Worldwide customs - Japan

Japan has a different culture compared to the rest of the mentioned countries, difference helped by their isolation, landscaping and language.
Japanese people are known to live in overpopulated cities and the concept of a chain society comes from them. This means that every Japanese will learn to become dependent by the other society members, even in the childhood when they keep their children with them in the same room until they are 2-3 years old.


Japan prisoner of its own language ?

The language is also different and like Benjamin Whorf who emitted a theory about languages, every culture or country is influenced after the characteristics of its own language. So the Japanese is considered as ambiguous, letting free spaces to interpretations and with impersonal verbs, when long impersonal phrases are followed by the main proposition. A very unique thing is about taking and giving a message, if anyone refuses to transmit a message even if it’s a secretary than it’s a Japanese. The same secretary will tell you to call the person back to hear the message instead of just transmitting it to you. This because it’s so easy to interpret wrong a message that no one wants to be blamed by transmitting wrong anything. Their language is really a barrier even between them not to mention with others. So learning another language it’s a real challenged since the entire model is so different. That’s why Japanese understands just partly a foreign language including English and this for us could seem unbelievable but for them is normal. How to solve such a unique problem ? Very hard to say, but for sure knowing it will give you an extra effort to assure you understood each other.

Things to know in business meetings

So we have a powerful conditioning environment for our Japanese business partner. Having such a different language the process of translation in their mind from any other language is very complicated and even stressful.
First meeting
Keeping in mind the infos above we can understand why the first meeting or bringing a new person to a second meeting is not a pleasant thing for a Japanese. In their own environment they already know who is who, how to talk and treat any person from the chain, so a new person it’ a challenge. Same goes with the normal American behavior when everyone is so opened and comes for a handshake, this stresses the Japanese terrible if he was not presented properly to the new person.
Same goes whit decisions since in a chain society the group decision is very important.
Going back to meetings, exchange of business cards it’s a good start but still not enough information for the normal Japanese.
To understand better let’s see a comparison between how a Japanese and an American presents himself:
“American: I am John Smith managing partner to Hixxxx Comp.
Japanese: Within the Xxxx company, department of foreign relations, the GM assistant I am Yamamoto.”

Going to a meeting in Japan the business man can be welcomed by a huge group where he needs to presents himself to everyone of them, which is annoying for the occidental but for the Japanese it’s necessary.
Same goes with decisions, the typical American representatives want quick decisions and often they push the negotiation process, but a Japanese can’t do that and if it’s forced will retreat silently from any further negotiation. If you compromise yourself to a meeting you won’t gain nothing and very likely you won’t see that person again. Every discussion must start with an introduction where the values of what you want to present are described. Jumping to the point of the meeting will be seen like disrespectful and will be refused. This is the most important thing to know in negotiations, they negotiate as well but in a different manner where politeness and courtesy is very important. They will respect more the fidelity to a company than efficiency of the person.

Be aware about the “no” word. Like in the countries discussed before we find the similitude here as well. They will never say no to you even if they refuse the offer. But you will know that by never seeing the person in charge again after that meeting.
If you have a first meeting with a manager in Japan don’t be surprised if he will close his eyes and listen to you for the first 10 minutes until you present yourself.

Negotiation characteristics

Japanese negotiate in teams and every team member has a different specialty.
But the team can grow or become more diversified in time because they prefer to involve more and more company members to know you and take part of the final decision.
Your first contact from a company will be always present to the next meetings.
The main leader will be present and lead the strategies but unlikely will be the main participant in communication where the other players will put questions inside their expertise area. The meaning of the questions is related to information not decisions. They will put all the information together and decide with the company, not just that team, and not on the first meeting, possibly not on the second.
The flexibility is very limited and changes are hard to be made since the team represents a company strategy which can’t be changed before another meeting with the “head”.
Keeping in mind the language barrier same issues can be discussed many times to assure them the real meaning, this can be confusing for both parts, hard to know if you get the message exactly.
But all this long process is meant to cover everything correctly and create a long term relationship in business. They are not interested in short term visions. They want to stick with their partners many years to come.
Anyway after the decision made the action time is completely different, here they expect quick actions and they will do the same, being harsh with delays.
If everything goes well they are willing to make changes from their original plans, but just in case you were polite, respectful, protocol keeper and patient. Harmony is a main word. So it’s not everything about logic and statistics, it’s also about sympathy and emotional acceptance.

