7 Foods You Should Never Put in the Freezer

If you accidentally bought too many eggs, you might be tempted to store the extras in the freezer for another time. Don't make this mistake. Freezing causes the yolk within an eggshell to become thick and syrupy, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Aside from sounding totally gross, this yolk would also not "flow" the same way an unfrozen yolk does, and it would not blend well with any other cooking ingredients, even the egg white! Here's a much better way to freeze raw eggs without their shells so that you don't risk ruining your future breakfast — or your entire freezer, for that matter.

According to the USDA, canned food that gets frozen accidentally — such as cans left behind in the car or basement in cold temperatures — can actually lead to health problems. Considering that risk, it's obviously not a good idea to freeze canned food intentionally, either. However, it's worth keeping in mind that once the canned food is actually outside of the can, it is OK to pop it in the freezer.

If you put mayonnaise in the freezer, it will likely be safe to eat when you take it out. However, safe to eat and delicious to eat are two totally different things. As the USDA reports, mayo's quality goes far downhill after defrosting. Say goodbye to a creamy, dreamy condiment and say hello to a lumpy, clumpy mess. Yuck!

If you've ever seen limp lettuce, you know how sad and unpalatable it looks. According to the British Diabetic Association, that's exactly what will happen to this piece of produce if you put it in the freezer. As a general rule of thumb, it's not a great idea to put any type of salad green in the freezer due to its high water content. This goes double if the salad has any kind of dressing — just put it all in the fridge.

However, if you've already put your salad greens in the freezer, there is one way you can potentially save them: Try to incorporate them in a soup recipe if you can. We wouldn't recommend making a habit out of this, though. You don't want greens taking up a lot of space in your freezer just for soup!

Hey, cottage cheese has tons of health benefits, so we understand the urge to stock up on this nutritious snack. However, you're not going to want to eat the defrosted result after taking a container out of the freezer. Frozen cottage cheese has the potential to curdle or become watery, according to the British Diabetic Association. If that's not enough to kill your appetite, we don't know what is!

Much like cottage cheese, cream cheese and cream sauce both run the risk of turning goopy or lumpy after being in the freezer. A piece of advice: Wait to go grocery shopping for soft, creamy food products until a week where you know for sure that you or someone else will be eating them. That way, you can just set them in the fridge to keep everyone in your home healthy and happy.

Once frozen, the cell structure of raw potatoes can actually change, according to Idaho Potato. This will negatively affect the appearance, texture, and most importantly, the taste after the tuber is cooked. However, when potatoes have already been cooked as part of a freezer-friendly recipe, it's fine to use them as leftovers.

Remember: Some other foods that can be frozen have certain storage requirements as well as recommended kitchen treatment before going into the freezer. When freezing a new food for the first time, always do your research beforehand for optimal results.