Your freezer is an outstanding instrument in serving to you to chop meals waste and get monetary monetary financial savings. Nonetheless earlier the similar outdated suspects, there are a bunch of meals you might freeze that you just is perhaps not uncover out about. Listed beneath are only a few of my favorite meals to freeze, together with freezing instructions to handle you right.
Contained in the UK alone, we produce a staggering 9.5 million tonnes of meals waste yearly. Globally, a jaw-dropping one-third of all meals produced goes to waste each single 12 months.
It’d truly actually really feel insignificant, nonetheless meals waste is a colossal drawback. Our worldwide meals methods are accountable for as loads as one-third of all human-linked greenhouse gasoline emissions and gulp down a whopping 70% of the water extracted from nature.
What’s additional, agriculture has been pinpointed as a risk to over 86% of all animals dealing with extinction. So, together with the plain monetary advantages of trimming down our meals waste, there’s an pressing environmental important to chop as soon as extra on what we toss out.
Your freezer is a key system in slicing meals waste. So earlier freezing the similar outdated suspects, I’ve put collectively a listing of meals you might freeze that you just is perhaps not uncover out about – from trendy herbs to baked devices and additional. To assist defend you right, I’ve included some freezing suggestions to confirm your meals stays trendy and guarded.
20 Freezer-Good Meals
Should know additional about these lovely freezer-friendly meals? Use the short hyperlinks to leap to a selected part of this submit, or defend scrolling for the entire knowledge.
1. Cheese
When you’re keen on considerably little little bit of cheese, then you definitely definately definately’ll be glad to take heed to that many sorts of cheese is perhaps safely frozen.
Exhausting and semi-hard cheeses like cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, and feta freeze notably efficiently. Nonetheless, delicate cheeses, resembling cottage cheese, blue cheese, camembert and brie don’t freeze so efficiently as a consequence of their excessive water content material materials supplies. These dry out all through the freezer, and don’t sort so good. Exhausting cheeses, nonetheless, comprise loads a lot much less water and tolerate the freezing course of significantly increased.
To freeze your exhausting cheese, wrap it in a freezer bag (attempt my sustainable selections to freezer baggage) or a beeswax wrap, and freeze for as loads as three months.
To thaw, place it all through the fridge for twenty-four hours. As rapidly as defrosted, cheese is most fascinating used for cooking as its texture tends to vary through the freezing course of. Nonetheless whether or not or not or not you’re making pizza, nachos or risotto, it’s useful to have some frozen cheese at hand.
Alternatively, you might grate your cheese, after which freeze it flat on a baking tray. As rapidly as frozen, decant it correct proper right into a sealed tub, as quickly as additional, for as loads as three months. Grated cheese is perhaps added to dishes to prepare dinner straight from frozen, making it much more useful.
2. Present Herbs
When you’ve ever purchased a bunch of updated herbs for a recipe solely to make the most of a small portion and watch the remaining wilt away, then you definitely definately definately’ll be over the moon to know that herbs are an vital meals to freeze.
Merely chop the herbs, place them in ice dice trays, cowl with olive oil, after which freeze. As rapidly as frozen, swap the herb cubes to a shower for straightforward storage for as loads as six months. You presumably can then use the cubes straight into your cooking so as in order so as to add flavour to soups, stews, and sauces, with none ought to defrost them. It’s an environment friendly technique to cut meals waste and get monetary monetary financial savings.
Uncover out additional in my knowledge to freezing herbs.
3. Plant-Primarily based Milk
Practically all plant-based milk is perhaps frozen for later use, nonetheless, it could possibly be a hard one to get right. The trick to its success is all through the freezing methodology – as its texture does change significantly all through the freezing course of.
Pretty than freezing an entire carton – which when defrosted wouldn’t sort so good in your cereal or tea – I uncover it’s most fascinating to pour the milk into ice-cube trays and freeze the milk till it’s safe. As rapidly as frozen, these is perhaps transferred to a freezer-safe container for as loads as three months. The cubes can then be added on to soups, sauces and smoothies, with out the necessity to defrost them.
