The freezer can preserve food longer, but some kitchen essentials may fare better stored elsewhere. Some items may lose their texture, flavor, or overall quality after freezing and thawing.

Chef Dennis Littley, a culinary educator and founder of Ask Chef Dennis, highlights freezing can alter food texture because water inside turns into ice crystals. Littley advises, “Freezing something doesn’t necessarily mean you should.”

Foods Better Stored Outside the Freezer

1. Cheese

Though you can freeze most cheeses, Littley mentions they might become crumbly or grainy when thawed. This effect is prominent in softer cheeses. Instead, he suggests keeping cheese well-wrapped in the refrigerator and buying amounts you plan to consume while fresh.

2. Cooked Pasta

Freezing cooked pasta depends on the dish. Littley notes, “Pasta can soften as it freezes and thaws, and creamy sauces may separate.” For dishes with creamy sauces, refrigeration and consuming within a few days is preferable. Heartier baked pasta dishes, however, withstand freezing better.

3. Cured Meats

Prosciutto, salami, and other cured meats can be frozen, but their texture and flavor may suffer, especially when used in sandwiches or charcuterie boards. Littley recommends keeping cured meats wrapped in the fridge and consuming them within the advised time after opening.

4. Wine

Littley advises against freezing wine. “The liquid expands as it freezes,” he explains, “affecting the bottle or cork and degrading the wine’s flavor and aroma.” Instead, reseal opened wine and store it in the refrigerator, including red wine, which can be served at the right temperature after refrigeration.

Though the freezer extends the life of many foods and drinks, Littley underscores that proper storage helps maintain their texture, flavor, and quality. “Some dishes freeze beautifully, while others don’t return as desired,” he concludes.