20 Meals You Didn’t Know You Can Freeze

Your freezer is a superb instrument in serving to you to cut meals waste and get financial financial savings. Nonetheless previous the usual suspects, there are a bunch of meals you’ll freeze that you would be not discover out about. Listed under are a number of of my favourite meals to freeze, along with freezing directions to keep up you correct.

Throughout 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 every single 12 months.

It would actually really feel insignificant, nevertheless meals waste is a colossal topic. Our worldwide meals applications are accountable for as a lot as one-third of all human-linked greenhouse gasoline emissions and gulp down a whopping 70% of the water extracted from nature.

What’s further, agriculture has been pinpointed as a threat to over 86% of all animals coping with extinction. So, other than the obvious financial benefits of trimming down our meals waste, there’s an urgent environmental essential to cut once more on what we toss out.

Your freezer is a key instrument in slicing meals waste. So previous freezing the usual suspects, I’ve put collectively a listing of meals you’ll freeze that you would be not discover out about – from up to date herbs to baked objects and further. To help maintain you correct, I’ve included some freezing concepts to ensure your meals stays up to date and guarded.

20 Freezer-Nice Meals

Want to know further about these gorgeous freezer-friendly meals? Use the quick hyperlinks to leap to a specific a part of this submit, or maintain scrolling for the whole data.

1. Cheese

In case you’re eager on just a little little bit of cheese, then you definitely positively’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 successfully. Nonetheless, light cheeses, akin to cottage cheese, blue cheese, camembert and brie don’t freeze so successfully resulting from their extreme water content material materials. These dry out inside the freezer, and don’t type so good. Exhausting cheeses, nevertheless, comprise a lot much less water and tolerate the freezing course of rather a lot higher.

To freeze your onerous cheese, wrap it in a freezer bag (try my sustainable choices to freezer baggage) or a beeswax wrap, and freeze for as a lot as three months.

To thaw, place it inside the fridge for 24 hours. As quickly as defrosted, cheese is most interesting used for cooking as its texture tends to change by the freezing course of. Nonetheless whether or not or not you’re making pizza, nachos or risotto, it’s useful to have some frozen cheese helpful.

Alternatively, you’ll grate your cheese, after which freeze it flat on a baking tray. As quickly as frozen, decant it proper right into a sealed tub, as soon as extra, for as a lot as three months. Grated cheese is perhaps added to dishes to prepare dinner dinner straight from frozen, making it far more helpful.

2. Latest Herbs

In case you’ve ever bought a bunch of up to date herbs for a recipe solely to utilize a small portion and watch the rest wilt away, then you definitely positively’ll be over the moon to know that herbs are a superb meals to freeze.

Merely chop the herbs, place them in ice cube trays, cowl with olive oil, after which freeze. As quickly as frozen, change the herb cubes to a tub for simple storage for as a lot as six months. You’ll then use the cubes immediately into your cooking in order so as to add flavour to soups, stews, and sauces, with none should defrost them. It’s a great way to cut meals waste and get financial financial savings.

Uncover out further in my data to freezing herbs.

3. Plant-Based Milk

Nearly all plant-based milk is perhaps frozen for later use, nonetheless, it could be a troublesome one to get correct. The trick to its success is inside the freezing methodology – as its texture does change a bit inside the freezing course of.

Pretty than freezing a complete carton – which when defrosted wouldn’t type so good in your cereal or tea – I uncover it’s most interesting to pour the milk into ice-cube trays and freeze the milk until it’s robust. As quickly as frozen, these is perhaps transferred to a freezer-safe container for as a lot as three months. The cubes can then be added on to soups, sauces and smoothies, with out the need to defrost them.

4. Cow’s Milk

Very similar to plant-based milk, cow’s milk will even be frozen. Although, like its vegan counterparts, the texture of milk does change by the freezing course of. This suggests it’s most interesting to freeze cow’s milk in an ice-cube tray after which use the cubes immediately in your cooking for top-of-the-line outcomes.

5. Citrus Fruit

Whereas whole citrus fruits don’t freeze so successfully, if you’re ready to do some little bit of prep work, you’ll freeze practically every half for future use, for as a lot as six months.

I like slicing my leftover citrus fruit into slices for a zero-waste method of together with ice and a slice to a beverage. Freeze these flat on a baking tray sooner than transferring to a tub as quickly as frozen robust for most interesting outcomes.

You may too freeze the juice in order so as to add to cooking. Merely squeeze your lemons, limes, oranges or grapefruits, after which add the juice to ice cube trays for an easy choice to portion it.

Within the meantime, the zest will even be frozen. Merely grate it sooner than freezing, sooner than together with the zest to an ice cube tray with various drops of lemon juice to keep up it from drying out. It’s a great way in order so as to add vivid flavour to dishes and drinks with out the need for up to date citrus obtainable.

See my full data to freezing lemons for all my excessive concepts.

6. Bananas

Bananas could appear like an unusual meals to put inside the freezer, nevertheless they do freeze remarkably successfully for spherical three months.

