Plastic is pretty much the most harmful thing humanity has come up with yet again. Therefore, one should try to avoid it as much as possible. When freezing, I also always liked to use freezer bags or plastic containers. But there are also much more environmentally friendly ways to freeze food. Here I have collected a list of how else you can freeze.
Freezing food without plastic
Freezing in glass
Many things can be frozen in glass: soups, herbs, porridge, fresh berries, etc. Empty screw-top jars and preserving jars are suitable for this. It is best to wash out empty jars from pickles, olives, honey, or sauces well and use them for this purpose. This saves you the annoying task of throwing away empty jars and, of course, saves you hard cash. Either wash and chop the food, or let finished dishes cool down and fill them into the jar, leaving the lid off or just placing it on loosely at first and closing it later.
Extra tip:for liquid foods, only fill the jar to about 3/4 full so that the frozen liquid can expand and the glass does not burst.
Storage containers made of glass or stainless steel
If you want to freeze larger quantities, use containers made of glass or stainless steel. Just as with freezing in glass, the containers should not be filled to the brim and the lid should only be screwed onto the container after freezing. Glass casserole dishes with lids can also be kept in the freezer.
Freezing with cotton bags
A plastic-free alternative is freezing with a cotton bag. This method is ideal for freezing bread. When freezing, make sure that the bag is well closed and the baked goods are completely wrapped in it. The bread will keep in the freezer for about 1 week.
Freezing with paper or wax paper
Bread and pastries can also be frozen in the paper bag from the bakery. The bread must be well wrapped in the paper and sealed tightly. Baked goods will keep in the freezer for a few weeks this way.
Wax paper is also a good option for freezing food. Wrap cheese (whole), bread, and pastries well and freeze them in the freezer. This way, the food will also keep for a few weeks. Unfortunately, good wax paper has become rare and is available, for example, from Bee's Wrap or Manufactum.
Freezing in an ice cube tray
Stainless steel ice cube trays (for example from Onyx) are durable and practical for freezing things that you need in small doses. Finely chopped fresh herbs, lemon juice, sauces, baby food, homemade vegetable broth, or blanched spinach can be frozen very well in ice cube trays.
Do you also have a tip on how to freeze without plastic? Then I look forward to a comment or an email.
Read also: Freezing food – the best tips
