Freeze food without plastic
5 sustainable alternatives to freezer bags & Co.
Fruits and vegetables, herbs, bread, berries, sauces, etc. can be preserved by freezing them and big quantities bought in advance can easily be stored. When freezing food, people usually use freezer bags or plastic cans. However, there are healthier and more environmentally friendly alternatives to freezing food. All without plastic.
Content:
· Freeze plastic-free - this is how it works
· 1. alternative to freezer bags: Glass
· 2. . freezing without plastic No. 2: stainless-steel storage jars
· 3. freeze bread and rolls without plastic in cotton bag
· 4. freeze cheese and bread with wax paper
· 5. stainless-steel ice cube molds for freezing sauce, dips & herbs.
· This is also Zero-Waste Freezing
· Tips for freezing without plastic
Freeze plastic-free - this is how it works
1. Alternative to freezer bags: Glass
Whether it's sauces, soups or herbs, berries or baby food, use glass as an alternative to plastic when freezing! Just use empty screw jars or canning jars that you may already have at home. This saves you money and resources. Empty honey or pickle jars are good for plastic-free freezing, because they are made of thick-walled glass and have wide openings for easy filling.
If you want to freeze liquid foods, be careful to fill the jar only about three-quarters full, as liquids expand during freezing. Otherwise, the jar could burst.
2. Freezing without plastic No. 2: stainless-steel storage jars
You can also wonderfully use stainless-steel cans for freezing your food. Because freezing large quantities is not a problem with stainless-steel containers. The procedure for freezing in stainless-steel storage cans works similarly to freezing with glass. That is, stainless-steel storage containers should never be filled completely and should be tightly closed with a lid only after freezing. Feel free to use the silicone ring to seal the whole thing airtight.
Tip: With a stainless-steel can, you can also freeze chopped fruit super easily. If you want to prepare a delicious smoothie, you always have tasty fruit right at hand.
3. Freeze bread and rolls without plastic in cotton bag
Plastic-free freezing of bread and rolls is easy with simple cotton bags. You can put your favorite bread in a clean, fresh cotton bag at the bakery - and then use it for freezing right away.
Tip: When freezing bread, make sure that the bag is well sealed and the bread is completely wrapped in it. This way you can freeze your bread or pastries for a few weeks without any problems. However, it is better not to freeze it for months.
4. Freeze cheese and bread with wax paper
Wax paper is a versatile product that can be used for more than just storing food in the refrigerator. It's also great if you want to freeze bread or cheese (in one piece). Just wrap food completely with wax paper and off to the freezer! This way your food will last for a few months without any problems.
5. Stainless-steel ice cube molds for freezing sauce, dips and herbs.
You can also use stainless-steel ice cube molds for freezing. These are, of course, plastic-free and extremely durable. Would you like to freeze small practical portions of finely chopped fresh herbs to quickly give your dishes a fresh herbal touch? You can do that easily with a stainless-steel ice cube mould.
Make your own herb mixtures, mix them with a few drops of olive oil and put them in the ice cube tray. This way you'll always have convenient portions that you can quickly defrost or add directly to your food when needed.
By the way, it also works with sauces, freshly squeezed lemon juice, baby food and homemade vegetable broth. You can also freeze blanched spinach in the ice cube tray.
Alternative Zero-Waste Freezing
Freeze bananas and co. without container
It is also possible without freezing everything. For example, you can put bananas, other fruits or certain vegetables in the freezer just like that. Their own peel protects them from freezer burn.
Silicone bags for freezing fruits and vegetables
Not completely without plastic, but really durable are silicone bags for freezing. These bags are made of particularly durable silicone and thus even withstand dishwashers or microwaves or freezing. And they do so without releasing substances into the environment. In addition, they are free of common pollutants.
Continue to use existing plastic and Tupperware containers for freezing
Zero waste also means that nothing is thrown away unnecessarily. So if you already have Tupperware or other plastic containers, you should continue to use them to freeze your food.
Tips for freezing without plastic
Avoid bacteria
Similar to canning, you should rinse your jars or stainless-steel containers hot and dry them again before plastic-freezing food. Cloth bags or oilcloth should also be clean. This will help you avoid freezing bacteria or germs along with your food. Hygiene in the kitchen is the key to preserving food for a long time.
Avoid freezer burns
When freezing without plastic, always avoid moisture and cavities to prevent freezer burn. Herbs, berries, other fruits or vegetables should always be dried before freezing. You can chop larger pieces, so you avoid cavities in which the freezer burn can settle.
More space for liquids
Sauces, soups or stocks: Always freeze liquids with "air upwards", because liquids expand when cold. When filling, always leave two finger widths of space between the lid and the liquid. If there is not enough space in the container, tensions will arise. Glass breaks and stainless-steel cans deform during freezing.
