When you have leftover factor meals the question that pops up in your mind is ” Can you freeze factor meals?”. If that’s your question then you are in the right article.
The process involved in cooking can be stressful, and thinking about the time to spend while cooking can make you forget about cooking.
However, people whose time does not permit cooking and who find the cooking process stressful still eat healthy meals. How do they do this? Various meal delivery services like Factor help them feed healthily.
Only consuming some of the food from these meals-for-the-week services is possible. However, the question is; How are these meals stored?
Can you freeze Factor meals? Generally, factor meals can be freezed. If these factor meals are tightly sealed in their original packaging, freezing them is possible.
However, if you open your factor meals, it’s best to freeze them in freezer-safe containers or freezer-safe zip-top bags. Additionally, frozen factor meals are only good for consumption for around three months.
Keep reading if you want to know more about factor meals and how they can be frozen.
What are Factor Meals?
What factors are meals? Simply put, Factor meals are those meals that have been pre-prepared and pre-portioned before they are delivered to your preferred location or doorstep.
The idea behind factor meals is that eating should be easier and healthier. These factor meals are in various flavors like grilled chicken parmesan, ricotta meatballs, etc. With Factor meals, you don’t need to start cooking afresh; you only microwave and consume.
However, our goal at Freezer Fit is to create awareness of how easy making your freezer meals can be. We do this by promoting our database of recipes which will perfectly guide you to prepare your freezer meals quickly.
To get unlimited access to the Freezer Fit database of recipes and more, Signup. We promote making your freezer meal because you moderate the amount of fat, and sugar, can’t salt used, and can also control the number of ingredients and seasonings used.
However, we don’t live under a rock; at some point, we need people to help us, and we can achieve this with Factor Meals. All you have to do is melt the meal, microwave it, and it’s ready to eat. The meals you prepare to eat are the best freezer meals, and they come from companies like Factor Meals most of the time.
As earlier mentioned, these Factor Meal delivery services aim to make eating healthy very easy. The meals they deliver are carefully designed by dietitians and prepared with fresh ingredients.
However, you have the free liberty to choose meals that soothe your diet. In addition, these factor meals can be keto, low-carb, plant-based, and low-calorie.
Factor Meals’ excellent news is that you are free from preparing any meal; factor meals are packaged in lovely containers. You should microwave or reheat the food in the oven once you open them.
You would also love factor meals because they are fresh and not frozen when delivered.
The Effect of Freezing on Factor Meals?
Generally, Freezing is not suitable for other food; it can affect restaurant or home-cooked foods.
The same thing happens to Factor meals; they get affected when they freeze.
However, the texture of Factor meals is not affected by freezing to some point. But the change in texture can be reduced when the meals are well packaged before they are freezed, melted, and reheated.
Additionally, these meals can have a change in flavor. Change in Flavor occurs when the containers used to freeze them need to be airtight.
If Factor meals pass through freezer burns, it adversely affects their texture and flavor. Freezer burns are usually caused by an increased stay in the freezer or inadequate freezer packaging.
Can You Freeze All Factor Meals?
The update of the Factor Meals Menu occurs weekly, meaning you have various new meal options every week. However, not all meals freeze well; some Factor meals can freeze better than others.
One of the Factor meals that freeze well is vegetables that are roasted. However, mashed potatoes, cooked Chicken, rice, and ground beef also freeze well.
Before you go ahead to freeze all your factor meals, it’s best to, first of all, understand how we’ll each meal freezes. You can do this by understanding what each of these meals is made of
Freezing the components of each meal differently will yield an optimal result for you. An example is removing the cooked chicken breast and freezing it differently if it came on a bed of mashed potatoes.
Also, note that Factor meals in a refrigerator should be frozen for up to one week. Additionally, it’s unhealthy to eat or freeze factor meal leftovers that have been at room temperature for over two (2) hours.
Freezing Sealed Factor Meals
Unopened Factor Meals should be freezed with the packaging. You don’t need to remove the packaging and put the food in a different container before freezing it.
If the Factor meal is good and not damaged, freezing them with their original packaging is highly recommended because they come in insulated containers perfect for freezers.
However, if you doubt the safety of the factor meal packaging for the freezer, you can use aluminum foil or food wrap to wrap the container of the factor meal.
Freezing Opened Factor Meals
You can freeze your Factor meals in airtight containers or Zip-to bags if you have them opened already.
We recommend using the Zip-top bags to freeze your factor meals because they consume less space and are hassle-free. Though the Zip-top bags may be convenient, they also have disadvantages; they may not be appropriate for various food consistencies.
On the other hand, you can get your factor meals freezed as received when you use airtight containers with compartments. However, consume more freezer space when compared with Zip-too bags.
Keep This in Mind While Freezing Factor Meals
One thing you should remember when freezing factor meals is that when they come out of the freezer, they are not as crispy when freshly brought out of the oven.
It’s best to keep your Factor Meals intact if you need them to maintain their fresh crispiness straight from the oven.
Secondly, you should expect a loss of quality over time, as this is rampant with Factor meals and other frozen foods.
However, we recommend eating your factor meals to get the perfect texture and taste for your taste buds three (3) months after freezing them.
Precautions To Take When Freezing Factor Meals
Freezing of factor meals should be done appropriately; however, certain things should be on top of your mind. Ensuring your meals are prepared properly is the first thing to do before freezing your factor meals. The growth of harmful bacteria in the human body is prevented when you cook your meals appropriately.