4. Cow’s Milk
Similar to plant-based milk, cow’s milk can be frozen. Though, like its vegan counterparts, the feel of milk does change through the freezing course of. This means it’s most fascinating to freeze cow’s milk in an ice-cube tray after which use the cubes straight in your cooking for the right outcomes.
5. Citrus Fruit
Whereas entire citrus fruits don’t freeze so efficiently, throughout the event you’re desirous to do some little little bit of prep work, you might freeze virtually each half for future use, for as loads as six months.
I truly like slicing my leftover citrus fruit into slices for a zero-waste technique of along with ice and a slice to a beverage. Freeze these flat on a baking tray prior to transferring to a shower as rapidly as frozen safe for many fascinating outcomes.
You might also freeze the juice so as in order so as to add to cooking. Merely squeeze your lemons, limes, oranges or grapefruits, after which add the juice to ice dice trays for a straightforward methodology to portion it.
Throughout the meantime, the zest can be frozen. Merely grate it prior to freezing, prior to along with the zest to an ice dice tray with a couple of drops of lemon juice to handle it from drying out. It’s an environment friendly method so as in order so as to add vivid flavour to dishes and drinks with out the necessity for contemporary citrus on the market.
See my full knowledge to freezing lemons for all my extreme suggestions.
6. Bananas
Bananas would possibly appear as if an uncommon meals to place all through the freezer, nonetheless they do freeze remarkably efficiently for spherical three months.
From expertise, I uncover it most fascinating to peel bananas prior to freezing them, on account of it’s very fiddling making an attempt to peel a frozen banana! Alternatively, slice them into cash, unfold the banana slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze till safe. As rapidly as frozen, swap the banana devices to a container, the place they’ll defend efficiently for spherical three months.
Frozen bananas are good for utilizing straight from frozen in smoothies. For a tasty handle, you might even make vegan banana ice cream, as quickly as additional straight from frozen. Alternatively, you might defrost the banana all through the fridge, prior to instantly utilizing it in your baking.
7. Eggs
If you end up with leftover egg whites or yolks after baking, don’t toss them out. It’s a little-known indisputable fact that each egg whites and yolks is perhaps frozen for later use.
Egg whites are the one to freeze, as they’re often frozen as they’re. To assist with portion administration, pour every egg white into separate compartments of an ice dice tray. That technique you’ll know for future recipes what number of cubes you’ll want. As rapidly as safe, they’ll then be transferred to a shower.
To make the most of in cooking, thaw the cubes in your fridge in a single day. Use them straight after thawing in meals that you just simply merely intend to prepare dinner or bake – don’t use them in uncooked meals and drinks, resembling in cocktails.
Egg yolks want significantly additional work, as they’ll flip into gelatinous when frozen. To keep away from this from occurring, whisk the yolk of every egg with a pinch of salt or sugar. Then freeze every yolk individually in an ice dice tray, as you’ll with the egg whites.
Similar to the egg whites, the yolk must be thawed in a single day all through the fridge prior to utilizing them in your cooking or baking. As quickly as additional, use them instantly after thawing – don’t go away them hanging spherical all through the fridge – and don’t use the yolk all through the meals you plan to eat uncooked.
8. Cake
As soon as you have acquired your cake and can’t eat it, then concern not. Most desserts freeze efficiently, nonetheless, it’s best to freeze them prior to they’ve any icing or filling on them.
After baking, enable your cake to calm down and wrap it in an outdated bread bag or related, prior to along with a layer of tin foil (as quickly as additional, recycled tin foil is most fascinating). You presumably can then pop this all through the freezer for as loads as three months.
If you find yourself prepared for the cake, unwrap it and defrost it at room temperature for a couple of hours. The cake can then be iced or stuffed for a technique handle.
