I am terribly selective about kitchen dwelling gear and doodads. If it’s going to take up home in my kitchen, it greater work onerous. And there’s one gear that outworks all the others yr after yr – my freezer.
Not solely does it save me money by allowing me to refill when staples go on sale, nonetheless it’s moreover made an infinite distinction in our family’s meals waste.
All people is aware of it’s potential you could defend meat and most greens contained within the freezer, nonetheless it’d shock you what variety of totally utterly completely different meals will attainable be frozen. Analysis on and put your freezer home to good use.
1. Buttermilk
Why does every single recipe set up for only some tablespoons or, at most, one cup of buttermilk, and nonetheless every single container of buttermilk you uncover contained within the retailer is a pint or greater? It’s infuriating, acceptable? This enforced meals waste is ridiculous. That is, until you be taught that you just simply’d be succesful to freeze buttermilk. (Have you ever ever learnt it’s potential you could merely make your personal cultured buttermilk?)
You don’t even should repackage it. Use what you need in your recipe, after which pop the container contained within the freezer. In case it’s good to make it less complicated to take advantage of in the long term, freeze it in ice cube trays, so that you just simply might want pre-measured elements capable of thaw and use.
2. Corn on the Cob
Storing frozen corn on the cob is nice while you get a bunch of native sweetcorn and have to revenue from all of it yr. Husk and blanch it first earlier than storing it in an airtight container.
That’s moreover an setting pleasant method to chop again meals waste. You virtually definitely have the spare cob of sweetcorn left over after a barbecue or summertime dinner, toss it in a freezer bag. You almost certainly can add to the bag all by way of the season.
Frozen corn on the cob is nice as is, or it’s potential you could slice the kernels off to be roasted or tossed in collectively collectively alongside together with your black bean tacos or corn chowder.
3. Diced or Minced Onions
After mincing or dicing up what you need for dinner from that onion, why not finish it off after which pack the excess in ice cube trays? As quickly on account of the onion cubes are totally frozen, retailer them in double-bagged freezer baggage, and in addition to you’ll have them ready for cooking.
Frozen onions are super useful for quick weeknight dinners and I share my step-by-step tutorial for freezing onions right correct proper right here.
4. Minced Garlic
Thought-about definitely considered one of many handiest elements I’ve in my freezer is frozen cubes of minced garlic and olive oil. Toss the cloves right correct proper right into a meals processor and mince them finely. Then press the garlic into ice cube trays and drizzle olive oil over them. After the cubes are frozen, retailer the cubes in a freezer bag for easy and quick minced garlic whereas cooking.
You’ll be able to even retailer full bulbs, although that requires a bit additional cautious numerous. You want the freshest garlic you could uncover, with no brown spots or inexperienced shoots beginning to develop. And pure garlic provides you with the perfect style after it has thawed. The garlic bulb should be agency, dry and papery; in a single different case, it gained’t freeze precisely. Place in an airtight container and take away the air earlier than freezing.
5. Overripe Bananas
It seems to be like my kids will eat nothing nonetheless bananas for days, then abruptly, bananas are out, and apples are in. Inevitably I get left with three or our bananas which might be overripe. As a substitute of dashing to make one difficulty with them, I peel them and toss them full into the “banana” freezer bag contained within the freezer.
I’ve various overripe bananas capable of go as rapidly as I have to make smoothies, banana pancakes, banana bread, or banana muffins. Not solely is it helpful, nonetheless it’s just one additional method my freezer cuts down on our family’s meals waste.
6. Nuts
Nuts shouldn’t be saved in your cupboard or pantry. The oil in nuts goes rancid fairly quickly, leading to funky flavors. Protect them contained within the fridge for the best-tasting peanuts, cashews, almonds, and totally utterly completely different nuts. While you buy in bulk, retailer greater components contained within the freezer.
7. Flour
Most people do not understand how precisely flour freezes. And as quickly as you buy flour in bulk or catch an beautiful sale (these journey baking product product sales are good for stocking up on flour), it’d go harmful quickly sitting in your pantry. Heat and light-weight destroy the delicate oils in wheat, leading to off flavors.
Retailer unopened flour contained within the freezer. Put it in a freezer bag to keep up up out moisture or weird flavors. You virtually definitely have the realm in a big chest freezer, contemplate storing your flour in a 5-gallon food-grade bucket. It’s the perfect method to guard flour modern, and it’s potential you could measure it out as you need it.
8. Potatoes
This one repeatedly seems to shock of us. Positive, it’s potential you could freeze potatoes. I wrote up an entire article on how one can freeze potatoes the perfect method. I moreover make clear why you end up with black (gross) potatoes while you do it incorrect.
9. Minced Herbs
I don’t uncover out about you, nonetheless I’m not too eager on these bunches of herbs on the grocery retailer. You repeatedly end up with method over what you need. Then they inevitably sit contained within the crisper drawer drying out or getting moldy. Eradicate the waste and cut back down on what variety of bunches of herbs you buy yearly by chopping up and freezing the excess.
After you’ve snipped what you need for the recipe you get hold of the herbs for, take a great deal of moments to rough-chop the rest of the bunch. Pack the chopped herb into ice cube trays after which excessive up with olive oil. Pop the ice cube tray into the freezer. As quickly as utterly frozen, retailer the cubes in an airtight container. Now you might have considered trying one or two tablespoon elements capable of go everytime you need them.
