Why You Should Think Twice About Freezing Pudding

Pudding means different things in different cultures. Across the pond in Britain, this dessert can be sweet like a sticky toffee pudding or savory like a Yorkshire pudding (via Simmer and Sauce). Take a trip to Tahiti and you are likely to sample some po'e, which Taste Atlas describes as a fruit pudding that starts with a banana or some other tropical fruit puree as its base and is mixed with brown sugar and cornstarch. This concoction is then baked, chilled, cut into pieces, and served with a little coconut cream.

In the United States, pudding is a dessert that both adults and kids can get on board with. Whether you are a fan of Paula Deen's classic banana pudding recipe or you enjoy the instant variety for its simple flavors and quick preparation — pudding is a sweet treat many turn to. In fact, per Statista, in 2020 over 150 million Americans admitted to eating this thick, creamy custard-like dessert. It's the perfect sweet for backyard barbecues or weeknight pot lucks. But if you make too much pudding, can you freeze it? The answer is not as simple as you would think.

According to Taste of Home, you should not freeze pudding due to its high water content as a potential taste and texture hazard, especially if it contains bananas as they can get mushy and brown when defrosted. Can You Freeze This agrees that banana pudding is tough to freeze, but if you are trying to avoid chucking it, they say it can be done. But the site explains that banana pudding is a special case, and whether or not you can successfully freeze pudding depends on all of the various elements you've added to it.

Simply Healthy Family explains some ingredients just don't hold up when you thaw your pudding. They use the example of cookies going soggy. But the site also says that "bread pudding, rice pudding, gelatin pudding, and tapioca pudding" all freeze well and this preservation method can allow you to enjoy them for up to three months. Can You Freeze This concurs, adding that store-bought pudding mixes to the list of puddings that freeze well. They also explain that when your pudding freezes it will be more like ice cream (remember Jell-O Pudding Pops?), which can be a whole different way to enjoy your dessert.