Do It Yourself
Cook Now Eat Later: 28 Items You Didn’t Know You Could Freeze
Wintertime always tends to put me into a bit of a squirrel mode. IE: I like to stash and bury things now that will save me time and money later. Over the years I have come up with some interesting items that you may never have thought could be frozen for use at a later date.
1. Cheese
You can freeze blocks of cheese without it becoming crumbly if you let it thaw completely before putting it in the fridge. If you prefer to shred your cheese first, add a tablespoon or so of cornstarch or flour to the bag and shake it to prevent clumping when it thaws.
2. Homemade Pancakes, Waffles, French Toast
Why waste money? Leggo the Eggo’s forever and make up a few batches over the weekend for quick “defrost and go” breakfasts during the week. Freeze on a cookie sheet, and then toss them in a freezer bag. Reheat in the microwave, toaster, or toaster oven.
3. Fruit
When freezing fruit, it’s best to first slice the fruit and spread out on freezer or parchment paper on a cookie sheet, then freeze it and place in bags. Individual frozen pieces let you pull out just how much you need without having to thaw the whole fruit
4. Rice
Cook a big batch of rice, spread it on a cookie sheet on parchment paper and freeze. When the rice is frozen, just put in a freezer bag or containers and you have instant rice. Use in casseroles, soups or my favorite, fried rice.
5. Pies
Make apple pies in the fall to enjoy all year. Bake them and freeze them in freezer bags wrapped in freezer paper then when you have a hankering for pie, take out of the freezer, remove wrapping, and place in oven for about 2 hours at 200 degrees.
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— Survival Life (@SurvivalLF) September 7, 2016
6. Corn
Put the whole ear of corn, husk, silk and all into the freezer.
When you want to eat it, put it in the microwave just the way you put it in the freezer and cook for 5 minutes on high for two ears or 4 minutes for one ear.
The silk insulates and protects the corn while it cooks. Tastes like it was fresh picked!
7. Pasta
Whenever you make pasta, go ahead and cook the whole package. Freeze any leftovers for later to add to soups and casseroles.
Or freeze individual size portions in smaller freezer bag. Squeeze out the air and get the bag as flat as possible. Thaw it by soaking the bag in hot water for a few minutes!
8. Flour and Other Grains
Freezing flour and other types of grain that come into the house for at least three days discourages any uninvited “guests” from hatching.
If you decide to store it in the freezer, make sure to double wrap the it to avoid condensation and to keep it from picking up other freezer smells.
Check out our tips on repackaging your favorite survival foods. https://t.co/QqYyPUNGBo pic.twitter.com/uSY8sGPloV
— Survival Life (@SurvivalLF) September 6, 2016
9. Pesto
Make or buy your favorite pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop the cubes into freezer bags and enjoy whenever you need.
10. Mashed Potatoes
Using an ice cream scoop, put even portions of mashed potatoes onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Freeze until hard then transfer into a freezer bag. These stay good for about two months
11. Cookie Dough
Make a big batch of your favorite cookie dough, lay them out just like you would if you were boing to bake them and then put them in the freezer. When they are frozen solid put them in freezer bags.
This lets you make as many or as few cookies as you want instead of having to cook…and eat a whole batch of them. This works great for me when I am on a diet, so I don’t feel guilty about eating a whole box of cookies. Just be sure to add 1 to 2 minutes to the cook time.
12. Soups and Chili
Cool leftover soup completely and transfer to a freezer-friendly container, leaving plenty of space for expansion. The night before eating, move the container to the fridge to thaw safely and then reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
13. Broth and Stock
Keep a gallon bag in the freezer and add any leftover veggie pieces, including onion peels, celery stalks, potato peels, etc. When the bag fills up you can use it to make vegetable stock.
Keep another bag for pan drippings or sauces that are left after cooking chicken. This can be used to flavor soups.
14. Potato Chips, Crackers and Pretzels
Find a good sale on all your salty snacks? Then it’s time to stock up on chips, crackers and pretzels and throw them in the freezer.
Learn why this common weed makes a great survival food. https://t.co/FeitAisEnL pic.twitter.com/B02taoVxMt
— Survival Life (@SurvivalLF) September 2, 2016
15. Milk
Ever notice that plastic milk jugs have those indentations on the side? They are there to allow milk to expand while freezing!
To use frozen milk, let thaw, and then SHAKE WELL before opening, to make sure any solids are remixed.
16. Juice
Like milk, the only concern about freezing juice is leaving room for expansion. A good rule of thumb is to leave 8 ounces of space for every half gallon of juice.
17. Bread, Baked Goods
When your favorite bread is on sale, stock up and freeze it. Or when you’re in a baking mood, make extras of your favorite baked goods and freeze them for later.
The Far Side never fails to give me a laugh 😀 pic.twitter.com/vILND4ZP1d
— Survival Life (@SurvivalLF) August 23, 2016
18. Buttercream Frosting
Freeze leftover frosting then when you need to frost something or just need a sugar fix! let it thaw in the fridge, then whip it up and it works just like fresh frosting.
19. Tomato Paste
Most recipes using tomato paste only call for one tablespoon out of the whole can, which always seems like a waste to me. Take what you need from the can, then put the rest in a little freezer bag, flatten it out in the freezer, and when you need a tablespoon, just break off a piece and throw it into your mix.
20. Diced vegetables
Dice onions, chili’s, or bell peppers, then freeze flat in gallon freezer bags. As they are freezing, use a non serrated butter knife or fork to press “score lines” into the bags so you can break off as much or as little as you wish for recipes.
