I recently started working out and started eating healthily. But preparing meals according to my diet plan can take up much of my time. So to save time, I now prep my meals once a week and freeze them.
Now you may think, hey, freezing food isn’t healthy. And I would agree with what you think, but let me tell you, this is only partially true. There are foods that you can freeze, and there will be no harm to your health.
So today, I will tell you about one food item you can prepare and freeze for later use. Today’s blog is about freezing mashed potatoes.
Be it saving up excess mashed potatoes from thanksgiving leftovers, part of your gym diet, or for some tater tots.
So stay with me till the end, and find out the right way to store and freeze your mashed potatoes and how you use them once they are frozen.
Can You Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
This is something that I get asked a lot, and the answer is, Yes. You can freeze potatoes in any form, be it french fries, simply boiled, mashed, hashbrowns, or any other cooked form you can think of.
Freezing raw potatoes is something that I wouldn’t recommend, as potatoes have very high water content. So if you defrost raw potatoes, they will lose their texture and become grainy and mushy.
You just need to follow some simple steps when freezing your potatoes so that they don’t go bad in your freezer and stay fresh for a longer period.
Is It Safe To Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
Yes, freezing mashed potatoes or any other form of potatoes is entirely safe. I know many people have concerns regarding freezing mashed potatoes and might think frozen potatoes are not suitable for human consumption, but that is not true. You can freeze mashed potatoes, which will stay good for a very long time.
As I told you earlier, you can freeze potatoes in any form you want. Still, I personally would not recommend freezing raw potatoes. Freezing raw potatoes damages the texture of the potatoes, but you can still eat them if you want.
What Happens When Mashed Potatoes Are Frozen?
Whenever any food item is exposed to air and oxygen, it gets oxidized, and bacteria grow on them, which makes them go bad.
When you freeze the item, its temperature drops significantly. It stops the growth process of bacteria, which makes them last longer.
Similarly, when you freeze mashed potatoes in a bag or a container, you stop the supply of oxygen and their freezing temperature, stopping the process of bacterial growth and making them stay fresh and consumable for a longer time.
How To Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
The process of freezing mashed potatoes is very simple. The first thing that you need to do is boil some potatoes. You can boil them with or without the potato skin; that is totally up to you to decide.
The next thing you need to do is, prepare your mashed potatoes using your preferred recipe. Yes, you don’t need to make any large changes to the recipe of your mashed potatoes to freeze them.
Just make sure that you add a little more milk and cream to the mashed potatoes, so they don’t become too dry.
The next step is to let the mashed potatoes cool down completely before you portion them. Once your potatoes have cooled down, you can simply put them in a freezer bag or a container and put them in your freezer.
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What Is The Best Way To Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
There is no one way to freeze your mashed potatoes. I will tell you two ways I usually freeze my mashed potatoes.
The first method I use is to divide my mashed potatoes into smaller portions and freeze them. This way, I do not have to thaw the entire container of my mashed potatoes whenever I want to have some.
If you are single, I would suggest using this method to save time. But when I prepare my mashed potatoes for some dinner or party, I have coming up.
I simply put all my mashed potatoes in a single container. I just ensure that my container fits in my microwave when I need to thaw my mashed potatoes.
How To Thaw Frozen Mashed Potatoes?
For a quick fix, frozen mashed potatoes may be quickly warmed in the oven or even in the microwave. I advise warming the mashed potatoes on the stovetop because reheating them in the oven or microwave might lead to a less-than-ideal texture.
Reheating in a microwave leave excess water in the mashed potatoes, making them a bit soggy, whereas if you reheat your mashed potatoes in a pot over the stove, the excess water will evaporate, leaving behind perfect mashed potatoes.
How Long Do Frozen Mashed Potatoes Last?
If you leave your mashed potatoes out in the open, they will surely go bad in a few hours or maybe in a day at best.
If you put them in your refrigerator, they can stay fresh for about 4 or 5 days. But what if I tell you that if you freeze your mashed potatoes, they can last almost a year?
Yes, mashed potatoes can be kept for almost a year in your freezer and would still be good to consume.
Do Mashed Potatoes Freeze Well?
Yes, mashed potatoes freeze very well. In fact, it is one of the best potato preparations for freezing. The secret is to generously butter and cream-coat your potatoes.
This dairy combination guarantees that your potatoes will reheat creamy and tasty and freeze well. Not adding enough butter and cream can dry your mashed potatoes when you reheat them.
Unfortunately, mashed potatoes made with mere broth will probably not last very long. So, if you intend to freeze, I advise adding butter and cream.
Final Verdict:
So this is how you can freeze your mashed potatoes. Just keep a few things in mind, add a lot of butter and cream when you plan on freezing your mashed potatoes, and make sure you cool your potatoes before popping them in the freezer.
I hope you enjoyed reading today’s blog and find these tips helpful next time you make mashed potatoes. This is it for today; I will see you soon with more cooking tips and hacks.