From experience, I uncover it most interesting to peel bananas sooner than freezing them, as a result of it’s very fiddling attempting to peel a frozen banana! Alternatively, slice them into money, unfold the banana slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until robust. As quickly as frozen, change the banana objects to a container, the place they’re going to maintain successfully for spherical three months.

Frozen bananas are excellent for using immediately from frozen in smoothies. For a tasty take care of, you’ll even make vegan banana ice cream, as soon as extra immediately from frozen. Alternatively, you’ll defrost the banana inside the fridge, sooner than immediately using it in your baking.

7. Eggs

If you find yourself with leftover egg whites or yolks after baking, don’t toss them out. It’s a little-known undeniable fact that every egg whites and yolks is perhaps frozen for later use.

Egg whites are the very best to freeze, as they’re usually frozen as they’re. To help with portion administration, pour each egg white into separate compartments of an ice cube tray. That method you’ll know for future recipes what variety of cubes you’ll need. As quickly as robust, they may then be transferred to a tub.

To utilize in cooking, thaw the cubes in your fridge in a single day. Use them straight after thawing in meals that you simply simply intend to prepare dinner dinner or bake – don’t use them in raw meals and drinks, akin to in cocktails.

Egg yolks need a bit further work, as they may develop into gelatinous when frozen. To stay away from this from occurring, whisk the yolk of each egg with a pinch of salt or sugar. Then freeze each yolk individually in an ice cube tray, as you’d with the egg whites.

Identical to the egg whites, the yolk have to be thawed in a single day inside the fridge sooner than using them in your cooking or baking. As soon as extra, use them immediately after thawing – don’t depart them hanging spherical inside the fridge – and don’t use the yolk inside the meals you propose to eat raw.

8. Cake

If in case you could have your cake and can’t eat it, then concern not. Most desserts freeze successfully, nonetheless, it is best to freeze them sooner than they’ve any icing or filling on them.

After baking, allow your cake to relax and wrap it in an outdated bread bag or associated, sooner than together with a layer of tin foil (as soon as extra, recycled tin foil is most interesting). You’ll then pop this inside the freezer for as a lot as three months.

If you find yourself ready for the cake, unwrap it and defrost it at room temperature for various hours. The cake can then be iced or crammed for a method take care of.

9. Yoghurt

Like milk, the consistency of yoghurt does change a bit when frozen after which deforested. Nonetheless that’s to not say that you simply simply shouldn’t freeze yoghurt. Any yoghurt, whether or not or not it’s plain or fruit-flavoured, or full-fat or non-fat is perhaps effectively frozen.

I like mine poured into lolly moulds for a refreshing summer season take care of – if you eat the yoghurt frozen you don’t uncover the change in texture. Alternatively, you’ll freeze in ice cube trays in order so as to add to smoothies. Merely make sure you eat it inside two months.

10. Butter

Butter freezes exceptionally successfully and is perhaps saved for a really very long time – salted butter is perhaps frozen for as a lot as one 12 months, whereas unsalted butter is perhaps frozen for as a lot as 9 months.

To freeze, merely decrease the butter into slices, after which wrap the butter tightly in its distinctive packaging. You’ll then place it in an airtight container. Frozen butter is perhaps grated for use in baking or cooking, or the slices is perhaps defrosted. To defrost the frozen slices of butter, place them inside the fridge for 24 hours, sooner than using it up inside 3 days of defrosting.

11. Double Cream

Whereas double cream is perhaps frozen, it might separate or develop into grainy when thawed. To minimise this, whip the cream until stiff peaks kind, then spoon it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until robust, then change the whipped cream dollops to a freezer bag or container. Use frozen whipped cream as a topping for desserts or scorching drinks.

I would stay away from freezing single cream. Attributable to its lower fat content material materials, it doesn’t tolerate the freezing course of very successfully and will curdle when defrosted.

12. Cooked Pasta

In case you’ve ever cooked an extreme quantity of pasta (it’s merely completed!), then the good news is that this doesn’t ought to go to waste. Allow the pasta to relax a bit, sooner than tossing it with some olive oil to cease it from sticking collectively inside the freezer. Pop it in an airtight tub, after which freeze it for as a lot as three months.

Whilst you’re capable of prepare dinner dinner with the pasta, defrost it inside the fridge, and prepare dinner dinner immediately.

13. Potatoes

Any cooked or partially cooked potatoes – from mashed to boiled or roasted – is perhaps frozen. As quickly because the potatoes are cooled, merely pop them into a shower, and place them inside the freezer for as a lot as three months. Whilst you’re capable of prepare dinner dinner with them, defrost them inside the fridge sooner than cooking immediately.

14. Bread

Bread and baked objects freeze remarkably successfully. Whether or not or not you’ve baked a up to date loaf of bread or can’t get by a complete loaf, freezing it might really help cease your bread from going stale or mouldy.