Mentality
Better product with higher productivity. This is what’s important, that’s why they were silent when many companies accused them by stealing their products and remade them cheaper and better. Japanese consider that it’s just a waste of time to invest money in new inventions if they can take what it’s on the market and just make it better afterwards. Some people considered them with inferiority complex. Actually is the opposite since they have some racist behavior about Afro Americans and Indians.

Short briefing about what to do for a successful meeting
Be well dressed in a conservatory way (black, grey, white); be ultra-polite; bow to show your respect especially to the chief; apologize a lot for things you never made; be kind and serious; avoid jokes which no one will understand anyway; be well prepared to illustrate your company and the representatives of the company; adulate them as much as you can; be quite instead of saying no; be patient and avoid being too direct; repeat many times the important points of the meeting to be well understood; how you represent yourself is more important then what you are saying.

Worldwide customs - Hong Kong (supplement to China)

I tail on Hong Kong to my previous article about China since there are many differences to tell. You can’t generalize all what you read about China to Hong Kong. For 99 years Hong Kong was a British colony or better said Great Britain rented Honk Kong from China during a contract which expired in 1997. Even though China reintegrated Hong Kong, the long period spent under the British power changed people. We can identify similar models between Singapore and Hong Kong where the occidental enterprising spirit combined with hard oriental labor style resulted in a very successful combination, mentioning that in Hong Kong everything is higher including salaries compared to Singapore.
The fact that Hong Kong became a colony had no bad effect on China in general, on the contrary because created the perfect connection between China and the occidental world and a perfect backup for relations with Taiwan and South Korea.
Anyway the reintegration process can’t be too easy when China and Hong Kong don’t share so many things in mentality and communication. Hong Kong is more US then China style, the rush, the rhythm to create more and more new business possibilities makes Chinese living in Hong Kong different. Taking these facts we can admire China’s approach to not try to interfere and change too much Hong Kong, showing a wise decisions for a place which really works well.
How to interact with Chinese living in Hong Kong? It’s actually easy, they are opened, like Americans and British people, easy to adjust to new and are less superstitious.

The Hong Kong Chinese is cosmopolitan so rules are more relaxed compared to the rest of China. Still similarity regarding etiquette, meetings, dinner exists. So if you know already Chinese customs, using them you will be welcomed here as well. In business meetings you will feel more personal touch in discussion and no need to feel embarrassment since they just want to establish a more complex relationship with you and know you better, although a long standing personal relationship is not required but appreciated. Will be much easier the meeting here because they are used to treat constantly people from all over world. It’s good to maintain silence time to time since it’s considered a form of communication so if your host becomes silent respect it and don’t rush to interrupt. They are like all Chinese regarding the “no” word, they don’t like it and rarely use to avoid offense or confrontation.

Normal meeting and negotiating rules from all over China applies here, so you can keep them. Some extra info would be that appointments here need to be made 1-2 month before the meeting. For all Chinese the New Year is important so better don’t set any meetings around that time. Contract signings and other important dates are many times set after Astrology dates or Feng Shui so don’t be surprised. Don’t forget to use your title in presentation and on your business card because of their hierarchism.

Gift giving tips (applicable in China and Hong Kong)

• Use both hands to receive or give a gift.
• Take care of anything implying numbers: 4 is forbidden and 8 rules.
• Don’t use just any colors: red and gold are considered lucky colors, but never red flowers.
• No to: red and white flowers; cutting utensils; clocks; handkerchiefs or straw sandals; white, blue or black wrap paper; green hats for children.
• Gifts won’t be opened when received and many times accepted just after 1 or 2 refusals.
  
  Good luck !
  
