Freeze Like You Mean It

Models that feature clip-on or snap-on lid fasteners are good sellers now, Williams says, because they are more user-friendly for folks with limited dexterity or hand strength. Consumers also want a range of sizes and shapes, and they are particular about how the containers' contents can be labeled.

There's more to consider. The fine print on packaging for some plastic containers warns against using them to store hot foods or foods made with fats or oils. "That's not something most people realize," says Susie Theodorou, author of the 2007 guide and cookbook "Can I Freeze It?" The heat and oils may cause the plastic to deform or deflate or interact with the food.

In the end, our testing reinforced common wisdoms (read the packaging and labels for best use, etc.), and it revealed useful distinctions among the products, especially with regard to what would happen to them next, be it microwaving or immediate defrosting:

· Containers filled with food to be frozen need an inch of head space, allowing for expansion. And for optimum freezing and defrosting, food should be no more than two inches deep, which suggests the need to keep a variety of freezer container and bag sizes on hand.

Filling a Ziploc bag with six pounds of homemade cassoulet might seem like an efficient way to handle leftovers quickly, but defrosting that misshapen hunk takes days in the refrigerator. Better to portion among several smaller containers, label and date them.

· A few minutes' time taken to wrap, seal and store properly will reduce food waste and maintain better food quality.

· Recheck the seals on plastic bags or foods vacuum-sealed at home after they've spent one month in the freezer. Repackage foods in new bags, if necessary.

· Placing newly purchased bags of frozen fruits and vegetables inside a slightly larger, freezer-safe bag reduced or eliminated the formation of ice crystals and extended their freezer shelf life by several months. There was no need of further protection for manufacturer's vacuum-sealed pouches of raw meats.