Frozen Prepared Foods Tips

Don't Pass Up Extra Storage

Some frozen food containers have the added bonus of being reusable and able to fold flat for storage purposes. So think twice before throwing away the packaging that your frozen gourmet food arrives in. You might be throwing away extra storage. They can be great for sporting events, picnics, boating or camping trips and more!

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Pay Attention to Instructions

Now that your gourmet frozen meal has arrived, don't waste your money by ruining it. Follow the directions supplied to you by the prepared food company. Depending on the type of food ordered and event you have planned, the food preparation may require additional kitchen needs besides the traditional oven and/or microwave. Some meals require simmering on the stove, or basting in the oven. Make sure you allow ample time to prepare and cook your frozen prepared foods. Don't just shove your meal into the oven. It would be a shame to destroy the magnificent food a chef worked so hard to create for you.

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Take Heed of Foods That Do Not Freeze Well

Before you order that gourmet frozen dish, take heed of these foods that experts say do not freeze very well. Most of these foods do not freeze well in their whole form, but when combined with other ingredients will last for a while in the freezer. It's always best to ask your prepared food deliverer about freezing the foods and meals you order. Many items will come with a cooking/freezing guide for your information.

The sources for these guidelines are "Home Freezing of Cooked and Prepared Foods" by Katherine Riddle and Anna Mae Brenner and "Freezing Prepared Foods" by Susan Reynolds.

The effect of freezing on spices and seasonings:
When using seasonings and spices, season lightly before freezing, and add additional seasonings when reheating or serving. Pepper, cloves, garlic, celery seasonings, green pepper, imitation vanilla and some herbs tend to get stronger and bitter. Onion, paprika and curry change flavor during freezing. Salt loses flavor and has the tendency to increase rancidity of any item containing fat.

Foods that will have problems from freezing:
Unbaked biscuits will be smaller and less tender, unbaked muffins will likely have poor texture, custards and cream pies soak into the crust, meringue on meringue pies toughens and sticks to the wrapper, milk sauces sometimes curdle and separate, gravy tends to separate and curdle when thawed, cooked, creamed vegetables tend to lose flavor rapidly and should only be stored for a few days, lettuce, other greens and raw tomatoes lose crispness and become soggy and ham and other cured meats may lose color when frozen and become rancid more quickly than other meats.

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Keeping Frozen Food Safe During Emergencies

So your gourmet frozen food has arrived safe and sound. However, a natural disaster has unfortunately decided to make an appearance before your dinner party this weekend.
A flood, fire, or loss of power from high winds can jeopardize the safety of your food.
Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Here are some guidelines from the USDA:

1. Always keep meat, poultry, fish, and eggs refrigerated at or below 40 F and frozen food at or below 0 F. This may be difficult when the power is out.

2. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for 2 days. Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.

3. Coolers are a great help for keeping food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours — have a couple on hand along with frozen gel packs. When your freezer is not full, keep items close together — this helps the food stay cold longer.

4. Digital, dial, or instant-read food thermometers and appliance thermometers will help you know if the food is at safe temperatures. Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. When the power is out, an appliance thermometer will always indicate the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer no matter how long the power has been out. The refrigerator temperature should be 40 F or below; the freezer, 0 F or lower. If you're not sure a particular food is cold enough, take its temperature with a food thermometer.

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Know What Temperature to Keep Food at

The chef has done his job by sending a quality frozen meal to your home. Now you must do yours by keeping your foods at safe temperatures for your guests. Make sure you're familiar with the temperatures which foods are supposed to be kept at to stay safe.

Here are some guidelines from the USDA:

Reheating foods: reheat thoroughly to a temperature of 165 F or until hot and steaming. Soup and gravies should be brought to a rolling boil.

Serving foods: when holding or serving a buffet, hot cooked foods must be held at 140 F or higher. Cold foods should be held at 40 F or lower.

Minimum internal cooking temperatures: (the minimum internal temperatures that foods must reach to be considered safe to eat, no matter how you prepare them):

Fresh ground beef, veal, lamb, pork: 160 F

Beef, veal, lamb-roasts, steaks, chops:
Medium rare - 145 F
Medium - 160 degrees F
Well done - 170 degrees F

Fresh pork-roasts, steaks, chops:
Medium - 160 F
Well done - 170 F

Ham:
Cook before eating - 160 F
Fully cooked, to reheat - 140 F

Poultry:
Ground Chicken, Turkey - 165 F
Whole Chicken, Turkey - 180 F
Breasts, roasts - 170 F
Thighs and wings - cook until juices run clear.

Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird): 165 F
Egg dishes, casseroles: 160 F
Leftovers: 165 F

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Why Use A Meat Thermometer?

So your frozen meat has arrived in the mail and it's time to start cooking. According to the USDA, you should always always use a meat thermometer.

A meat thermometer can help you:

1. Prevent food borne illness
2. Prevent overcooking
3. Hold foods at a safe temperature

Many people decide to just eyeball the meat and judge by its color and past experiences. The USDA would like to remind you that appearances are not always what they seem. For example, the center of a hamburger can look cooked while its edges are not quite done.

A meat thermometer can be used for all foods, not just meat. It measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry to assure that a safe temperature has been reached and that harmful bacteria like certain strains of Salmonella and E. Coli have been destroyed.

The USDA warns to use a meat thermometer every time you prepare foods like poultry, roasts, ham, casseroles, meat loaves and egg dishes.

Make sure the thermometer you buy is designed for meat and poultry. There are other types of thermometers. Read the package label carefully to make sure you are buying the type designed for use with meats.

When buying a meat thermometer, look for an easy to read dial, made with stainless steel and a shatter-proof clear lens. Meat thermometers that can be calibrated for accuracy and digital thermometers are also available.

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Helping You Prepare at Home

Worried that you won't know how to prepare the gourmet frozen food once it arrives at your door? Well, stop fretting. Prepared food companies don't just deliver your food and leave you to your own devices. They usually supply detailed instructions for cooking and serving your frozen food. Before ordering your prepared food, make sure you ask the company representative about cooking times associated with your food order. You want to make sure that you allow yourself enough time to prepare the food prior to the party. Here are some common questions to ask:
- Will the prepared food be delivered in oven-safe dishes?
- How many stove burners will be necessary to prepare the food?
- How long will the frozen prepared food need to thaw before serving?
- Is there a safe way to thaw the food without ruining its flavor or consistency?
- For a summer backyard BBQ party, how long can the frozen prepared food sit outside, or does it need to be refrigerated?

Most of these delicious dishes go from freezer to oven to table with ease. It won't be long before you're enjoying entrees such as Beef Wellington and Turkey en Croute.

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