  

Read also: Worldwide customs – India – Learn negotiating like and Indian ! *** Worldwide customs – Quick guide to prevent mistakes – Asia (I) *** Worldwide customs – China – Understanding Chinese people

Worldwide customs - China – Understanding Chinese people

Another superpower candidate is China like I said in the previous article. Do you know why ? Let’s say because it’s huge (biggest country in the world). Not enough ? Ok, than let’s say because it’s the oldest civilization on the planet. So ? (you would say ).Then let’s say because for the last 16 years marks constantly the title of the biggest economical growth with more investments then United States has since 2005; because its army is the biggest also and has more and more allocated money with 10 % more every year; because uses half of the world concrete production and a third of its steel; because if you want to compete in prices wherever you are on this globe you need to have something in China if you want to survive, and so on … I would say we have real reasons to think China is far from be ignored. Who still has that old image of poor China with pollution, with no technology where people are just mediocre, is living in a different universe regarding the country with the oldest lifestyle on earth.

Let’s try to see now who a normal Chinese really is. For 2 millennium China was an isolated super country ruling all over its neighbourhood and asking for tribute including from Japan. Such a long history and power mentality makes even today any Chinese to feel proud and superior to any other country. For Chinese we, the rest of us are just some inferior specie, corrupted, disloyal and inconstant. So they could really just smile at us and tolerate whatever we do since we can’t more.
Beware that such a strong belief is not easy to change so it’s better for you to know and respect this about them. It is a big deal to consider yourself this way and for me it’s an invaluable information to know whenever I have or will have a contact with any Chinese.
It’s not that they can’t see value in others, they do but regarding spirituality and morals they believe are the best. But alike Russia and Muslims (although they never liked or respected Russia) they combine a form of moral equity with tuff critic for occidental countries. They see now how countries which jubilated in so many fields before are in decline now and how they lost their shine.

Chinese values ?
- modesty
- tolerance
- providence
- amiability
- filial piety
- patience and respect for old people
- tenacity, self sacrifice, trustfulness
- kindness, moderation, patriotism, harmony, diligence
- generosity, respect for hierarchy, education, opposition for corruption,
- adaptability, sense of duty, prideful
- friendship, kindness, undemanding,
- gratitude for favors,
- wisdom, impartiality, purity.

How to compete with that ?
A helper element could be that they believe in Confucianism, meaning – the good of the nation is determined on unequal relationships, it’s the only way to maintain order and long term stability. The family represents the best this prototype, it’s about the whole group (family members) never just 1. Same rule applies in society, school, career, everywhere. You need to respect your bosses, your family and society, respect titles and education, treat fair everybody and humiliate no one. Keep a balance in everything, be calm and avoid any kind of excesses. They are influenced by many things: nature, Taoism, Feng Shui, Buddhism, Chinese Astrology, Acupuncture, Phytotherapy and if all this seam for some superstition for Chinese is a lifestyle.
A Chinese will be always a group member, not 1 but 4: job, family, school and community and will always need to handle all. So you can deduct that any decision for them it’s never something to take over night, it’s something very complicated especially if it’s about changes. If an American failed in 1 city can move in another and start over, but a Chinese will feel the consequences very hard inside the community and his reputation will be damaged in all 4 fields. “Every person means a lot for many.” And every person needs to help the society exactly in the same manner like the society helps that person. So a homeless for example has no rights since doesn’t bring his own contribution to the society.

Negotiating or meeting a Chinese. How to …?
They will always prefer etiquette and formal events even if they are dressed more casual.
Respect hierarchy when sitting to a table (or better respect it always). The oldest one needs to be treated with special respect, even if it’s not the main character in the “game”.
Exchange visit cards.
Vice-president or adjuncts are mostly those who take the decisions.
They hardly will say “no” to you but they will start to talk about difficulties.
The big decision comes after meetings since meetings are considered having informational and briefing purposes.
Meetings are long or very long and very polite, never with confrontations.
You will hear “we” or “us” more than “I”.
No one will assume alone any kind of responsibility since is a group ideology.
They want long term relationships and a meeting has the purpose to evaluate the reliability of the partner like a long termed one.
No rush, no hurry, step by step moves are followed and determine everyone’s role in the business. They prefer more days for negotiation, the typical American rush is something they don’t like at all.
You need to be patient and set up a real trustful relationship to have success.
They know their market and will fix the prices according to that.
If the answers (who, what, when, how) were answered you can rely on them.

