If using glass containers, be sure they're made of tempered glass that can be frozen. If you're using any type of plastic, be sure it's BPA-free. I especially love freezing soup flat in zip-top gallon-sized bags, as I feel it's a more efficient use of (very precious) freezer real estate.
Create Soup Portions for Freezing
Ladle the cooled soup into freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving ½- to 1 inch of space at the top of the container (the soup will expand when freezing). You can store multiple portions in a large container to thaw for family dinners or freeze them in individual-size containers.
I generally use quart-sized Ziploc freezer bags. Don't overfill the bags: Liquids expand as they freeze, so be sure to leave a little extra room to account for this.
By far, glass jars are the best containers for freezing food. Glass is impermeable, meaning no staining or stink. Glass also won't leach toxins into your food like plastic does, plus it's 100 percent recyclable (unlike plastic, which is super complicated to recycle).
Plastic bags are perfectly safe, but you may get some freezer burn which will affect quality, but if you get most of the air out it will help prevent that. You can dunk the bag in a bowl of water to force air out as a sort of gheto vacuum sealing.
Mostly Myth. Freezing food in plastic containers generally poses a low risk of chemical leaching, especially when using containers designed for freezer use. The stability of plastic at low temperatures minimizes the release of potentially harmful chemicals.
Turn your big batch of soup into convenient grab-and-go meals by freezing it in individual servings. Quart-size freezer bags (or 4-cup freezer-safe plastic or glass containers) will accommodate a single serving while giving the soup room to expand as it freezes, plus when frozen flat, they stack easily.
Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely.
Freezing soup with milk or cream in it.
Soups that contain milk or cream, like chowders and bisques, also don't hold up well in the freezer — they tend to take on a grainy texture and separate when defrosted and rewarmed.
Plastic deli-style containers are a great choice available in a variety of sizes. Plastic, glass, and silicone are all suitable for freezing soup, though glass and silicone will likely last longer.
Our Ziploc® products are suitable for food contact use for microwave defrosting and reheating, room temperature, refrigeration, and freezing. Remember, it's always important to follow each product's usage instructions. Furthermore, Ziploc® brand products are made in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices.
Then make up individual FoodSaver® Bags in the proper size, pour the soup into the bags, vacuum seal and freeze. In the morning, when your family goes to work or school, all they have to do is pick a bag out of the freezer, microwave, pour into their thermos and enjoy for lunch.
For best safety and quality, plan to eat refrigerated soup within 3 to 4 days or freeze it. And avoid letting soup set at room temperature for more than TWO hours. Don't put a large pot of hot soup directly into your refrigerator.
Can you eat “expired” canned food? Good news: Shelf-stable canned goods are safe more or less indefinitely, lasting up to five years or more according to the USDA.
Soup can stay in the freezer for up to three months if stored properly, but it will be less fresh the longer it sits in the freezer. Also, flavors may dilute because of ice forming, which creates water in the soup when thawing. Creamy soups are best eaten within one or two months.
Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.
Jars with tapered sides or straight sides are freezer safe; shouldered jars are not.
Tip: If freezing soup in Tupperware, glass freezer containers, or mason jars, press a square of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the soup before securing the lid on top.
Food grade materials, such as aluminum foil, heavy freezer-weight plastic bags, heavy plastic wrap and parchment or freezer paper are excellent choices. It is safe to freeze meat or poultry directly in its supermarket wrapping, but this type of wrap is thin and lets air in.
Plastic and glass containers that are labeled freezer-safe are the best containers for freezing soup. You also want a container that makes it easy to remove frozen soup from, so silicone options are also favorable.