FAQ's

What is snap-freezing?  How is the Just Cook It! ® range different from traditional frozen food?  What is the safest way to defrost?  Can you tell me the nutritional values of your meals?  How long will they keep?  What's the best way to cook this dish? ... Curious?  Got any queries?  Here are the answers to your most frequently asked questions.

Can You Explain The Term "Snap Frozen"?Snap freezing is used by us and many others in the food industry to quick-freeze perishable food items. Food items are subjected to temperatures well below their melting/freezing point [below -150C or below 238F], causing water - which is the main constituent of food - to freeze extremely quickly. 

Snap Freezing allows us to seal in freshness, and as a result, the food's nutrition, flavour and natural texture are preserved.

Snap freezing is not the same as frozen foods which have been done at home yourself or by a non-industrial process.  Why?  Home freezing is a slow process which allows ice crystals to form in the food.  These ice crystals ruin the texture and taste of the food.  Ever notice thawed food is often tough and/or a pool of water forms?  That’s because of the ice crystals.

If our snap frozen products ever have that ‘freezer burn’ flavour, return it to us for a full refund or exchange – the snap freezing process did not work properly.

How Long Will Snap Frozen Produce Keep?The shelf life of each of our products is 12 months.

How do I transport snap frozen products?  Our products thaw very slowly when not in cold water.  Therefore, even on hot days you can safely take your products home without worry.  For longer trips, place products in a cooler/eski without ice cubes.  (Ice cubes will melt and the cold water around the products will activate the thawing process.)  If needed place sealed ice packs in cooler.

Because our products are portioned packed and snap frozen, they are perfect to take on holidays – be it to a holiday house, camping, on a boat or caravan.  These products will last for days and days if properly stored.

What Is The Best Way To Safely Defrost Food?Unlike traditionally frozen foods, snap frozen foods thaw in just a matter of minutes - giving you the flexibility to decide what you want when you are ready to cook.

The best way to thaw our products is to keep the food in its sealed package and to place it in a pot of cold water.  The colder the water the faster the product will thaw.  You can thaw the ‘old fashioned way’ by leaving the package in the refrigerator overnight.

The beauty of only thawing when you need it, if you need to thaw at all – is the reduction of waste.  How many times do mums take out food to thaw and then the plans change?

What Are The Nutritional Values Of Your Foods?Nutritional values, an ingredients list, and thawing and cooking instructions are available for all our products online. They can be found on the underside of our packaging lids, or conveniently online in the Food Products section. Simply click on each individual food item, and the pop up window lists all the information you need to make the right nutritional decision for your family.