39 Foods That Should Never Be Stored In The Freezer

They're not unsafe to eat, but they will taste gross if you freeze them.

The freezer is one of the best long-term storage solutions in your kitchen. Keeping your food at subzero temperatures halts the growth of bacteria and germs, which significantly extends the lifespan of your ingredients. In fact, the FDA says that food properly frozen at or below 0°F will remain safe to eat indefinitely. But, that being said, that doesn't mean your food will still be enjoyable to eat after a certain period of time.

The mechanism of freezing food involves transforming the water from a liquid to solid state, which causes the water cells to expand and permanently alter the structural integrity of your food. Certain foods can withstand that change fairly well. But some foods, on the other hand, will noticeably degrade in quality once they're placed in the freezer.

When in doubt, you should always refer to the quality guidelines listed on food packaging. But to get you started, here are 39 foods that shouldn't ever be frozen (unless you're comfortable with them tasting less than delicious).

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Watery veggies like cucumbers will freeze just fine, but it's the thawing process that gets messy. Cucumbers get limp and soggy once they're defrosted. You're better off keeping them cold and using a couple slices to reduce eye puffiness than to try and make a salad with a frozen cuke.

It's the same deal with watermelon as it is with cucumbers—it's technically fine to freeze but the thawing bit isn't fun.

Different fruit, same deal.

Probably worse than overcooking pasta and letting it bloat with extra water is freezing it. Once you take it out of the freezer, it turns into a squishy puddle formerly known as noodles.

Don't store coffee beans or grounds in the freezer: Taking it in and out every morning will freeze and thaw the coffee, which can cause condensation and essentially ruin it. Plus, it'll absorb any funky freezer smells. That being said, feel free to store any unopened bags of coffee beans or grounds in the freezer for up to a month.

Two words: soggy mess. The crispy, crunchy fried bits will collect moisture when frozen and thawing this mess will only make the mushy matters worse.

After freezing and thawing milk, it's going to be really lumpy. This is not ideal for drinking. You can cook with it, however you should let it sit in the fridge to slow-thaw for a whole day before you use it.

The gooey inside of raw whole eggs will expand when frozen, causing a cracked and leaky mess in your freezer. Not to mention the potential for bacteria growth. Unfortunately, even cooked eggs aren't a good idea either. Same goes for egg-based items like mayo and meringue.

Don't even think about putting this creamy fruit (or is it a vegetable?) in the freezer—unless you'd like to kiss that silky center goodbye. Like cheese, it'll totally lose its original texture. It's fine to use in a smoothie, though!

If you're planning to eat them frozen, that's fine, but it's not advised to freeze grapes, thaw them, and eat them afterward.

Soft cheeses like ricotta, cream cheese, and goat cheese will separate if they're frozen and then thawed. This will change the texture in weird ways. You could technically try harder varieties like Parmesan or cheddar, though we'd advise you just keep in the fridge instead.

Freezing beer accelerates the aging of it, meaning you're much more likely to open up a flat, hazy beverage after the fact.

If you can't polish off sprigs of basil or other fresh herbs, turn them into compound butter or pesto. If you freeze the bunches whole, they'll turn into brown mushy messes when thawed.

Nothing will happen to the integrity of the pepper if you freeze it, but in order to thaw it properly you have to blanch them first. Otherwise, it's not going to be the same afterward.

The wateriest of veg doesn't belong anywhere near the freezer, you guys.

If you thicken your gravy and sauces with flour or cornstarch, they're not going to be freezer-friendly because they're 100 percent going to separate awkwardly.

It's harder to freeze marshmallows than you might imagine (hello. gelatin!), but once you're able to, they get hard as all hell.

This deliciously vinegary tomato condiment will separate into a half watery, half chunky mess so it's best to keep it in the fridge or toss it in favor of a new bottle.

There's a reason mayo needs to be refrigerated—there is no reason it should ever be frozen. The eggs, oil, and vinegar will separate, leaving you with a chunky disaster.

This might sound obvious, but putting fresh, crisp greens into the freezer will yield watery, wilted, and limp leaves. Plus, they'll lose a lot of flavor in the process. Play it safe and relegate them to the crisper drawer in your fridge.

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