Freezing

[jms0310]

I know this issue was addressed recently (nothing is coming up in the search-I may be doing this incorrectly!), but I have several things that I should probably freeze or I will waste them. Is there an article or list that states what things can be frozen and for how long? I don't know anything about freezing things since I am new to cooking. I would like to freeze some cherry tomotoes, grated cheeses, and sun dried tomatoes but I don't want to ruin them!
Jessica

[AD]

The most helpful and comprehensive chart for freezer storage time I have seen is at www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs2/as29100.html (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs2/as29100.html)

Another food storage chart is at www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs4/sc98004.html (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs4/sc98004.html)

[mlou]

Cherry tomatoes--NO
Grated Cheese--yes
Sun-dried tomatoes--if you put them in a jar and cover with olive oil they will last for years http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I don't know what the experts would say, these are just based on my experience http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[mlou]

Based on my experience grated cheese works very well, cherry tomatoes are a big no-no, and sun-dried tomatoes are best in a jar covered with olive oil-they will last for years.

[makedah]

Won't the oil get rancid?

And, if I don't put the tomatoes in oil, how long will they last in a zip-top bag?

[mlou]

Any of the ones I have seen would last just fine dried also-I am assuming they are completely dried. We sell them at our co-op from a company called Frontier and they are good for years just as cayenne peppers would be, it just takes more liquid to re-constitute them that way.

[Melina]

mlou,
I hope you can help me too. I have a jar of sun dried tomatoes, home made, packed in olive oil, unopened, and stored in my kitchen cabinet for over a year. Do you think that they are still okay? They were brought to me from Italy so I've kind of hung on to the jar, but I wanted to get more information before I either used or discared them.
Thanks,
Melina

[JeanneW]

I have to tell you my experience with freezing tomatoes. I haven't frozen cherry tomatoes, but I have frozen regular tomatoes. It seems that every year I have a bunch of tomatoes and then have to go out of town before I can use them. I pop the whole tomato in a freezer bag and throw it in the freezer. Now, admittedly, you wouldn't want to slice these and eat them, but they work beautifully in pasta sauces and other recipes where you're going to mush them up.

I say give it a try if your only other option is throwing them out.