Related Finding out: How To Protect Grocery retailer Herbs Alive Endlessly
10. Frozen Eggs
Yup, it’s potential you could freeze raw eggs. And it’s pretty easy to do. You’ll should take them out of the shell, though; in a single different case, the egg white will develop due to it freezes and crack the shell. Whereas that will very effectively be okay contained within the freezer, it should get pretty messy after they thaw.
Silicone or non-stick muffin tins are good for freezing particular specific specific individual eggs in. Then as quickly as they’re frozen, it’s potential you could pop them out and retailer them in a freezer bag.
Don’t overlook to put these leftover eggshells to good use – they’re often utilized in some wise strategies.
11. Grapes
Some meals are a ache to buy for smaller households, and grapes are one among them. No matter how quickly you eat them, they start going harmful earlier than it’s potential you could finish the bundle. I started popping the grapes contained within the freezer as shortly as I noticed a pair making an attempt wrinkly.
Let me inform you, frozen grapes are literally a favorite household snack. My kids have even requested that we freeze your full bundle as shortly as we get them residence from the store.
You don’t should do one issue particular to retailer them; I toss them in as is.
Moreover they make unbelievable edible ice cubes for punches, lemonade, cocktails and sangria.
12. Cooked Rice
Give it some thought or not, rice that’s been cooked and frozen has greater style and texture than consuming it immediately after cooking. That’s good info resulting from pulling a bag of rice out of the freezer to affiliate with a meal is so much additional helpful than prepared for it to prepare dinner dinner.
Make up a great deal of huge batches of rice and freeze them in batches in freezer baggage. Seal up the bag whereas it’s nonetheless warmth and toss it contained within the fridge. You’ll have tender and moist rice in minutes for people who thaw it and reheat it.
13. Avocados
Oh, avocados; I’m ashamed to admit to the number of them I’ve wished to pitch over time. You buy a bag, and it’s repeatedly the identical. Not ripe. Not ripe. Not ripe. Sorry, you missed it; we’re all brown and gross inside.
In case it’s good to stay away from the shame of pitching half a bag of avocados, decrease them in half, take away the pit and the pores and pores and pores and pores and skin and smoosh them right correct proper right into a freezer bag. Whereas they gained’t be good for topping salads or one issue the place you want them to look good, frozen avocado is nice for avocado toast and guacamole.
14. Cheese
Oh constructive, it’s potential you could freeze cheese. Nevertheless not all cheeses freeze precisely; softer cheese, as an illustration, doesn’t freeze precisely. Nevertheless don’t have any concern; Cheryl walks you through your full course of in her good piece – Study to Appropriately Retailer Cheese For Longer.
15. Frosting
Am I the one one who begins with a recipe for buttercream frosting that supposedly yields 4 cups of icing and ends up with fifteen? Yeah, I didn’t suppose so.
Freeze your additional frosting and make spontaneous cupcake day a element. Bundle the frosting in an airtight freezer bag, eradicating all the air. Put it contained within the fridge for a great deal of hours earlier than popping it contained within the freezer. Thaw it contained within the fridge for the perfect texture, too.
16. Milk
Milk is one utterly completely different staple that freezes surprisingly precisely. While you’re freezing a full container, take away only some half cup of milk to go away room for enlargement. Whilst you thaw it, the milkfats will separate a bit. Give it shake, and may most likely be nearly virtually practically nearly as good as modern milk.
17. Chocolate
Did you buy an extreme quantity of chocolate for a go to or score some good post-holiday product product sales? Give it some thought or not, it’s potential you could freeze chocolate with out the texture and magnificence struggling. To freeze chocolate appropriately, vacuum seal it in an airtight container first after which put it contained within the fridge for 24 hours. After the chocolate is well-chilled, it’s potential you could put it contained within the freezer.
To thaw it, put it contained within the fridge for 24 hours. Then take away it and let it come to room temperature utterly earlier than opening the sealed bag.
18. Ginger
I don’t even disadvantage sustaining my ginger contained within the fridge anymore. It goes straight right correct proper right into a jar contained within the freezer. Frozen ginger could possibly be quite simple to grate. I not usually fiddle with peeling it each, nonetheless as quickly as you select peeled ginger, peel it with a spoon earlier than freezing it.
19. Pancakes and Waffles
We repeatedly do the huge, satisfying breakfasts on the weekend as rapidly as we’ve obtained additional time. So, I started making additional pancakes and waffles on at the moment to freeze. As quickly as they’re utterly cooled, they get saved in a freezer bag. Then, if the children want pancakes or waffles by way of the week, all they should do is toss them contained within the toaster. And mom’s waffles are repeatedly greater than these cardboard ones contained within the freezer half on the retailer.
20. Tomato Paste
Very like buttermilk, tomato paste usually is a actual ache contained within the can. In my three-plus a very very very long time of cooking, I’ve nonetheless to make a recipe that makes use of a complete can of tomato paste. Inevitably, I would put the rest of the can contained within the fridge solely to find a dried-up, moldy can of tomato paste a great deal of weeks later.
Now when a recipe requires tomato paste, I open my freezer. Inside is a jar with frozen, pre-measured one-tablespoon elements of tomato paste. Every time I open a can of tomato paste, I scoop out tablespoonfuls onto a piece of wax paper after which freeze them. As quickly as they’re sturdy, they go contained within the jar. No additional moldy cans of tomato paste.
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