Trader Joe’s holiday hash is essentially a box of vegetables. These vegetables have been carefully picked to really remind people of the holidays and the colder months of the year. The holiday hash is sold refrigerated, but can it be frozen?
Yes. You can freeze Trader Joe’s holiday hash. It is just like freezing any other vegetable. However, if you are going to freeze it, you will want to ensure that you do so before it expires.
Let’s explain in a bit more depth, shall we?
How to Freeze Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash
Freezing Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash isn’t going to be all that different from freezing any other vegetables.
If you want to freeze Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash, then we suggest that you do it as soon as possible. The quicker you do it, the fresher the hash will end up being when you reheat it later on.
If you freeze the holiday hash a little bit later on, then make sure that you are not freezing beyond the expiry date. You may also want to check the product quickly to ensure that none of the vegetables have started to rot.
We highly suggest that you leave Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash in the product packaging if you are going to be freezing it.
It will ensure that it stays much, much fresher. However, if that isn’t possible, then you can split it up into portions in freezer bags.
You should not freeze the product for longer than 6 months. While it should still be safe to consume after 6 months, the quality of the Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash will quickly start to dwindle after that point.
Thawing and Reheating Trader Joe’s Frozen Holiday Hash
We suggest that you leave the product to thaw out naturally. You can leave it on your countertop (covered) for a few hours, or leave it in the fridge for a couple of days.
Once the Holiday Hash has thawed out completely, you can cook it in exactly the same way that you would normally cook it i.e. if you hadn’t frozen it.
If you do want to defrost the Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash a little bit faster, then you can also put in a boiling pan of water for a few minutes.
However, do bear in mind that this is going to change the texture of the vegetables a little bit. This means that they may not end up being suitable for roasting, and you may not like the taste all that much.
If you are going to boil, then you should probably use if you are planning on making a soup, or even a sauce, with the Holiday Hash.
Tips for Maintaining the Quality of Frozen Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash
The quicker you freeze the Holiday Hash, the fresher it will be. Once the Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash has thawed out after freezing, it is important that you do not refreeze it.
While, technically, it should be safe if you refroze it, the texture is going to be awful and soggy. If you leave it too long before you refreeze it, then the quality of the Holiday Hash is going to go downhill too.
As we mentioned a little bit earlier, Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash is going to work best if you freeze it in the container that it came in.
This is fairly well-sealed. That being said, we understand that the Holiday Hash can be a little bit too big for some people. In that case, you may want to freeze it off into portions. You can use freezer bags for this.
Try to ensure that you freeze for as little as possible. We never suggest that you freeze it beyond the 6-month mark, but you should probably try and eat it within a month or two if you want the Holiday Hash to continue to taste as brilliant as it possibly can taste.
Alternatives to Freezing Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash
If you do not want to freeze the Holiday Hash, then you can cook it and put it in the fridge. Boiling the Holiday Hash should add a few extra days to the lifespan of the Holiday Hash.
The only downside here is that if you boil it, the texture is going to change.
In other cases, you may want to make a hearty soup from it. You can freeze it like that too.
In our experience, a soup made from the Holiday Hash is probably going to end up tasting a lot better than just straight freezing the Holiday Hash. This is likely down to all of the other ingredients in the product.
Other Ways to Use Frozen Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash
You can make a soup from your Holiday Hash. Some people will enjoy making a good stuffing from it.
Honestly, you can really get adventurous with your frozen Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash because, at the end of the day, it is really nothing more than some frozen winter vegetables.
You can use these however you please. We are sure that you are able to come up with some rather delicious dishes if you put your mind to it!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does Trader Joes Holiday Hash Last in the Fridge?
You can probably keep the Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash in the fridge for a couple of days beyond expiry, but double-check that the vegetables haven’t started to rot if you are going to use them.
How Long Does Trader Joes Holiday Hash Last in the Freezer?
In theory, they could last forever. We suggest that you try and consume within one month of freezing, and never go beyond six months.
The longer they stay in the freezer, the worse it will end up tasting when you get around to cooking it.
Final Thoughts
You can freeze Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash. The Holiday Hash should keep in the freezer for between 1 and 6 months with no real loss in quality.
Defrost it naturally when you remove from the freezer to maintain the best taste.