Retailer-bought sliced bread is perhaps frozen in its plastic bag for as a lot as six months. To eat, take away it from the bag, and thaw it at room temperature. It’s important to remove the bread from the bag, as in some other case it traps condensation and makes your bread soggy. Alternatively, you’ll toast sliced bread immediately from the freezer, for a waste-free choice to have the benefit of breakfast.

Complete loaves of bread will even be frozen when cool. Wrap it up tightly in tin foil (ideally recycled tin foil), and retailer it for as a lot as one month. Whilst you’re capable of eat it, thaw it at room temperature, or reheat it inside the oven at spherical 160°C for 20 minutes or so. For most interesting outcomes, sprinkle a bit water on excessive sooner than inserting the loaf inside the oven. This helps to keep up the inside light and chewy.

15. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one different meals that could be frozen. Nonetheless, they’ve a extreme water content material materials, which suggests they don’t tolerate the freezing course of very successfully. This suggests, for outcomes, it’s best to prepare dinner dinner them first – I uncover frying them until brown affords top-of-the-line outcomes.

As quickly as cooled, pop them in a sealed container, and freeze them for as a lot as three months. These can then be defrosted inside the fridge or used immediately from frozen in stews, casseroles and sauces.

16. Tomatoes

Whereas freezing whole tomatoes is a huge no-no, that doesn’t suggest you’ll’t freeze tomatoes. In case you’ve grown or bought too many, you’ll blitz these up in a blender, sooner than transferring them to a sealed container and freezing it for as a lot as six months.

Defrost the tomato puree inside the fridge, and use it to make passata, soup, chutney, soups and further.

17. Wine

In case you’ve purchased a bit little little bit of wine left over after an evening with buddies, that you simply simply don’t plan on consuming, then don’t pour it down the sink. Have you learnt that crimson and white wine can every be frozen for as a lot as three months?

Whereas it’s not so good to drink defrosted wine, it’s excellent for use in your cooking. Whether or not or not that’s together with just a little little bit of flavour to a bolognese sauce with some crimson wine, or together with a splash of white wine to a risotto, frozen wine works very nicely.

Nonetheless, I’ve found that wine is a bit tough to freeze. Because of the alcohol content material materials, the wine will not freeze completely robust – it should hold a bit light. As such, I’ve found it most interesting to freeze wine in an ice cube tray. Nonetheless, as wine doesn’t completely freeze, it’s most interesting to go away the cubes inside the ice-cube tray until it’s best to use them.

There’s no should defrost the cubes sooner than use – you’ll add them on to the pan. That can aid you work out what variety of cubes in order so as to add to your pan, as a data, a typical ice cube is the same as 30 ml or 2 tablespoons.

For further ideas on what to do with leftover wine check out my useful data.

18. Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds comprise healthful oils and unsaturated fats that will flip rancid fairly quickly. Nonetheless, it’s a little-known undeniable fact that freezing them will assist extend their shelf life. Whether or not or not you buy nuts and seeds in bulk or have leftovers from a recipe, freezing them is a superb storage decision. Merely place your nuts and seeds in airtight containers or baggage and retailer them inside the freezer to deal with freshness.

Seeds and nuts is perhaps frozen for as a lot as a 12 months, with no vital modifications of their type or texture. This suggests you’ll snack on them or add them to your meals straight out of the freezer, with none fuss.

19. Rice

I’m always cautious about one thing to do with storing cooked rice. It feels very easy to get it incorrect. Nonetheless, Love Meals Hate Waste says you’ll freeze rice and I perception their skilled opinion.

Love Meals Hate Waste says it’s best to chill any rice you want to freeze quickly – ideally by inserting it in an air-tight container and putting that into chilly water. As quickly as chilly, it should then be frozen – ideally inside one hour. This can be saved inside the freezer for as a lot as three months.

Defrost the rice by popping it inside the fridge. As quickly as defrosted it must be used inside 24 hours. Proper right here it’s best to reheat it inside the oven or microwave until it’s piping scorching throughout. It’s somewhat important to not reheat it larger than as quickly as.

Love Meals Hate Waste does not advocate freezing and/or reheating rice bought from a takeaway. It’s as a result of it might have been pre-cooked and reheated.

20. Tinned Coconut Milk

Tinned coconut milk is my final freezer-friendly meals. It’s so quick and simple to freeze.

In case you employ canned coconut milk for cooking, and you have got ample left over to make one amongst your favourite dishes that comprise coconut milk (mine’s this vegan macaroni cheese) then you’ll put the leftover milk straight into a shower. This might then go into the freezer for as a lot as three months and be defrosted inside the fridge. As quickly because it’s defrosted, the milk must be used immediately.

In case you employ coconut milk in smaller parts, then freeze the milk in ice cube trays. You’ll then add these on to soups (like this vegan sweet potato, chilli and coconut soup), sauces or smoothies, for an easy and enticing choice to chop again your meals waste.

See my data to freezing coconut milk for the whole low-down.

Another excessive freezing concepts? I’m all ears!