The freezer is a magnificent invention. It has enabled so much unique, delicious food to be transported, saved, and stored. I mean, what could be the downside of something that makes ice cream accessible any time of year?
Well, when it comes to storing tea, there isn’t really an upside to the freezer. While your microwave dinners and frozen fruit will stay good for a long time, your tea will not. First of all, for loose tea to remain good and flavorful, it needs to stay cool, dark, and dry.
The freezer has the cool and dark thing going for it. It is not dry in there, though. Freezers go through a process of circulating air regularly, which allows for the accumulation of moisture. Think of what happens when you leave a container in an overcrowded freezer. It will become “freezer-burnt,” or covered in icy crystals due to the constant melting and refreezing process.
This moisture will ruin your tea, essentially steeping it before you can even put it into your infuser. Your tea will lose not only flavor and aroma this way, but also some of the essential health benefits and caffeine content that tea provides.
Something else to keep in mind about your freezer (as well as your fridge) is everything else that is stored inside. You don’t want the flavors and aromas of other foods to seep into your tea and change the final product. While lavender, vanilla, peppermint, and even licorice are great flavors for tea, leftover chicken soup really isn’t.
How can you keep your tea fresh without storing tea in freezer conditions? The best way is to keep it in a sealed container that is dark and dry and to store that container in a cool place. Check out our blog post for more great tips on keeping your tea fresh.
As hard as it may be to resist, one of the best ways to make sure your tea stays fresh is by not buying too much tea at a time. Buy only as much tea as you can reasonably drink in 2-4 weeks. When it’s running low, order some fresh tea. That way, you will always have a stock of flavorful, delicious loose tea on hand.
Need some help getting started? Check out our Tea of the Month Club! You'll get a brand new blend every month. Finish it off while it’s still fresh, and you’ll get a whole new world of flavor in a few short weeks. No freezer required.
