How do you portion and label food for the freezer?
Split cooked food into per-person portions and label them with dates to end freezer burn, waste and guesswork.
Short answer
Chill cooked food within 2 hours, then divide it into 300-350 g per-person servings in 1-litre zip freezer bags or 500 ml glass containers. Press each bag flat to about 2 cm and squeeze the air out. Stick masking tape on top and write the contents, weight, freezing date and use-by date with a permanent marker. Keep the freezer at -18C and press "Fast Freeze" when loading a big batch.
What you need
Step by step
Set the portion size
Weigh out 300-350 g of saucy food, 200 g of rice or pasta, or 150 g of raw minced meat per adult. For a two-person household put 700 g in one pack; if you live alone make 350 g packs. Oversized portions mean leftovers you throw away after thawing.
Cool the food fast
Sit the hot pot in a sink of ice water and stir occasionally until it is cool enough to touch, roughly 30-45 minutes. It should reach 4C within 2 hours total. Hot food put straight in the freezer thaws neighbouring packs and parks everything in the bacterial danger zone.
Pack without air
Fill the zip bag, leave the last 2 cm of the seal open, lay the bag flat on the counter and sweep the air out with your hand before closing it. A flat 2 cm bag freezes in 4-6 hours and stands upright for storage. With glass containers, leave 2 cm of headspace for expansion.
Write a complete label
Stick masking tape on the flat face of the bag and write four things with a permanent marker: contents, net weight, freezing date and use-by date. Example: "Spinach with mince - 700 g - 14.03.2026 - 09.2026". Write while the bag is still empty and dry, since markers skip on full, damp plastic.
Turn on fast freeze
If you are loading more than 2 kg at once, press "Fast Freeze", "Super Freeze" or the equivalent button on the freezer panel 4-6 hours beforehand. This drops the interior to about -24C and keeps ice crystals small. Most models return to normal mode on their own after 24-52 hours.
File them upright and track stock
Once frozen, stand the packs upright in a file box like folders, newest at the back. Open a note called "Freezer Inventory" in Notes or Google Keep, add each pack and delete the line when you eat it. The list cuts drawer-digging from minutes to seconds.
Eat FIFO and thaw properly
Always take the oldest date first. Thaw on a plate on the bottom shelf of the fridge for 8-12 hours. In a hurry, use the microwave "Defrost" program for 2-3 minutes per 100 g and cook immediately. Never thaw at room temperature on the counter.
Tips
Watch out
Never refreeze food that has fully thawed. Bacteria that multiplied while it was warm do not die when it freezes again, they just wait. Unlabelled packs are a real risk too: when you do not know what it is or when it went in, you either throw it out because you do not trust it or eat it spoiled without realising.
Frequently asked questions
+Can I use ordinary sandwich bags instead of freezer bags?
Not recommended. Thin bags turn brittle at -18C and tear, and they let air through, which causes freezer burn on the surface. If you must, double-bag one inside the other.
+Does food spoil in the freezer during a power cut?
If you keep the door shut, a full freezer stays safe for up to 24 hours and a half-full one for about 12. If the packs still hold ice crystals and feel hard, you can refreeze them.
+What should I write labels with? My marker keeps rubbing off.
Ballpoint and felt-tip pens smear on damp surfaces. Stick masking tape on the bag while it is dry and write on it with a permanent marker; it survives moisture and frost.
+Is it fine to freeze rice and pasta?
Yes. Cook them slightly firm, cool them quickly and divide into 200 g portions. Eat within 2 months and reheat by steaming or microwaving with a tablespoon of water added.
+Can I freeze food in glass jars?
Only use freezer-safe, straight-shouldered jars and leave 2 cm of headspace for expansion. Classic narrow-necked pickle jars crack as the contents freeze.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 12 Eylül 2026. tell us. Temperatures in Celsius and weights in grams; dates written day.month.year as in the source.
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