You've Been Storing Ice Cream Wrong Your Entire Life
It's been a long day, you've just wrapped a quick dinner, and are suddenly delighted by the idea of tucking into a pint of ice cream while binge-watching a show. But, just after cracking open that pint of Chubby Hubby, you find that it's been tainted by an unpleasant case of freezer burn (ew). Thankfully, this scenario may never happen again, as the wonderful minds at Ben & Jerry's just shared some crucial tips on the best methods to store your ice cream and avoid freezer burn.
Freezer burn occurs when frozen foods have been damaged by dehydration and oxidation due to air reaching the food. It does not make food unsafe or inedible, but it often does makes the taste much worse. Here are the 6 best storage tips you probably haven't been using to keep your ice cream from getting burned by the freezer. (And, for more must-know storage tips, make sure to sign up for our newsletter.)
Store your ice cream upside down.
When you put an ice cream pint back in the freezer, yes, you should place it upside down! According to Ben & Jerry's, this will cause any melted ice cream to drip onto the lid, where it will have less of a chance of ruining the still-cold portion. Make sure the lid is on tight first before trying this though! (Related: We Tasted 5 Fast-Food Vanilla Ice Creams—This Was the Best.)
Keep your freezer super cold.
Keeping ice cream really cold at all times until it's served is key to keeping it in the best shape possible. Ben & Jerry's experts suggest a freezer temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit. (Related: 10 Biggest Freezer Mistakes You're Making.)
Keep ice cream deep in the back of your freezer.
Ben & Jerry's advises that you keep your frozen treat deep in the back of your freezer. Every time you open your freezer door, warmer air gets in, which can potentially lead to freezer burn on your beloved pint. So, move over leftovers and ice packs! Ice cream now goes way in the back. (Related: 13 Foods You Should Never Put in Your Freezer.)
Slice the pint instead of scooping ice cream out.
Ben & Jerry's suggests you put the trusty ice cream scooper aside, and instead, cut a slice of ice cream with a nice, sharp knife. Why? "When you refreeze partially melted ice cream, it fuels freezer burn and causes the crystals to re-grow in a bigger, crunchier, and even more diabolical form," the ice cream maker notes. To minimize "melt-time," they advise cutting the pint from the outside with the ice cream still inside. This trick also easily fixes freezer burn after it happens: "Simply use your knife to cut off the impacted top layer, and voila! Your pint is like new." (Related: How to Make Homemade Ice Cream Without a Machine!)
Wrap up your leftovers.
After cutting or scooping the ice cream portion that you're serving, "cover the remainder with a layer of wax paper, parchment paper, or plastic wrap against the ice cream's surface" before putting the lid back on, says Ben & Jerry's. (Here's an example of what it should look like.) "Or, put the whole pint in an airtight plastic bag for even more protection." (Related: What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Low-Calorie Ice Cream.)
Eat the entire pint!
Now, we may not totally agree with this last tip, but Ben & Jerry's says another way to avoid freezer burn is to just eat the entire pint! (FYI: Here's what eating an entire pint of ice cream does to your body.) Even better: Split a pint between you and some dessert-loving friends in order to enjoy the creamy goodness without going overboard with your portion size.
For more helpful tips, check out these 108 Popular Sodas Ranked by How Toxic They Are.
