Much of the success you have with your home freezer will depend on how you prepare, package, wrap and seal foods. Protecting frozen food is as important as freezing food of high quality.
You will need general kitchen utensils plus a steel, aluminum or enamel kettle large enough to hold at least one gallon of boiling water, with a tight fitting cover. Use a mesh basket, a strainer, or large squares of cheesecloth to hold one pound of vegetables in the boiling water.
Steaming of cut, sliced or green leafy vegetables is recommended and will preserve more nutrients than water does.
You will need a container to hold ice water for quick chilling of vegetables to stop cooking action. Drain thoroughly in a colander and turn out on absorbent towels.
It is false economy to skimp on wrappings and containers. They should protect the food from cold air, which is dry, so as to retain the moisture in foods and prevent freeze burn and dehydration. Select them according to the use they will be put to.
Most freezer containers on the market today are easy to seal, waterproof, and give satisfactory results. Rigid plastic containers, bags, and jars with wide tops are favorites.
Moisture- and vapor-resistant wraps, which are exceptionally effective at excluding oxygen, include heavyweight aluminum foil, coated and laminated papers, polyethylene films, saran, and polyester films. They should be strong and pliable so the wrap will adhere readily to irregularly shaped objects, and eliminate as much air as possible to avoid frost accumulation inside. Careful wrapping is of no avail if the package breaks. It should be easily sealed, either by heatsealing or freezer tape.
Freezer bags are available, and freeze-and-cook bags that withstand temperatures from below 0° F. to above the boiling point. The freeze-and-cook bags are suitable for freezing and reheating food. Points to consider include the size convenient for your use and the cost.
Materials not moisture-proof and vapor-proof, and thus not suitable for packaging foods to be frozen, are ordinary waxed papers, cartons from ice cream or milk, and plastic cartons from cottage cheese or gelatin products because they crack easily.
Compare price, durability, shape and reusability in selecting containers, keeping in mind their convenience and the economical use of freezer space.