freezing blueberries I grew up in a household where the only things in our freezer were ice cream, ice cubes, popsicles and (possibly) some frozen fruit, corn and/or peas. I was taught that frozen foods did not taste good and, therefore, not worth storing. I have certainly learned differently. I now have 3 freezers and boy do I make them work for me! Garden & fruit tree surplus, leftovers from dinner, freshly made stock & sauces, etc. all find their way into the freezer. While there are definitely things that don't taste great after having been frozen (either the flavor or texture changes), there are a lot of foods that are just fine to freeze. Whether you are freezing them for longer storage or because they are getting too ripe and you don't want waste, stocking your freezer with delicious goodies is not only budget-friendly, but can be a great source of ready-to-make meal ingredients. Most frozen foods are best used within 3-4 months. That being said, it depends in many cases on the food and/or how you plan to use it. Overripe bananas, as an example, can be frozen for longer because you'll be adding them to a muffin, cake or bread recipe or used in a smoothie. The banana itself isn't the primary ingredient. Frozen cooked pasta, on the other hand, can start to take on the freezer taste and/or begin breaking down if left in the freezer longer than 3 months. freezing bell peppers Here are 39 things that freeze well: Butter (sticks) Milk (leave headspace in the container) Shredded Cheese Onions/Peppers/Carrots (can be frozen raw & flash-frozen on a baking sheet then transferred to bag/container) *double bag onions to avoid having your entire freezer smelling like onion* Grapes (delicious eaten right from the freezer!!) Berries (can be frozen raw & flash-frozen on a baking sheet then transferred to bag/container) *will get mushy, use for smoothies, baking, oatmeal addition, etc.* Applesauce Pesto Sauce (freeze in ice cube trays & transfer frozen cubes to container for use in sauces) Cookies Cookie Dough Muffins/Quick Bread Cake Bread Waffles (re-heat frozen waffle in toaster) Pancakes (re-heat frozen pancake in toaster, toaster oven or microwave) Granola Pie Crust Cooked Rice or Millet (I freeze portioned in individual serving sizes) Cooked Beans Tortilla Shells Broth/Stock Cooked Pasta (undercooked) (will soften so should be used in a dish with sauce) Raw Meat Bacon Bits Marinara Sauce Tomato Paste (I freeze on a cookie sheet in teaspoon-sized mounds & then transfer to container once frozen) Citrus Juice/Zest (for used in dishes - can get a bit slimy) (freeze in ice cube tray & transfer frozen cubes to container) Garlic (& Roasted Garlic) (best results if frozen in a small amount of oil) Winter Squash Corn Peas Apple Pie Filling Yeast Flour Nuts & Seeds Bread Crumbs Wine (freeze in ice cube trays & transfer frozen cubes to container for use in sauces) freezer meals Packaging: You are going to have the best luck with foods that are properly packaged. I have written a 3-series post on freezer cooking here: part 1, part 2, and part 3. Selecting freezer-safe containers or bags, and pressing out every ounce of air if using a freezer bag will help your food last longer and taste better. Double wrapping baked goods is also a good idea. And label & date EVERYTHING. You will not remember when it went into the freezer and it may be very difficult to figure out what it actually is once it's frozen and shoved to the back of the freezer. This is in no way an exhaustive list. I'm sure there are plenty of other ingredients you can freeze. It's all trial and error to figure out what's best for your family. Happy freezing! What other foods would you add to this list?
Download this free photo of Winter Ice Frozen from Pixabay's vast library of royalty-free stock images, videos and music.
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Thinking about getting a freeze dryer? Learn how home freeze drying works, and get questions answered about freeze dried food storage for emergencies & more
Thanks to Utah Deal Diva for passing along her post she did tips for freezing food! She has some great ideas! Every time I post a picture of my freezer contents, I get a flood of emails and comments asking about certain foods that can or cannot be frozen. So I thought I’d give a […]
Did you know that you can blow up soap bubbles and instantly freeze them into ice orbs? If you’re searching for a fun cold-weather activity, this is worth trying out. Popular Science explains the science behind bubble freeze, in addition to instructions on how to make one. There’s some interesting science at play here. Every […]
Freezing rain and the last of the season's flowers come together for a truly interesting visual - captured with my Galaxy S5
Nieve en África, árbol-boa, calabaza de un tamaño tan grande que podrías vivir en ella, arcoíris horizontal: todas son cosas que tuvieron la suerte de ver y capturar en cámara los usuarios afortunados de la red. Y, por supuesto, compartieron sus fotos con el mundo: mira y sorpréndete.
Your freezer is a valuable tool when it comes to storing foods. Check out this list of 20 foods you can freeze to save yourself time and money!
For the rare occasion when it was actually sunny.
Freezing foods is such an amazing way to stretch your grocery budget and there are so many ways to make it work! We all know about freezing meat of course, keeping frozen veggies or fruit
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How to freeze food to keep it fresh the longest, how to thaw foods safely and what foods are NOT freezer friendly!
Turn fragrant lilacs into a simple and delicious lilac syrup (lilac cordial) to sweeten summer drinks and cocktails!
How to freeze fresh fruit- this tutorial tells you how to freeze fruit to maximize freshness and minimize freezer burn. Berries, peaches, apples and rhubarb are all easy to freeze and enjoy year round!
Are you looking for recipes to preserve food by freezing? Here are 13 foods that you can freeze to have on hand whenever you need them!
Learn How to Freeze Produce, Tips for Freezing Fruits and Vegetables. Buying produce in season and stocking up is a great way to get the best prices.
Your freezer is a valuable tool when it comes to storing foods. Check out this list of 20 foods you can freeze to save yourself time and money!
Save Time and Money By Freezing Food! Preparing food ahead of time can be a great way to save money and help you out when you’re in a pinch. We’ve all been there before where we forgot to take something out in time for dinner, and having a freezer meal on hand can be a
Power Freeze on a Samsung refrigerator is a feature that quickly freezes food and reduces freezer temperature. Looking for a way to freeze food fast and