Etiquettes to know
The host will invite you probably to dinner, usually 2 hours long, finished when the host will make the first move. Taste all the dishes but never empty your plate (you will offence your host). In rest it’s very easy, Chinese are known how messy they are at the table so if you know how to eat with sticks, never use hands and don’t try to pay the bill before your host offered first than you are set.
Chinese are punctual or even come 15 minutes before the meeting starts so don’t be late. Also they inform you about their leaving when the meeting starts, never in the final moments like in other cultures. They prolong their leaving on the street and many times accompany you part of the way. If you have a meeting with an official than set it 1-2 weeks in advance, with a manager you need just 1-2 days in advance.
They love gifts and usually the value of the gift represents the favor asked for it.

Be always respectful, don’t hurry and keep modesty all the time. If you talk Chinese this will be a huge advantage, at least try a couple of words.
Good luck !

Read also: Worldwide customs – India – Learn negotiating like and Indian ! or Worldwide customs – Quick guide to prevent mistakes – Asia (I)

Worldwide customs – India – Learn negotiating like an indian !

India continues its way to become a global superpower, we can’t just ignore that. Nowadays the balance in this world is really shaky and I don’t know who could predict exactly which countries will take advantages or better said are most prepaired to handle the reality. India is one of the options.
Like I promised this time I will talk about Indian customs and especially what you should know about their native negotiation and sales techniques.
Indians have a unique and special culture. Communication is more open with them compared to Chinese, Japanese and Koreans. They are very active, used in crowds so intimacy is not something usual. That’s why they respect groups like family. They don’t have any problems showing their emotions, good or bad doesn’t matter. Success in business, creativity, technology and any kind of innovations are respected, they are willing to protect their own kinds and the reputation of their group or family always. Innovation is very important in their culture since competition makes any business old in 2 -3 years. So without innovation a normal business becomes easy target to be erased by concurrence. Even marriages are many times arranged for their business success and prosperity. The honesty is not such a value if you can achieve your goals, if you steal someone else’s fruits it’s noble as if you grow them yourself. They are fatalist and believe in destiny so this can make them risk takers also. They embrace failures seeing it like experience which makes them a powerful nation. Feel sort of rivalry with Chinese especially when they work overbroad and I can really understand that since China and India are competing for the first positions like future superpowers.
The English influence can be remarked in any area of life. Family tradition and hierarchy it’s showed everywhere, in family business the older son rarely can choose his own career, he needs to continue the family business or big storms can invade inside the peaceful family life. They see time as cycle and believe in reincarnation, so time keeping is also something relative. Women usually listen to men. They prefer compliments instead of critics since bad things are usually seen as karmic factors.
When you talk to them be correct, fluid, humble and respectful. They tend to be good listeners and love pomposity in vocabulary. Did you know that Indians hate to say “no” to any business proposal ?

And know let’s learn something from them like one of the best negotiators. Negotiation is their powerful tool and can be a big disappointment if you refuse to negotiate in the first place. They will let the money issues at last after all the other details were settled. Don’t think you will win a negotiation with an Indian easily, be patient before you go to “battle”. Better develop the relationship first and try to know them, rarely Asians make quick decisions.
Indians are flexible and accept to loose for now if the long time perspective is favorable, they think that in any business someone needs to loose and someone to win.

How they do it ?
Let’s see some valuable tips in negotiations. The list below is one of their negotiating method in sales presented in expressions they use, especially when comes about big business proposals. These can be generalized in other kind of transactions and create sort of an image about their "knack".

