Hands holding a sandwich in a ZERO resealable food storage bag

How to freeze meat without plastic (and without freezer burn)

Freezing meat without conventional plastic comes down to two things: keep air off the surface, and keep the freezer cold. Get those right and the packaging is the easy part. Here's how to do it with ZERO's certified home compostable bags and cling wrap, plus a few things you probably already have in the kitchen.

The quick version

Portion the meat, pat it dry and flash-freeze loose pieces on a tray.
Pack each portion into a ZERO resealable food storage bag, press out the air and seal.
For steaks and chops, wrap tightly in ZERO cling wrap first for a second barrier.
Label with the cut and the date.
Keep the freezer at around −18°C and thaw in the fridge, never on the bench.

What to freeze meat in

ZERO resealable food storage bags

This is the direct swap for the zip-lock freezer bag. ZERO's resealable bags are made from PBAT, corn starch and calcium carbonate, are certified home compostable (TÜV Austria OK compost HOME), have been tested for food contact and are freezer-friendly. They come in snack, sandwich and storage sizes, from $4.99.

Bags suit meat because they flex around awkward cuts, push flat to squeeze out air, and stack neatly once frozen. One bag per meal-sized portion means you only ever thaw what you need. Mince frozen flat in a bag also thaws far faster than a solid block.

ZERO cling wrap as a first layer

For individual steaks, chops, chicken breasts or fish fillets, a tight first wrap of cling wrap before the bag gives you two barriers between the meat and dry freezer air. ZERO cling wrap is made from bioplastic, mainly PLA made from sugarcane (bagasse) with about 20% PBAT for stretch, and it's certified home compostable (DIN CERTCO; TÜV Austria OK compost HOME). For freezer use, follow the usage guide on the pack.

One quirk worth knowing: the film is so strong that a standard metal cutter bends the box or pulls away, so the box uses a detachable cutter blade. Pull the blade off before the box and used film go in the compost.

Things you already own

A freezer-safe jar or a lidded container you already have works for diced meat, mince or stock (leave a couple of centimetres of headspace for anything with liquid). A sheet of baking paper between burger patties or chops stops them sticking together. Use what's in the cupboard before you buy anything new.

Step by step: freezing raw meat

Start with clean hands, benches and boards. Keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat food while you work.
Portion first. Divide meat into the amount you'd cook in one go. Smaller portions freeze faster and thaw more evenly.
Pat it dry. Surface moisture turns into ice crystals and speeds up freezer burn.
Flash-freeze loose pieces. Spread diced meat, meatballs, sausages or strips on a tray lined with baking paper, not touching, and freeze for an hour or two until firm. They won't weld into one lump later.
Wrap and bag. Wrap individual cuts tightly in cling wrap if you like, then pack portions into a resealable bag.
Get the air out. Press the bag flat from the bottom up, or lower it into a bowl of water up to just below the seal and let the water push the air out, then close it. Keep the opening dry.
Label it. Cut, weight and date. Frozen mince all looks the same in three months.
Freeze flat, then file. Lay bags flat on a tray until solid, then stand them upright like files. You'll fit more in and find things faster.

How to stop freezer burn

Freezer burn isn't caused by the cold. It's dry air pulling moisture out of the meat's surface, leaving grey, leathery patches. It isn't a safety problem, but it does wreck texture and flavour. The fixes are simple:

Remove as much air as you can before sealing. This matters more than anything else.
Wrap tightly. Gaps between the wrap and the meat are where frost forms.
Cool cooked food first. Warm food in the freezer creates condensation and raises the temperature of everything around it.
Keep the freezer cold and steady. Around −18°C is the usual recommendation. A cheap freezer thermometer is more reliable than the dial.
Don't leave the door open. Every minute lets in warm, moist air.

How long can meat stay frozen?

Meat kept frozen solid stays safe, but its quality slowly drops. As a general guide for best eating quality:

Mince and sausages: about 2 to 3 months
Chicken pieces: about 6 months
Steaks, chops and roasts: about 6 to 12 months
Cooked meat and casseroles: about 2 to 3 months

Treat these as quality guides, not hard cut-offs. Label everything and use the oldest first.

Thawing safely

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) describes 5°C to 60°C as the temperature danger zone, where bacteria grow fastest. Keep raw meat out of it while it thaws:

In the fridge is the best option. Put the bag on a plate on the bottom shelf so nothing drips onto other food. Allow overnight for most portions, longer for big roasts.
In cold water if you're in a hurry. Keep the meat sealed in its bag, change the water every 30 minutes, and cook it straight away.
In the microwave on the defrost setting, then cook it immediately.
Never on the bench. The outside sits in the danger zone long before the middle thaws.

For the best quality and safety, cook thawed raw meat rather than refreezing it raw. Once it's cooked, you can freeze it again.

Buying meat with less packaging

Plenty of butchers are happy to put meat straight into your own container. Ask them to weigh the empty container first so you only pay for the meat. Then portion it into bags at home and straight into the freezer.

What to do with the bags afterwards

ZERO's bags and cling wrap are certified home compostable, so once they've done their job they can go into a home compost. Give bags that held raw meat a rinse first so you're not adding meat scraps to the compost. Pull the cutter blade off the cling wrap box before it goes in. Unlike conventional plastic, they break down fully to CO2, water and biomass in compost rather than hanging around.

FAQ

Can you freeze meat without any plastic at all?

Yes. A lidded container or jar you already own works for mince and diced meat. Most people find bags easier for portions, which is where ZERO's resealable bags come in. They're made from bioplastic rather than conventional plastic and are certified home compostable.