Can canned goods be frozen?

Canned goods are essential in almost every pantry. Whether you make your own preserves or buy various fruits, vegetables, and fillings, canned goods have specific functions and characteristics that may cause other limitations.

How do you preserve your canned goods? Can you freeze them and keep them longer? What options do you have for your canned goods?  You can’t freeze canned goods, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a lot of options. Once you’ve opened a preserve, you can freeze its contents. Many factors have to be taken into account to do so. 

Technically speaking, you could freeze canned goods if you chose to. But keep in mind that freezing canned goods can have consequences. We will delve into that later in this article.

If you decide that you need to freeze your canned goods, we have some tips and tricks that you should pay close attention to.

We’ve put together this guide to help you learn how to handle your canned goods and understand your canning options. If you’re worried that they’ll soon expire or that you’ll open them and not use them all, don’t worry, there are options available.

We encourage you to read on and learn everything you need to know about freezing (or not freezing) canned goods, as well as alternative options and methods.

Canned Goods Guide

Do you keep garden fresh produce at home and store it or buy canned goods at your local grocery store?

Whichever method you prefer, we assume you are familiar with canned goods on a basic level. However, there is a lot of information surrounding canned goods that you may not be aware of, including options for preserving or reusing them.

Please bear with us as we work out the details. It’s also important to know that not all canned goods are created equal. Some canned goods have great alternative options, while others simply need to be thrown away rather than stored or kept beyond the date.

Why canned goods?

Canned goods arose because they were a useful alternative to pickling or drying. Canning offered another option for storing and preserving food, especially if you depended on a garden for most of your food and needed some way to sustain it during non-growing seasons.

Over time, it was determined that canning products with specific methods and sealing them preserved the food inside for a long period of time. Not only was food preserved, but it continued to taste great when the seal was broken and the food was cooked and served.

The canning process originally provided food options for soldiers and people forced to leave home. It provided a tasty alternative to bland dry foods that didn’t taste quite the same.

One of the good things about canning these foods was that the flavor was not affected. Canning saved fruits and vegetables, made them transportable, and cut down on other processes that just weren’t as tasty. 

Aside from these benefits, canning eliminates waste because canned foods cannot go bad. Never say never, they can go bad, but essentially they last much longer than any other form of food.

the canning process

Today, most canned goods are sealed using pressure canning mechanisms. Manufactured canned goods have a mechanical process that seals them. The key is that the can is pressurized. This is the number one aspect of canned goods, and without this step, the food inside can go bad.

Canned goods that you buy at the store are usually in cans. However, you can also find canned goods in jars.  If you’re canning at home, you’ll most likely use a mason jar or similar container.

Here is a simple outline of the canning process:

1. Prepare food for canning by washing, cutting, etc.
2. Load food into preferred storage container
3. Add the moisture content – this can vary depending on what you have canned. It is normally a mixture that includes water and potentially an acid such as vinegar.
4. Place the lid or stopper
5. Can by boiling or pressure canning.

The pressure canning method is preferred and is also used by manufacturers, only in bulk. 

Boiling is not recommended for canning food.  It is usually reserved for fruits, jellies, tomatoes or pickled products. When using the boil method, the jars are covered with boiling water and heated for a set time until completely sealed.

Boiling canned goods is not as reliable a method and is less likely to keep all foods for a long time. That is why it is recommended only for certain types of items.

Pressure canning is the preferred method for the canning process. It is more likely to protect food from botulism or spoilage and should also make food last longer.

Pressure canning is also much safer for you and your kitchen . The pressure cooker only requires placing a few inches of water in the bottom. It is then enclosed and sealed in the pot and heated to no less than 240 degrees.

This heat would not be possible without the installation of the pressure cooker and it is this heat that sterilizes the food, killing even the spores of the bacteria, and seals the container in which the food is canned.

How to use your preserves

There are no specific instructions for using your canned goods after canning. Some canned goods can keep in their cans for up to 10 years. There are signs to know if your canned food is no longer good.

When you go to open your preserves, check these things if you are worried that they are no longer good. 

• Do they smell bad or are they rotten?
• Is the food discolored or even moldy?
• Was there foam or a strange liquid when you opened the can?
• Is the can packaging cracked or damaged?
• Is the canning container leaking?
• Is the canning container bulging or swollen?

These are all potential signs that your canned goods may have gone bad. It’s important to keep these things in mind, and if you’re concerned, it’s better to throw out potentially bad products rather than take the chance.

Once you determine that the food inside the can is still good, you can proceed to cook or serve it as normal.  You may need to drain the liquid in which they are kept.

Cooking or serving canned foods doesn’t have to be complicated. There are no special rules to follow, apart from checking that the preserves have not gone bad.

