Freezers: they are the modern marvels that keep our munchies fresh when we want to take advantage of the banging deals in the frozen foods section at the supermarket! They’re also great when it comes to keeping items like bread, meat, and soup edible and delicious for months or sometimes even YEARS after they were originally prepared or purchased.

Just one catch— though we love putting our freezer to good use, it’s important to be aware that the handy appliance isn’t here to conduct miracles. Like most things in life, the cold environment felt in freezers does come with certain limitations that, simply put, do not gel with some foods. In fact, the environment can be SO inhospitable, it might end up doing much more harm than good when it comes to preservation.

Let’s watch the video below to learn about the 6 top foods that you should NEVER stick in your freezer.

Surprising stuff, huh? We’ll admit that we have certainly been guilty of sticking some of these foods in our freezer— namely grapes!

Now that you know the basics, it’s time that you delve a bit deeper into what items your freezer could easily destroy. Here are 9 more to consider…

1. Dairy Products

   You may be tempted to throw some yogurt in the freezer for a low-calorie alternative to ice cream, but, as it turns out, dairy should never be kept in such cold environments. The freezer forces the enzymes in dairy to separate, which means your cheese, yogurt, milk, etc., might end up becoming gritty over time. Yuck!

2. Coffee

   We know, guys— this certainly is a surprising one! For years, we had heard that storing coffee in the freezer kept the beans fresher for longer, but, unfortunately, the cold creates too much moisture, which can lead to a serious loss of flavor. Bummer!

3. Fresh Herbs

   Throwing fresh herbs into your freezer will only amount to one thing— a leaky, brown mess when thawed! Instead, ground up your herbs in a food processor and freeze them in an ice tray filled with olive oil. Brilliant!

4. Avocados

   We all want our avocados to last longer, but introducing them to your freezer won’t cut it. In fact, their color browns and they lose their texture almost right away. Best to store them properly after sliced— in a plastic baggie with a bit of onion in the fridge!

5. Cooked Pasta

   It may be tempting to store your cooked pasta in the freezer, but the hard truth is that the glutinous goodness just does not thaw well at all. Best to boil up a fresh batch for each new serving.

6. Flour-and-Cornstarch-Thickened Sauces

   Similar to dairy, sauces with contents that are thickened with either cornstarch or flour end up separating when in the freezer. This usually turns into a gritty, gooey mess when re-heated. Not what we look for when we eat gravy!

7. Fried Foods

   We all WANT those crispy, crunchy onion rings from our favorite steakhouse to last forever, but moist, cold environments will only make their breading soggy.

8. Defrosted Meats

   Sure, the freezer does a wonderful job of keeping meat, but that doesn’t mean that you can thaw frozen meat and freeze it again. Now, this process might not affect the meat’s taste, but it will serve as an invitation for dangerous bacteria to breed within it. Translation: unless you want to take a trip to the emergency room, stay away at all costs!

9. Wine

   You COULD always throw a bottle of white wine in the freezer to cool it quickly, but doing so might just take away from the vino’s unique flavor profile. Instead, give this cooling trick a shot!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject of freezers! Do you know of any other foods you shouldn’t stick in the freezer? What’s the best way to store defrosted meat? How do you make your fruits and veggies last longer?