1. I don’t have any intention to sell.
2. I am not interested in money.
3. This is the most important business field my family has.
4. I don’t want to sell but if I would change my mind you would be the first to know.
5. If I should sell I have no idea about the real value of my business.
6. If it’s about to sell my business I would orientate myself about similar transaction made in the past.
7. When A sold X to B made a good deal.
8. Maybe I would love to sell to you but my family will never accept.
9. I heard your price but I really feel I need to leave this room.
10. I need to tell you honestly I have someone else who offered more than you did.
11. I don’t expect you to pay more than them but at least to offer the same price.
12. I am willing to close this deal with you not with them since I promised you.
13. I know that this price it’s not exactly according to the profit of my business but how could you evaluate a business which own x % of that specific market ?

Rules to keep in mind:

- offer on one item at a time;
- the true price for any item is what you pay for it;
- don’t accept less than 30 % off but try 70 %;
- say “too high” a lot, at least 2 times the salesman needs to lower his price;
- make them show you a lot of merchandise
- wait for the pad of paper – when they start to use it than think it’s just the first step;
- now you can imply a bundled purchase – after you reached your 30 % off you can expect another 5% off for any extra item, around 50 % off you can be satisfied.
! But if the Indian is smiling when you leave he won.

Sure there are many other strategies so be aware, it’s never easy. But keep in mind that they always have something prepared even if you don’t think they have.
Good luck !

P.S. If is any Indian around here and wants to share some extra tips with us I would be glad to hear them.

Top Tips to be Fresh In The Morning

Oh, morning again ! You regret you need to wake up ?
You feel like you got hit by a truck ?
You look in the mirror and you have a puffy you ?
You just refuse to wake up ?
You have a hangover ?

Find out what are the reasons behind these questions and what can you do about it.

The thing is in the morning you need to change your “sleepy” mood to “sober” mood. It is indeed a transition and you should see it like this. There are many factors which can help your mornings. Also are different types of tiredness: could be something usual for you, or just after a party, or when you slept less than usual, or because of insomnias. First need to analyze which is really your case. We won’t discuss now about serious illnesses which can produce bad mornings, but about a generally healthy person who has this problem. After we identify the aspects involved we can start to see the solutions. Always for a better wakening you need to see the whole image, usual habits, day before, bedtime and morning behaviours.
I won’t tell you do all things I suggest below, but more is better, so try to choose what you can keep on a longer term. Every little change, kept for some time makes the difference. And like I keep on saying in my posts - experience, play with techniques, change them to be suited for you, some small efforts can make you find the best way to be fit and fresh in the morning. Remember – it’s your way not others, your own recipe !

In the morning

Get some cool air if you can, this refreshes you and it’s good for your lungs same as for your skin.
Don’t drink coffee every morning, at least try, we get used to caffeine and the effect goes away in time. Keep coffee when you really need it and try to not drink more than 200-300 ml per day. More will raise your blood pressure, raise your pulse and gives insomnia.
Drink water, this will activate your metabolism making it ready for the day. You can put a spoon of honey or lemon juice inside for detoxification.
Exercise, at least 10 minutes to remind your body that it’s the awakening time and need to get fresh. Plus your body will become more fit every day.
Eat cereals, this helps to provide the necessary elements for a good day. If not cereals than some other light breakfast, a healthy breakfast helps to have more energy during the day. You can cut your other meals, but not the breakfast even if you are not hungry. Just a small bite, ok ? Really it’s scientifically proven that who eats cereals for breakfast has a lower cortisol hormone level (cortisol being known also like the stress-hormone).
Get up straight away, don’t put your sneezer over and over again, this helps the body to react more promptly.
Get motivated, think about something really good you could do that day, or thing about any other thing which makes you happy.
Put some music, any kind of music you like but preferably with some more rhythm. This will help you always to get a better mood, why not using it in the morning ? Because you are so depressed to do it ? Exactly that’s why.

