14
GB
• Write the contents and date. If you are really organised add the weight and notes on cooking
such as ‘thaw first’, or ‘cook from frozen’ and keep a separate ‘log-book’ of what is in each
drawer. This will save opening the door and searching around unnecessarily, ensuring the
Freezer stays cold enough.
Recommended storage periods
For recommended food storage times, refer to your food packaging.
Thawing frozen food
For some foods, thawing before cooking is unnecessary. Vegetables and pasta can be added
directly to boiling water or steam cooked. Frozen sauces and soups can be put into a saucepan
and heated gently until thawed.
To Thaw frozen foods
1. Cover food loosely.
2. Thaw at room temperature. Don’t forget that thawing in a warm area encourages the growth
of bacteria.
3. Always make sure there are no ice crystals in the food before cooking, particularly with meat.
These crystals indicate that the food is not fully thawed. They result in lower temperatures
when cooking. Lower cooking temperatures may not destroy dangerous bacteria.
4. Cook food as soon as possible after thawing.
5. Drain off and throw away any liquid lost during thawing.
Oven Thawing frozen foods
Many microwaves and ovens have thaw settings. To avoid bacterial build up, only use these if
you intend to cook the food immediately afterwards.
Safety Tips
Never re-freeze anything that has thawed out unless you cook it again, to kill off harmful
bacteria.
Never re-freeze thawed shellfish.
Useful Tips
Re-seal packs properly after removing items. This prevents drying or ‘freezer burn’ and a build up
of frost on any remaining food.