9. Yoghurt
Like milk, the consistency of yoghurt does change significantly when frozen after which deforested. Nonetheless that’s to not say that you just simply merely shouldn’t freeze yoghurt. Any yoghurt, whether or not or not or not it’s plain or fruit-flavoured, or full-fat or non-fat is perhaps successfully frozen.
I like mine poured into lolly moulds for a refreshing summer time season season handle – throughout the event you eat the yoghurt frozen you don’t uncover the change in texture. Alternatively, you might freeze in ice dice trays so as in order so as to add to smoothies. Merely ensure you eat it inside two months.
10. Butter
Butter freezes exceptionally efficiently and is perhaps saved for a very very very long time – salted butter is perhaps frozen for as loads as one 12 months, whereas unsalted butter is perhaps frozen for as loads as 9 months.
To freeze, merely scale back the butter into slices, after which wrap the butter tightly in its real packaging. You presumably can then place it in an hermetic container. Frozen butter is perhaps grated to be used in baking or cooking, or the slices is perhaps defrosted. To defrost the frozen slices of butter, place them all through the fridge for twenty-four hours, prior to utilizing it up inside 3 days of defrosting.
11. Double Cream
Whereas double cream is perhaps frozen, it’d separate or flip into grainy when thawed. To minimise this, whip the cream till stiff peaks variety, then spoon it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze till safe, then swap the whipped cream dollops to a freezer bag or container. Use frozen whipped cream as a topping for desserts or scorching drinks.
I’d keep away from freezing single cream. Ensuing from its decrease fats content material materials supplies, it doesn’t tolerate the freezing course of very efficiently and will curdle when defrosted.
12. Cooked Pasta
When you’ve ever cooked an excessive amount of pasta (it’s merely achieved!), then the excellent news is that this doesn’t ought to go to waste. Enable the pasta to calm down significantly, prior to tossing it with some olive oil to stop it from sticking collectively all through the freezer. Pop it in an hermetic tub, after which freeze it for as loads as three months.
While you’re able to put collectively dinner with the pasta, defrost it all through the fridge, and put collectively dinner instantly.
13. Potatoes
Any cooked or partially cooked potatoes – from mashed to boiled or roasted – is perhaps frozen. As rapidly as a result of the potatoes are cooled, merely pop them right into a bathe, and place them all through the freezer for as loads as three months. While you’re able to put collectively dinner with them, defrost them all through the fridge prior to cooking instantly.
14. Bread
Bread and baked devices freeze remarkably efficiently. Whether or not or not or not you’ve baked a current loaf of bread or can’t get by manner of an entire loaf, freezing it’d most definitely assist stop your bread from going stale or mouldy.
Retailer-bought sliced bread is perhaps frozen in its plastic bag for as loads as six months. To eat, take away it from the bag, and thaw it at room temperature. It’s crucial to take away the bread from the bag, as in each different case it traps condensation and makes your bread soggy. Alternatively, you might toast sliced bread straight from the freezer, for a waste-free methodology to profit from breakfast.
Entire loaves of bread can be frozen when cool. Wrap it up tightly in tin foil (ideally recycled tin foil), and retailer it for as loads as one month. While you’re able to eat it, thaw it at room temperature, or reheat it all through the oven at spherical 160°C for 20 minutes or so. For many fascinating outcomes, sprinkle significantly water on extreme prior to inserting the loaf all through the oven. This helps to handle the within delicate and chewy.
15. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one completely different meals that could possibly be frozen. Nonetheless, they’ve a excessive water content material materials supplies, which suggests they don’t tolerate the freezing course of very efficiently. This means, for outcomes, it’s best to prepare dinner them first – I uncover frying them till brown presents the right outcomes.
As rapidly as cooled, pop them in a sealed container, and freeze them for as loads as three months. These can then be defrosted all through the fridge or used straight from frozen in stews, casseroles and sauces.