Bedtime
Our body needs a balance to work properly and same goes with sleeping hours, try to keep same hours for your sleep. Identify how many hours you really need, could be 6, 7, 8 or 9 in usual cases. When you have the best time than insert them in your 24 hours schedule and try to stick with that rhythm.
When you sleep you need comfort in every way, make yourself feel good in bed, don’t use any synthetic materials, adjust the temperature in the room, not too hot, not too cold, better more cold than hot. Let your windows slightly opened. In the night we intoxicate our room with our breathing literally, so a good ventilation will provide the necessary oxygen.
Maybe you need to change your bed: noisy mattress, too used mattress with shapes, both are indicators it’s time to buy a new one.
Take a hot bath before you go to bed, with bubbles and whatever you can find, music, candles, everything what makes you dream.
Don’t go upset in bed, do anything you can but until your head is on the pillow release your anger, stress or problems. Relaxation techniques, yoga could help.
Empty your bladder before going to bed, interruptions in the night will take good part of your quality sleep time.
Silence – this is very important for a good sleep, silence inside our brains and outside. Don’t think and don’t hear nothing. I know it’s hard, especially in the big cities to have silence. And ups, I also indicated open windows. But you could start to use earplugs, if you need to hear some noises you can get also special earplugs which isolates just some noises. First nights maybe it’s unusual until you get used to have something in your ears, but you will feel the benefits. Your snoring partner could also convince you to try them.
Darkness – any kind of light can distract you, use curtains, window shutter, panels or sleep mask to keep out the light.

Night before
Don’t drink coffee, wine or eat chocolate. All this are stimulants and won’t let you have a good sleep. A glass of warm milk can be a good alternative before going to bed.
If you were partying and drinking alcohol, having a hangover next day, than you should know this tips: drink water or fruits juices between your alcohol glasses, morning hangover is produced mostly by dehydration, so drink a glass of water to every 1 or 2 alcoholic drink. Try to drink 1 glass of alcohol per hour, this is the usual time for our body to handle 1 glass. Don’t mix medicine with you drink, even Aspirin or Tylenol can amplify your hangover and will slower down the elimination, don’t mentioning about the extra work our liver has.
Let at least 2 hours between your last meal and your bed time.

Everyday tips !
Massage – helps not just for your sleep, but also straightens your body, helps your circulation and relaxes you. If not 1/week then at least 1/month, shouldn’t be so hard. Massage stimulates serotonin and dopamine hormones which have effect on our happy and relaxed mood.
Drink a lot of water.
Eating habits - Eat fruits like: yoghurt, carrots, broccoli, juicy fruits (grapefruit, orange, peach). Eat fibers like cereals and apples. Never eat until you explode, eat many times but small portions, this stimulates you body to process easily anything you eat. Omega-3 fatty acids – not only helps your skin and beauty but makes your brain function better, makes you more active and regulates your blood pressure. You can find Omega 3 in : oily fish like mackerel, salmon, sardines, tuna; cabbage , soy, nuts, spinach.
Also the absence of ca, mg, flour can give insomnia.

Beauty tips for beautifull mornings
Use your natural oil from the nose and chin area and spread it over your face and wrinkle areas. It’s natural oil produced by your body and it’s precious. Then wash your face with cold water – old trick but efficient, what maybe you didn’t know is to let the water evaporate alone, without using a towel, eventually just cotton balls. Don’t wash your face with soap, use just water.
Take a morning shower, not too hot, and if you can alternate hot-cold-hot-cold, finishing with cold water, especially on your feats. This helps your circulation a lot.
Milk: wet 2 cotton balls in milk and apply them on your eyes for 15 minutes. The milk proteins help to hydrate your skin and let that puffy look go away.
Inox spoons – keep 2 of them in the fridge for all times and use them directly from the fridge on your eyes with their concave face and moving them slowly up and down, right-left for 5 minutes. Pinch rhythmically your face with your fingers to train your muscles and bring blood in your cheeks, giving a natural blush as well. Same way, you can bite slightly your lips to bring more color and make them look more peachy.

You hair is a mess and no time to wash it ?
Don’t worry, here’s a trick to make your hair look like is freshly washed.
Wet cotton balls in alcohol and rub your scalp for 4-5 minutes than brush your hair from back to front. See the difference.

