How To Freeze Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a popular side dish. They're typically paired with a perfectly cooked steak or turkey during Thanksgiving. But whether you're using instant mashed potatoes or making them homemade, you might end up with leftovers. Instead of throwing them away, follow this potato freezing hack.

How Long Are Thanksgiving Leftovers Good? Here's a Guide

Start by preparing your favorite recipe for mashed potatoes. For freezing purposes, make sure the potatoes are smooth, not chunky. After chowing down on your favorite weeknight meal, it's time to start the freezing process.

If you're planning to meal prep, you should store the mashed potatoes as individual servings. To do so, use an ice cream scoop for uniformity — a hack commonly used by bakers — and freeze them for about two hours until they retain their shape. Then you can lump the mashed potatoes into one resealable freezer bag, making sure to press out any air pockets.

If you're planning to serve the leftovers as one meal, then skip the ice cream scoop step. Instead, add them to a resealable bag and freeze. Repeat these steps until all of your leftover mashed potatoes are in the freezer. To save room, flatten out the bags and stack them on top of one another in the freezer.

Once the mashed potatoes are reheated, they'll taste just as good as they did the first time around. This hack is a great way to save time on turkey day. Instead of cooking on the day of, try out more of our Thanksgiving dishes you can make ahead and freeze.