HelloFresh Meals come with various ingredients, and each of them needs different handling. So, to avoid the risk of spoiling meal prep, you need to inquire about the best possibilities: Can you freeze hello fresh meals?
You can freeze hello fresh meals for up to two months in a freezer. For Meals that contain protein, freeze them in an airtight container. For cooked meals, freeze within 3-4 days before their expiry date. For Raw vegetables, freeze them without cutting. Avoid freezing meals with high water content elements.
Thus, proper handling of Hello Fresh Meals through freezing and other safety tips will help keep them fresh and flavorful for a longer duration.
Table of Contents
Foods That Freeze well
You may freeze the following ingredients in your pack:
- Dairy Products: egg whites, cheese, and butter.
- Meat: bacon, beef, chicken, sausage, and turkey.
- Seafood such as crab, fish, lobster, and shrimp.
- Vegetables and Fruits that freeze well are avocados, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, mushrooms, citrus fruits, carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes.
Foods That Do Not Freeze Well
Some recipes contain ingredients that are not freezer-friendly, such as:
- Cream-based sauces do not freeze well and can change texture and flavor when reheated.
- Vegetables like Cucumbers and raw potatoes don’t freeze well because they contain so much water, and can turn mushy, watery, or even grainy.
- Lettuce is not recommended to freeze because the freezing process causes ice crystals to form in plant cells.
- Freezing mayonnaise is a bad idea since it is an emulsion, so the ingredients are likely to break down.
How To Freeze Hello Fresh Meals?
Although hello fresh meals taste best when you eat them soon after they are delivered. But, if you want to preserve them for more than 3-4 days, freezing is the safest and most economical option.
Following are the steps required to freeze hello fresh meals.
- Firstly, place the meal in a freezer-specific vacuum bag. Remove all the excess air out with a vacuum sealer before sealing it.
- The vacuum bag will help in blocking any harmful bacteria from entering your meal.
- In the case of cooked meal prep food, allow it to cool down to room temperature before freezing it.
- You can also keep the meal in a microwave-friendly container. This will help you to directly heat it in a microwave after taking it out from the freezer.
- Now, freeze the meals according to the space you have in your freezer. Don’t overstuff the freezer or else the food will get squished.
- Lastly, label the packaged food with the contents and the date of freezing it.
Can You Freeze Hello Fresh Meals In Their Actual Packaging?
Hello fresh meals are delivered in different types of packaging depending upon what is stored inside them. Freezing them directly with their original packaging will not only save time but is also a more germ-free alternative.
- Meals that can easily lose their freshness are mostly covered with ice packs. These ice packs are water-based and can be placed in a freezer to keep the items chill.
- The cold ingredients like meat come in insulated cool pouches. They are also freezer-friendly and keep your food juicy and intact.
- Apart from these, soft plastic wrappers are used for salad, herbs, etc. They function quite similar to other plastic wraps and thus can be placed in a freezer.
Besides, all of the above-mentioned packaging is recyclable and thus prevents any harm to the environment.
Can You Freeze Cooked Hello Fresh Meals?
There is a wide range of hello fresh meals available from which you can pick and choose for yourself. You can then freeze these cooked meals according to the ingredients that are used in preparing them.
- In case of meals having cooked chicken, beef, or seafood, it is ideal to freeze them within three days before the expiration date.
- The cooked meals consisting of vegetables can be placed in the freezer for more than four days. However, the freshness might get affected over time.
- Some cooked meals like those made of lentils or potatoes benefit from freezing. They are mostly added to soups and stews. So, when you reheat them after freezing, it enhances their flavor.
How Long Can You Freeze Hello Fresh Meals?
Meals with cooked meat of any sort can be left frozen for more than a month but eventually, the flavor and texture will change. However, it will still be edible and fit for use.
Those with fresh fruits and vegetables can be kept frozen for more than five days. If you have already cut or washed them, then the time span will be reduced to less than four days. This is due to the increased chance of air contamination.
Freezing the food that possesses high water content will end up getting crystallized. As a result, when they are thawed, they will get soggy and no longer be pleasant to eat. Such food includes leafy vegetables, raw potatoes, egg-based sauces, etc.
Similarly, meals that have dairy products in a larger quantity are considered not suitable to freeze. They should be consumed in their fresh state. For instance, freezing oat milk from hello fresh will make it icy and cold.
How To Defrost Frozen Hello Fresh Meals?
Once taken out from the freezer, hello fresh meals can be defrosted by the same methods that are applied to regular meals.
You can defrost your meal by placing them on a stove or oven. But as compared to these conventional thawing techniques, microwaving is an easy and convenient option.
You can also defrost the meal by letting it sit at room temperature. It is not a very safe option as harmful microbes can infest the food.
Conclusion
Hello fresh meals like many other ready meals, can be easily kept frozen for 1-2 months. The freezing time might increase or decrease depending upon the components of the meal.
Freezing these pre-prepped meals for more than six days might result in getting stacked in the freezer. A new meal arrives every week, so it is better to eat them sooner.
Some meals do benefit from getting frozen while some turn out to be eventually thrown in a bin. Thus, it is very important to know the contents of your meal before freezing.
Overall, freezing and storing most of the meals timely is quite effective. Keeping them exposed to air will give a chance to bacterial growth such as E. coli. As an outcome, this will lead to many health-related risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does hello fresh meals last after thawing?
Hello fresh meals containing meat can last for about 5 days after thawing. In the case of seafood, use them within two days as they get smelly and rotten quickly.
Can hello fresh meals stay at room temperature?
Hello fresh meals can be kept at room temperature for at least 48 hours after the expected delivery date. These meals are delivered in specially designed insulated liners that keep them cool and fresh.
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