Curiosities: You sleep more, you loose more pounds. Cherie Calbom, author of “Sleep Away the Pounds” says that a person who sleeps less then indicated influences that persons weights even if keeps a strict regime. Bad sleep brings endocrine system malfunction with hormone disbalance, especially fluctuation of insulin resulting in huge hunger and bad sugar metabolism. Cortisol level is pumped up and like we learned above this produces stress but also helps fat to be deposited in the body, especially around our waist.
Now you have an extra motivation to find your own "recipe" for better mornings.

Hot to use your freezer - Simple guide for everyone !

Do you use your freezer wisely ?
Could you improve your freezer management ?
Do you use it at all ?
Are some simple questions but new studies identified some “funny” facts which maybe you knew about but ignored completely.
The study was made in Great Britain but I think more or less concerns us all. Hear this – 1/3 of the people with a freezer have no idea what they hide there. And those who have an idea about what treasures they're hiding don’t know exactly since when all that stuff is there or what kind of food is advised to be deposited. More than that, 12 million households are binning good food in the trash to make space for newly bought food. Imagine how much money you can loose per year doing this often. So the list of things we should discuss seams long.

1. First of all – should we use the freezer at all ?
Yes, at full capacity. Why ? First because if you have it and anyway consumes your energy than take full advantage of it and second because you can became even environment friendly since a fully filled freezer it’s energy saver. If it’s too much space or air inside, the coils are working more harder to do the job. If you don’t have nothing to put inside fill some plastic containers or milk cartons with water. At least you will have enough ice for your cocktails.

2. Should we respect labels ?
Not necessarily, if you freeze the food on the same day when purchased than can stay even for years like that, the only rule is to not defreeze it again. Another good tip is for a long time freezed food is to defrost it slowly in the fridge before cooking it, this will keep the quality better. But the dates on the label are more for quality purposes than safety ones.

3. What should I do with the food I defrosted but don’t wanna eat it that day ?
First, what not to do is refreeze it. Just in case it’s cooked. Or you can marinate it if it’s meat. But why not make a simple ready meal from it and eat it next day ?

4. What not to freeze ?
It’s a very small list: egg yolks.

5. What to freeze ?– Tips.
- Breadcrumbs - very handy for many recipes;
- Herbs, lemon grass, lemon slices, ginger;
- Leftover redvine for cooking – like icecubes;
- Peas and pastry;
- Fruits looking like it's not going to be eaten (used in juicer later);
- All kind of veggies;
- Fish fingers;
- Bread;
- Soupes ready prepared in portions;
- Milk;
- Reduced foods bought in supermarkets.

6. What about the freezed food quality and nutrients ?
Amanda Ursell's nutrition tips:
"The nutritional levels of minerals such as iron and calcium are not affected by the freezing process, neither are the amounts of supernutrients such as betacarotene in carrots, lycopene in tomato purée or the amount of protein, carbohydrate or fat that foods contain. It is worth noting that when it comes to cooking, foods that have been frozen tend to take up more fat once fried than fresh items.
If freezing takes place less than two and a half hours after harvest, vitamin levels in vegetables such as peas, broccoli and berries can be higher than in fresh versions. To retain these high levels, it is vital that frozen foods are transported as rapidly as possible to the shop and your freezer. And your domestic freezer should be set at minus 18C or colder.
The modern “blast” freezing technique involves directing extremely cold air on to food. The speed of the method leads to the formation of very small ice crystals that help to reduce damage to the look, texture and taste of the food. With fruit and vegetables, if this takes place within a short time of harvest, it ensures the best preservation of vitamin C and several B vitamins that are usually damaged through normal exposure to light and air.
Levels of vitamin C in vegetables that you freeze yourself will depend on the amount present in them before you put them in your freezer. According to my auntie, who is an avid “home freezer” of the produce that she grows in her garden, the old advice to blanche before freezing by plunging runner beans, for instance, into boiling water for a few seconds first, is not necessary for many vegetables. Avoiding this process will certainly retain more vitamins."

7.How to keep track ?
Put labels on anything goes in the freezer, if you forget it there for years you won’t recognize what it was unless you are a psychic. Your frozen food can be unidentifiable but eatable because ice has really magic powers.
Sorce: The Times

This all sounds very good for me to know ? Same with you ?

Cheers