What counts as freezer packaging
- Freezer bags — thicker than sandwich bags, genuinely moisture-vapor-resistant. Press flat and squeeze air out.
- Rigid containers — best for liquids and soft foods. Leave 1–2 cm (½ in) headspace for solids, 2–3 cm (1 in) for liquids, which expand when frozen.
- Freezer wrap / heavy foil — for tight-wrapping awkward shapes and overwrapping store trays.
- Vacuum sealing — the gold standard for meat and fish; removes nearly all air.
Thin supermarket produce bags, bread bags, and takeout tubs with loose lids are not freezer packaging — they leak vapor and invite freezer burn within weeks.
Air removal, three ways
Press bags flat from the bottom up before sealing. For a near-vacuum without a machine, lower the open bag into a bowl of water — the water pressure pushes the air out — and seal at the waterline. For containers, choose a size the food actually fills.
Double-wrap what matters
Anything stored beyond a couple of months benefits from two layers: wrap tightly in freezer wrap, then bag. This is how fish, chops, and artisan bread survive to their quality targets.
Store-packaging caveat
Retail meat trays with stretch film are fine for a few weeks in the freezer; for longer storage, overwrap or repackage. Vacuum-packed products can be frozen as bought — but remove vacuum-packed fish from the package before thawing.