sheet, and get the confirmation. (Did that just give you an oxytocin boost? Because it sure did for me.)