The second thing to keep in mind is the packaging of your food. We recommend using airtight containers or freezer bags to properly package your factor foods for freezing.
The last thing to keep in mind is labeling your foods. Label your food with the frozen date to keep an accurate record of the days the food has been in the freezer. You can freeze your factor meals safely for future use if you carefully follow the simple steps above.
How Long Can Factor Meals Stay in the Freezer Before Going Bad?
Generally, the time factor meals can last in the freezer is three months. However, meals can last longer than three months if your freezer temperature is stable.
But it’s advisable to consume your frozen factor meals immediately to prevent cha goes Jn temperature and flavor. More so, there is a high possibility of freezer burns occurring when you leave factor meals for so long in the freezer.
How To Tell When Factor Meals Have Gone Bad?
To answer this question, Factor meals in the fridge can last for one whole week, according to the brand owners. However, a bold expiry date on each meal helps you avoid mixing up your meals when your next Factor meal arrives.
Also, only expect Factor meals to stay as long as home-cooked foods because they have no added preservatives or GMOs. If Factor meals are not opened, they can only last seven days.
Leftover Factor Meals for 3-4 days are still acceptable for consumption. However, they should be disposed of after 3-4 days, even if they look or smell good.
We recommend disposing of Factor meals if any favor or foul odor is being perceived.
Also, after allowing frozen factor meals to melt, ensure you check for signs of spoilage. You would know that the meal has gone wrong when you notice mold, a change in texture and color, a foul smell, etc.
Some Helpful Tips for Freezing Factor Meals
Below are essential tips to follow to freeze your factor meals perfectly:
- Freeze in Suitable Portions for Your Family
You often have and don’t know what to do with your leftover foods. The best thing is to freeze them.
It’s best to freeze your meals in single servings instead of whole. This is better because it will be easier to pop it in a pan or reheat it in an oven or microwave if you want to consume the meal later.
- Label Each Meal with The Date
Generally, the best date to label each meal is when you want each meal to melt.
Before putting the food in the freezer, inscribing the thaw date on the box lid is always advisable.
This will quickly help you know the exact number of days it has stayed in the freezer and when it will be used again when you remove it.
- Avoid Refreezeing
After melting factor meals, it’s best to refrain from refreezing them again to avoid making them less flavorful and changing the taste and textures of the product.
- Use By Dates as a Guide
“Best by” dates are written on Factor Meals, indicating the time the meals are still at their best quality. However, when the “best by” dates on Factor meals pass, you can still eat them, but we recommend you consume your Factor meals within one to two weeks of opening them instead of freezing them for later use.
- Freeze All of Your Meals at Once
Most times, you have more than one Factor meal. If so, we recommend freezing all factor meals in your fridge simultaneously.
Freezing them at once frees you from forgetting about other Factor meals you have.
How To Defrost Factor Meals
You can perfectly defrost your factor meals by moving them from the freezer to the refrigerator. This method of melting your factor meal avoids texture changes and ensures the safety of factor meals.
However, Factor meals in the fridge can last 24 hours before it melts. But, if you can’t wait for 24 hours, you can fasten this process; simply place your bag or container of food under running cold water. Before you do this, the food container or bag must be sealed tightly.
Though Factor meals can be reheated before melting them, we don’t recommend it. This is because the flavor and texture of factor meals will change when reheated without defrosting.
How Long Can Factor Meals Last in Room Temperature?
The storage condition of all factor meals determines their shelf life. Factor meals can last Ten days if stored between 40-70 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, they last up to two(2) weeks if preserved in a fridge or cooler; when frozen, they last three months and are freezer-safe.
It’s essential to know that the shelf life of factor meals is long because they are vacuum sealed and lack oxygen inside the packaging, resulting in the shelf life of frozen and fresh meals.
We recommend you reseal Factor meals very tightly once you open the packaging, and to avoid spoilage, store them in a cool place.
Frequently Asked Questions-Can You Freeze Factor Meals?
How Long Do Factor Meals Last in the Fridge?
The answer to the above question is Seven days.
The factor meals in your fridge are said to be fresh for seven days. Also, the “enjoy by” date on the sleeve of each meal can help you keep track of your factor meals. Additionally, if you need more time to eat fresh meals, you can freeze them though we don’t recommend that.
How Many Days Do Factor Meals Last?
Until your next delivery arrives, Factor meals stay fresh in the fridge for seven (7) days. Also, the “Enjoy By” date is written on each meal.
Can Factor Meals Go in the Oven?
Simply put, it is best to heat factor meals in the oven if you have enough time. We highly recommend this because it gives the meal a fresh taste and adds flavor. But while doing this, ensure you follow the factor instructions for heating meals in the oven: put the plastic tray in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Are Factor Meals Low Cholesterol?
Generally, Factor diet kits are meal kits that are low-fat and cholesterol-free. Those on non-vegetarian and Vegetarian diets can use this meal kit. However, the factor kit can be prepared for two people and comes in two servings.
Conclusion-Can You Freeze Factor Meals?
This article has answered the question Can You Freeze Factor Meals? as seen above the answer to this question is yes. You can go ahead and freeze that leftover factor meal and not worry about it getting spoilt for some time.