Stop! Food You Should Never Put in the Freezer

The freezer feels like the perfect lifesaver when it comes to saving food and money. If all else fails, just put it in the freezer for later so you don't have to throw it out.

Is your homemade chili not getting eaten as fast as you hoped? Do you have more leftovers than you thought? Did you purposely overcook so you could freeze some food?

Unfortunately, not all food is freezer-friendly. Some make sense, but others may throw you a bit.

According to People Magazine, those coffee beans you like to keep in your freezer are a big no-no, and so is that leftover pasta.

Here's that list for you.

ANYTHING MILK OR CREAM-BASED

Yes, this includes creamy sauces on that leftover pasta, fish, or chicken. As a matter of fact, anything made with cream, including clam chowder or soups, should only be refrigerated.

Cream-based foods separate when they're thawed, leaving them grainy and watery.

COFFEE BEANS

Shocking, I know, as so many people keep coffee beans in the freezer. But guess what you're losing by doing this? You're compromising flavor as moisture builds up and affects their natural oils. The beans also soak up other flavors in the freezer.

LEAFY GREENS

No, freezing salad isn't a thing, but hoping that freezing that head of lettuce or kale you aren't eating as quickly as possible will extend its life, it won't. You'll lose that texture after defrosting, thanks to the high water content.

However, if you plan to use leafy greens in soups for smoothies, then freeze away.

COOKED PASTA

Unless you want gummy, mushy pasta after reheating it, just boil new pasta.

RAW POTATOES

If you don't use them, just throw them away. Just like leafy greens, raw potatoes have a high water content and will just be mushy and grainy after you defrost them.

MAYO-BASED FOOD

Chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad are easy favorites to make extra to save for later, but anything made with mayonnaise will separate once it's thawed.

YOGURT

This is another item that, unless you plan to use it in smoothies, according to Healthline, don't freeze it if you bought too much. Thawed yogurt will be watery and grainy.

WHOLE AVOCADOS

Yes, if you want to freeze that avocado before it goes bad, according to Martha Stewart, you need to slice it up and put the pieces in an airtight container with lemon or lime juice. If you try to freeze a whole avocado, it just turns brown and mushy while thawing.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, and watermelon are other foods that have such a high water content you should just toss them out instead of trying to save them using your freezer.

Also, soft cheeses like ricotta and goat cheese will be unappetizing after defrosting. Only hard cheeses go in the freezer if need be.