16. Tomatoes
Whereas freezing entire tomatoes is an enormous no-no, that doesn’t recommend you might’t freeze tomatoes. When you’ve grown or purchased too many, you might blitz these up in a blender, prior to transferring them to a sealed container and freezing it for as loads as six months.
Defrost the tomato puree all through the fridge, and use it to make passata, soup, chutney, soups and additional.
17. Wine
When you’ve obtained significantly little little little bit of wine left over after a night with mates, that you just simply merely don’t plan on ingesting, then don’t pour it down the sink. Have you ever learnt that purple and white wine can each be frozen for as loads as three months?
Whereas it’s not so good to drink defrosted wine, it’s best to be used in your cooking. Whether or not or not or not that’s along with considerably little little bit of flavour to a bolognese sauce with some purple wine, or along with a splash of white wine to a risotto, frozen wine works fairly properly.
Nonetheless, I’ve discovered that wine is a bit troublesome to freeze. Due to the alcohol content material materials supplies, the wine is simply not going to freeze completely safe – it is going to keep significantly delicate. As such, I’ve discovered it most fascinating to freeze wine in an ice dice tray. Nonetheless, as wine doesn’t completely freeze, it’s most fascinating to go away the cubes all through the ice-cube tray till that it is advisable use them.
There’s no ought to defrost the cubes prior to use – you might add them on to the pan. That will help you’re employed out what number of cubes so as in order so as to add to your pan, as a knowledge, a rare ice dice is identical as 30 ml or 2 tablespoons.
For additional concepts on what to do with leftover wine take a look at my useful knowledge.
18. Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds comprise healthful oils and unsaturated fat that may flip rancid pretty shortly. Nonetheless, it’s a little-known indisputable fact that freezing them will help lengthen their shelf life. Whether or not or not or not you purchase nuts and seeds in bulk or have leftovers from a recipe, freezing them is an outstanding storage determination. Merely place your nuts and seeds in hermetic containers or baggage and retailer them all through the freezer to take care of freshness.
Seeds and nuts is perhaps frozen for as loads as a 12 months, with no crucial modifications of their sort or texture. This means you might snack on them or add them to your meals straight out of the freezer, with none fuss.
19. Rice
I’m at all times cautious about one factor to do with storing cooked rice. It feels very straightforward to get it flawed. Nonetheless, Love Meals Hate Waste says you might freeze rice and I notion their skilled opinion.
Love Meals Hate Waste says it’s best to relax any rice you need to freeze shortly – ideally by inserting it in an air-tight container and placing that into chilly water. As rapidly as chilly, it should then be frozen – ideally inside one hour. This may be saved all through the freezer for as loads as three months.
Defrost the rice by popping it all through the fridge. As rapidly as defrosted it ought to be used inside 24 hours. Correct proper right here it’s best to reheat it all through the oven or microwave till it’s piping scorching all through. It is fairly crucial to not reheat it increased than as rapidly as.
Love Meals Hate Waste wouldn’t advocate freezing and/or reheating rice purchased from a takeaway. It is on account of it might want been pre-cooked and reheated.
20. Tinned Coconut Milk
Tinned coconut milk is my remaining freezer-friendly meals. It’s so fast and straightforward to freeze.
As soon as you employ canned coconut milk for cooking, and you’ve got ample left over to make truly one amongst your favorite dishes that comprise coconut milk (mine’s this vegan macaroni cheese) then you might put the leftover milk straight right into a bathe. It is going to then go into the freezer for as loads as three months and be defrosted all through the fridge. As rapidly as a result of it’s defrosted, the milk ought to be used instantly.
As soon as you employ coconut milk in smaller elements, then freeze the milk in ice dice trays. You presumably can then add these on to soups (like this vegan candy potato, chilli and coconut soup), sauces or smoothies, for a straightforward and engaging methodology to chop again your meals waste.
See my knowledge to freezing coconut milk for the entire low-down.
One other extreme freezing suggestions? I’m all ears!
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