Can I refreeze thawed food?

Concerns & risks

You were trying to plan a burger night, but you thawed the ground beef and then everyone wanted pizza instead, so now you're stuck with thawed meat.

Everyday mishaps add up.

Causes & evidence

Food thawed in the fridge can be refrozen, though quality may drop. See food storage times.

What to do

1. Refreeze if thawed in fridge.
2. Cook first if thawed in water or microwave.
3. Never refreeze food left out.

Common mistakes: Common mistakes: refreezing meat that was thawed on the counter or left out. If you thawed it in the fridge and it stayed cold, refreezing is generally fine, though texture may suffer because ice crystals damage cells. If you thawed it in cold water or the microwave, cook it first, then you can freeze the cooked food. Cooked ground beef can be frozen in meal-sized portions for tacos or pasta sauce later. Freeze meat flat in zip bags so it thaws faster next time. Press out air to reduce freezer burn. Label with the date and what's inside. Use thawed raw ground beef within a day or two in the fridge.

Speed Man tip: Freeze in small portions.

Wrap-up: Fridge-thawed ok. Cook first. Portions.