Most canned goods come with an expiration date printed on the can. If you can them at home, be sure to label them with the date or at least the year you canned them.

It is recommended that most canned goods be used within about 2 years, but as we have mentioned elsewhere in this article, many can have a shelf life that extends to at least 5 years.

Can you freeze canned goods?

You should never directly freeze canned goods.  Since canned goods are pressurized, you could experience a number of problems if you tried to freeze canned goods that way.

However, if you receive canned goods that have been frozen, or if you were unaware of the potential effects of freezing canned goods, there is a method you should follow when using them.

• If canned goods have been frozen, they should be thawed using a slow method.
• You can thaw frozen canned goods in the refrigerator. This process can take 2-3 days.
• Place canned goods on a plate or tray while they thaw, in case they leak.
• If the cans leak, warp, or crack, you should throw them all away and not eat them.
• If frozen canned goods may compromise the integrity of the food, it is important to use them within a week of thawing.
• If canned goods are low in acid content, it is recommended to boil the food for at least 10 minutes as a precaution against possible bacteria.

Freezing canned goods can cause the containers to swell or even burst . Use extreme caution when attempting to freeze canned goods while they are canned and when attempting to use them after freezing.

If you notice that a canned item that has been in the freezer is misshapen, potentially unsealed, or leaking, don’t eat the contents.

How to freeze open preserves

If you’ve opened a can and decided not to use it or simply have more than you need, you don’t have to throw away the leftovers. Once you’ve opened that canned product, you have options for storing that food.

This is your solution if you think you really need to freeze canned goods. Open them and then freeze them. But keep in mind that there are some canned foods that don’t freeze well. 

Here are some of the items that don’t always freeze well:

• apples
• cucumbers
• Celery
• Citrus (oranges, lemons, limes, etc.)
• Tomatoes
• Green salads (lettuce, spinach, cabbage)
• raw potatoes

Some of these items have specific methods that may allow you to freeze them, but as a general rule, they are not easy to freeze and don’t always freeze very well.

The main alternative to freezing canned goods is to open the product and proceed from there. Follow the freezing methods that apply to the food you are working with.

If you are going to freeze previously canned goods, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Tips for Freezing Previously Canned Items

• Don’t let the item stay out after open for a long time
• Follow the freezing methods for the particular food you are working with
• Be aware of items that may not freeze well
• Freeze carefully, making sure food is okay before freezing
• Seal them well and do not store them in the freezer for more than 6 months.
• When you take them out of the freezer and use the item, be sure to use it quickly.

We do not recommend using this method as an alternative to canned food storage.  This information is provided primarily so that if you have canned food that is no longer sealed and still good, you have options for preserving that food instead of having to throw it away.

• conservation vs. Freezing

In some cases, you may have to determine if you should can an item or freeze it. There are some differences that you should be aware of.

Canning is mainly used for fresh fruits, vegetables, sauces, jellies, etc.  It is a pressure storage method that keeps food inside for a long period of time, sometimes up to 10 years.

Freezing is a short-term storage solution . It can be used for fresh fruits and vegetables if you don’t store a bulk quantity and want to keep it for several years potentially. Freezing is intended as a short-term solution and frozen food should be used, on average, within one year.

Only you can determine which method will work best for the product you are working with. However, if you are considering a long-term storage option for your vegetables, we highly recommend canning.

You can even use a mix of both. Freeze some items for more immediate use and can most items to keep in your pantry. Canned items will last for many years and will be able to supply your family in times of urgent need.

Another positive quality of canned goods is that you can easily donate or give them away if you participate in canned food drives or know someone who simply needs help. This is much more difficult to do with frozen items.

 Related questions

We hope you found the information in this guide helpful in learning whether you can freeze canned goods and what your options are.

We invite you to consult some common questions that can provide valuable additional information.

Does canning vegetables reduce their nutritional value?

Your canned fruits and vegetables may have lower nutritional content than when served fresh. The same goes for freezing vegetables . For the most part, canning will preserve the vitamins and nutrition, but anything not eaten fresh decreases its nutritional value.

Is canning dangerous?

Canning methods and capabilities have evolved since canning was originally introduced to the world as a food preservation option. It is relatively safe to can if you know the proper procedures and use a pressure canning system.

Before, it was possible for canning jars or containers to rupture or even explode if they were too pressurized. It is very important that you follow the instructions of your canning utensils to the letter to avoid this.

Can meats be canned?

If you visit the canned goods in your grocery store, you will notice that there are meats, beans, and even whole foods canned. Almost anything can be canned if proper canning procedures are followed. This includes meats, seafood, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, pie fillings, etc.