Your freezer is like an icy time capsule filled with delicious food relics from seasons past. You might not see it yet, but your freezer plays an important role in helping you prevent food waste by allowing you to extend the shelf life of your tastiest dishes and ingredients.
What’s more, freezing food is fast, easy, cost-efficient and super convenient. The best part? You can freeze just about anything!
And we have your step-by-step guide right here.
The juiciest, most refreshing fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water. This is something you’ll want to consider before freezing produce like blueberries and cucumbers. The water within the food will expand when frozen and then contract when thawed, creating mushier fruits and veg.
Here’s how to freeze fruits perfectly:
There are a ton of delicious fruits that freeze beautifully including mangoes, grapes, berries, honeydew, pineapple, and even avocado.
Looking for a way to get rid of overripe bananas? Instead of throwing them out, peel and add them to a freezer bag until you’re ready to make banana bread. Thaw them at room temp and remove the excess liquid before using.
While citrus fruits aren’t the most freezer-friendly, they can still be frozen and used in your morning smoothies. Just make sure you remove the peel and seeds first.
Similar to fruits, you want to select veggies that are in season because that’s when they’re their most flavourful.
Here’s how to freeze your vegetables like a pro:
There are plenty of vegetables you can freeze, including asparagus, green beans, beets, broccoli, peas, peppers, pumpkin, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, sweet corn, eggplant, leafy greens, mushrooms… the sky’s the limit!
To freeze herbs, simply wash, dry and chop them up finely so that they’re ready to cook with. Then place a small amount in an empty ice cube tray and fill it with water or olive oil before freezing. That way all you have to do is drop a cube into a hot pan or pot before adding the rest of your ingredients.
One of our favourite ways to save bread, muffins, cakes and other delicious baked goods from going stale or developing mold is to freeze them. Here’s how:
Slice and store loaves, baguettes, bagels, English muffins and dinner rolls in the freezer to preserve that fresh-from-the-oven flavour. Bread can be defrosted in the refrigerator or directly in the oven or toaster.
Cupcakes, muffins, brownies, cookies... These tasty treats are also easy to freeze since they're already perfectly portioned.
Place them in a container and freeze them for up to three months. When you’re craving a sweet treat like a muffin, nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds and dig in.
For flakier desserts like scones or cookies, let them thaw in the fridge then reheat in the oven.
When freezing pancakes or waffles, allow them cool to room temperature then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet before sticking them in the freezer. Reheat by letting them thaw in the fridge overnight and then pop them in the toaster.
Cakes and pies freeze really well whether you baked a fresh one for this weekend’s family dinner or you have some left over from your kid’s birthday party. Simply wrap your cake or pie in aluminum foil and place it in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge.
It can be helpful to freeze your dough ahead of time, especially if you know you won’t have the time to bake an entire pie the day your guests arrive or the morning of your kid’s bake sale.
From cookie dough and pie dough to pizza dough----you can freeze virtually any dough you like. Portion it first then wrap it tightly in cling film or seal it in a freezer bag for up to six months. Thaw your dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling it out.
Freezing dairy products will preserve the flavour of the food, but can sometimes change the texture. This is something to keep in mind before freezing any dairy product. Also, once thawed, you should not refreeze.
Pasteurized milk can be frozen, including low and non-fat. This also goes for any plant-based dairy alternatives. Freeze in hermetically sealed containers or freezer bags, then thaw in the fridge and shake before serving to help restore smoothness.
Hard or semi-hard cheeses like raclette or gruyère can be frozen by cutting them into small pieces (no more than ½ pound per piece). But before you freeze, it’s important to note that the texture of the cheese will change. Flavour-wise, it will still taste just as delicious as fresh cheese.
Cultured dairy products like natural yogurt can be frozen, but they may lose their smooth, silky texture in the process and can become grainy. Flavoured yogurts tend to freeze better since the fruit and sugar act as stabilizers. If your yogurt is about to go bad, we would recommend freezing it into delicious yogurt popsicles!
Freeze only heavy creams containing 40% or more of fat. Creams that are lighter in fat or half and half don’t freeze well. Creams that have been frozen also don’t whip as well as fresh creams. You can still achieve the fluffy consistency of whipped cream, but it won’t whip to its usual volume.
Salted and unsalted butter can be stored in the freezer for up to five months. If you freeze unsalted butter though, its flavour will fade faster, so it should not be stored for long.
From whole eggs to just the yolks, here’s how to freeze eggs perfectly:
Whole eggs:
3 tablespoons of egg mixture = 1 whole egg
Egg yolks:
1 tablespoon of yolk mixture = 1 egg yolk
Egg whites:
2 tablespoons of egg white mixture = 1 egg white
Eggs will keep up to a year in the freezer.
The first thing you should do after buying fresh meat or seafood---especially if you don’t plan on eating them within a day or two---is to freeze them as soon as you get home. Here’s how:
Sometimes we get stuck with leftover cooked meat we know we won’t have time to eat during the week. Instead of letting it sit in your fridge untouched, store it in your freezer. This is a handy trick to use if you’re meal prepping or just want to add an extra dose of protein to your soups and salads.
Did you know you can whip up a big batch of soup and freeze it into individual portions? Perfect those days when you need a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
The best way to freeze soup is to let it cool completely. If you place it in your freezer when it’s still hot or warm, it will turn sour. Once it’s come to room temperature, add it to either a jar, airtight container or resealable bag, making sure to leave ½ an inch of headspace before sealing and placing it in your freezer.
To thaw, simply leave it in the fridge overnight and warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving.
Fun fact: you can freeze almost any condiment! So instead of throwing away that half-bottle of ketchup that’s about to go past its prime, freeze it in an ice cube tray then store the ketchup cubes in a reusable bag. You can do the same for dips too, but watch out for dips containing dairy since the texture may become grainy when thawed.
When it comes to sauces and homemade jams, let them sit at room temp for up to 2 hours, then refrigerate until cool before storing in Mason jars or airtight containers.
As with most frozen foods, you’ll want to let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Even nuts, seeds and legumes (think chickpeas, lentils, black beans, etc.) sometimes need to be frozen to extend shelf life. Here’s how to do it right:
Nuts and seeds are probably some of the easiest foods to freeze. It doesn’t matter if they’re raw, toasted, salted or sweet---you can freeze any kind of nut or seed you like simply by using an airtight container or resealable bag to store them in the freezer.
The best part? You can eat them straight out of the freezer. No thawing needed.
Nuts and seeds will stay fresh for up to a year in the freezer.
Canned or cooked, your legumes should be frozen in their cooking liquid or water. Dried legumes don’t freeze that well, so it’s best to place them in airtight containers and store them in your cupboard.
Baked pasta dishes like lasagna and cannelloni make excellent freezer meals. You can either freeze the entire dish by wrapping it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil (make sure the casserole dish is freezer-safe) or transfer the contents into containers for quick individual weeknight meals. Let your dish cool completely before wrapping and freezing.
Other dishes like tourtière, Shepherd’s pie and stuffed zucchini also freeze wonderfully using the same technique as above.
Leave your frozen casserole dish on the counter for at least one hour before placing it in the oven. This will help prevent the glass from cracking due to temperature changes.
And there you have it! You’re now ready to start freezing foods. The next step is to take a look inside your fridge and cupboards to see which items are about to expire and start freezing. Don’t forget to label everything you put in your freezer with a freeze date and expiry date, so you know how much time you have to eat it.
Want more freezer tricks? Check out these 8 tips to make the most out of your freezer.
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