How to Prevent Your Ice Cream From Getting Freezer Burn

Ice cream is one of life's greatest pleasures. It's there for you when you need it to cool down on a hot day or navigate through complex emotions, and how many other things can do that?

Sadly, ice cream has a weakness: if it's stored improperly, it's vulnerable to freezer burn. Read on to find out why freezer burn happens, whether freezer burned ice cream is safe to eat, and ways to prevent your ice cream from becoming freezer burned.

What Causes Freezer Burn?

Freezer burn occurs when frozen foods undergo a process called sublimation, which is when a substance transforms from a solid into gas. Normally, a solid will melt into a liquid and then evaporate into a gas, but with sublimation, that middle step doesn't happen. As a result, moisture is pulled directly from the food, creating a less than ideal taste and texture. Think of it as a scaled down version of dry ice.

Can I Eat Freezer Burned Ice Cream?

Freezer burned ice cream is completely safe to eat. Freezer burn only alters a food's taste and texture, so there are no food safety issues to worry about with freezer burned ice cream.

However, the affected areas won't be up to par with normal ice cream and will likely have a dull taste and scratchy texture. You may be able to salvage your ice cream by scraping off the freezer burned parts, but it's not guaranteed that it'll taste the same. Fortunately, there are ways to protect your pint in the future:

5 Ways to Prevent Freezer Burned Ice Cream

1. Keep things airtight

The risk for freezer burn can happen as soon as you open the ice cream container. Air can seep in and trigger sublimation. To keep your ice cream safe, keep things as airtight as possible. Store the container in an airtight container, like a zip-top bag, and remove as much air as you can. For extra protection, cover the ice cream's surface with plastic wrap or parchment paper before putting on the lid.

2. Consider the climate

In the land of freezer real estate, some areas are better than others. The closer an item is to the freezer door, the more susceptible it is to freezer burn since it's more exposed to warm air coming inside. Keep things cool (literally) by placing your ice cream at the very back of your freezer.

3. Turn it around

According to Ben & Jerry's, a little bit of perspective makes a big difference. In 2020, the ice cream brand shared a clever trick that helped frozen food lovers everywhere: store your ice cream upside down. It might sound weird and messy, but any melted ice cream will drip onto the lid and freeze, protecting the rest of the ice cream from exposure to oxygen.

4. Cut it out

There's a simpler way to enjoy ice cream faster, and best of all, it helps prevent freezer burn. Rather than scooping the ice cream out of the container, cut that carton with a serrated knife. Since you don't have to wait for the ice cream to melt, you save some time and reduce the ice cream's exposure to oxygen. Plus, it's great for parties.

5. Check the temperature

The ideal temperature for ice cream storage is 0 degrees F, which is, coincidentally, the ideal temperature for all frozen foods. Check your freezer's temperature with a thermometer to make sure bacteria doesn't grow and ice cream doesn't get freezer burned.

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