Alternatives to freezer paper in the kitchen include aluminum foil, butcher paper, freezer bags and plastic wrap. For a better option with no waste, use plastic containers that you can wash and reuse for years to come. Any option that keeps the dry air of the freezer away from your food will work as an alternative.
Both freezer paper and heavy-duty foil are used to wrap meat and other items for the freezer, but which is best? Well, it's close to a tie. Both are moisture resistant and help prevent freezer burn.
Heavy duty aluminum foil can be used as a freezer wrap. Because it can be torn or punctured easily it is wise to use an overwrap. Light weight (household) aluminum foil is not satisfactory for home freezing.
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.
Conversely, you would not want to use parchment paper for freezing food because its lack of a coating would not protect your food well enough, or lock in the moisture needed to keep meats fresh. The bottom line is: think parchment paper for heat, and freezer paper for cold temps and maintaining freshness.
Alternatives to freezer paper in the kitchen include aluminum foil, butcher paper, freezer bags and plastic wrap. For a better option with no waste, use plastic containers that you can wash and reuse for years to come. Any option that keeps the dry air of the freezer away from your food will work as an alternative.
Of course you should use freezer paper, right? It does a great job of protecting meat from freezer burn and preserving flavor and freshness, and it's also affordable and highly versatile. Plus, you can easily write on it with dates and descriptions to keep your freezer organized.
Plastic wrap alone will not provide enough protection by itself, but can be used to separate foods within another package. When packaging food, press out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn, and wrap tightly.
While a vacuum-sealer is ideal for ensuring that meats are packaged correctly, you can get by just fine with double wrapping cuts of meat with freezer paper, aluminum foil or airtight zip-loc bags.
Rigid containers made of plastic or glass are suitable for all packs and are especially good for liquid packs. Straight sides on rigid containers make the frozen food much easier to get out. Rigid containers are often reuseable and make the stacking of foods in the freezer easier.
The experts over at Ziploc told me that their freezer bags “are designed to protect in very low temperatures and harsh environments against punctures and tears.” So, in other words, while you can use a normal Ziploc bag to freeze food, chances are it won't escape the clutches of freezer burn and will be more prone to ...
Trace your stencil design onto the inside of your photocopy paper, then carefully cut it out using a craft knife. Trim the edges down if needed, to create room for the paint. Heat your iron so that it's moderately hot and dry (don't use steam).
Parchment paper isn't just for baking cookies or lining cake pans. It's a game-changer for freezing meat too. When you freeze meat, you want to keep it fresh, tasty, and tender. Parchment paper helps by stopping the meat from sticking to surfaces or each other, making it a breeze to handle and store in the freezer.
For larger items, like pork chops and steaks, they can be separated with freezer paper, parchment or oiled aluminum foil and wrapped as a bundle for the freezer.
Refrigerator-thawed, raw or cooked meat is safe to refreeze, though the U.S. Department of Agriculture warns the meat may lose some quality due to moisture loss. You should not refreeze foods that have been outside of the fridge for more than two hours – or one hour in temperatures above 90 degrees.
Locking in moisture: Foil is the best choice for long-term storage or freezing due to its low moisture-vapor transmission rate. Reheating leftovers: Heat leftovers on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil in the oven.
If you don't have access to freezer paper, wax paper will substitute. However, wax paper is less water-resistant than bona fide freezer paper. Much depends on how long you intend to store the meat. If it's just for a few weeks, wax paper doesn't present a problem.
Editor: Kate, when wrapping or packaging meat for storage in the freezer, your chief aims should be to block out moisture and air. Most people do this by using a layer of plastic wrap, and then a layer of aluminum foil. But our recommended method is actually to wrap the meat in butcher or freezer paper.
Place the food on the shiny or plastic coated side when wrapping. The plastic-coated side keeps food moisture from soaking through the paper. The dull or paper side should face out.
Be sure to use real butcher paper with a waxy coating. It will “seal” nicely to the meat to prevent freezer burn and hold moisture in the package. According to Dr. Phil, you can also achieve a fairly airtight package with zipper locking bags.
We recommend freezer paper as the best barrier against air and moisture, which helps prevent freezer burn. It has a slick, shiny coating on one side that helps keep food moisture from soaking through the paper.