You’ll love these delicious dehydrated survival foods. https://t.co/FU2Rp6v0r4 pic.twitter.com/sQGogix5WG
— Survival Life (@SurvivalLF) August 16, 2016
21. Homemade and Store-Bought Dough
You can freeze just about any type of dough. Shape the dough into a ball and wrapp in saran wrap then freeze
You can also freeze canned biscuits, crescent rolls, pizza dough, etc. right in the tube. Stock up when they are on sale!
22. Eggs
Sounds gross but it really works. Crack the eggs in a freezer bag, and freeze. Or crack eggs into an ice cube tray for cakes and cookies. Thaw out in refrigerator and use as you normally would.
23. Shredded Chicken
Cook a big batch and shred or when you get a rotisserie from the grocery store, shred the leftovers and put it in a bag. (Be sure and use THIS TRICK to shred it!) Great timesaver when making enchiladas!
24. Lemon/Lime Juice and Zest
Squeeze lemons and limes into ice cube trays, then pop them out after they have frozen and store in freezer bags. Now you have “fresh” lemon and lime juice whenever you need it. AND, you never have to kick yourself for letting another bag of lemons from Costco go to waste! (Been there, done that.)
Don’t forget to ZEST the lemons/limes first and keep that in the freezer as well!
25. Herbs
Freeze fresh herbs in ice-cube trays with a little water or leftover stock to use for soups, stews, and casseroles later in the year.
26. Marinated Meat
Place meat in a freezer bag, pour in marinade and freeze. When you defrost it, it will be fully marinated and ready to cook.
In a survival situation, there’s NOTHING more important than getting food. Learn more here: https://t.co/tnGoCiXDiu pic.twitter.com/Bd0zwdLTZ2
— Survival Life (@SurvivalLF) August 15, 2016
27. Casseroles
When you are cooking a casserole, go ahead and make two of them. FREEZE one for when unexpected company drops by or to use as a no hassle meal during a busy work week where you may not have the time.
28. Hamburger
Pre-cook ground hamburger and portion it out for meals. When you need hamburger for shepherd’s pie, sloppy joes, tacos, or whatever just pull it out of the freezer, add the seasoning, and microwave. Three minutes, or 1 minute and 30 seconds if it’s going to be baked and doesn’t need to be thawed all the way. For crock pot meals, like chili, just throw it in frozen.
Can you think of anything that I missed? Or do you have any secret recipes that you would like to add in for a simple, quick, and delicious fresh out the freezer dinner for those of us on the run?
Let me know in the comments below.
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marthafearsme
February 11, 2013 at 9:50 AM
I have been freezing cheese for years, grates fine afterwards. I also freezelemons whole, grate zest frozen and thaw for juice. Great tips, thanks.
Karen
February 11, 2013 at 12:06 PM
If bananas get overripe … don’t throw then out. Put them in the freezer. The skins do turn black but the fruit is fine. Use from frozen in smoothies ir thaw to use in your favorite bread or cake recipe.
Belinda
November 1, 2013 at 10:20 PM
My grandkids love my frozen bananas. I put a piece of wax paper on a paper plate and slice the bananas 1/4″ thick onto the plate. When frozen they taste just like banana ice cream. I’ve saved a lot of overripe bananas this way. You have to eat them while frozen or they get mushy. Never really had much trouble with leftovers, though. 🙂
Mrhycannon
August 21, 2014 at 6:53 PM
I also do cantalopes.. They get mushy too.. I freeze in small bowls.. When grandkids come over I give them a bowl from freezer and a spoon.. They love it.!
BeckyBT
April 14, 2014 at 6:50 PM
My friend Alyson recommended this and I love it: Frozen bananas, take off the peel and individually freeze them; serve frozen and drip chocolate syrup over them for a Real Treat
Anita
February 11, 2013 at 1:41 PM
Great article on all types of goodies to freeze. =D
There was a time when I was a “freezaholic.” I packed so much food in my freezer you’d have thought the sides would bow out. I learned the hard way what happens when you discover your freezer died when you open the door (days later). I lost a LOT of food to spoilage and what little didn’t spoil was either canned/cooked/given away or fed to the livestock.
I still love my freezer for some foods, but don’t depend on it for bulk storage. I process can and dehydrate a lot of what we store. If the power goes out or this freezer dies, I am not loosing hundreds of dollars of food. Always have a back up plan!
Berenice
February 12, 2013 at 10:44 PM
I learned that lesson too and lost a good deal of meat. Nothing could be salvaged. I only use the freezer for short tern storage now. I’m starting up a small garden again this year and will do more canning and drying of foods. Don’t need to do much for only one person luckily.
Jungle Jeff
December 22, 2014 at 6:34 PM
A ‘rider’ insurance policy on your homeowners or renters insurance is just dollars a year. I lost TWO FULL freezers during Maine’s ice storm in ’98; insurance rep came out, inventoried the freezer contents, and cut me a check for 50% MORE than cost of stuff… as I bought in bulk on sale and repackaged, HE CALCULATED RETAIL.
Allen
February 11, 2013 at 2:12 PM
Hi,
I live in interior Alaska and have found that you can freeze almost anything as far as food for later use is concerned. You mentioned 1 that we do a lot which is milk. Yogurt, cream cheese almost any dairy product or non dairy creamers etc all freeze well. You mentioned Bananas, which we do for smoothies, banana bread etc. Tomatoes as well for cooking. Orange and other juices freeze OK. As you said, if liquid, thaw out and shake well or the milk may be lumpy.
Al
Liz
February 11, 2013 at 5:15 PM
What was the trick for shredding chicken?
Millie
February 12, 2013 at 7:20 AM
I baggie and freeze leftover pasta, microwave in the bag till thawed and steaming hot, Tastes freshly cooked.
Babycog
November 5, 2013 at 6:42 AM
Any cooked chicken or turkey can be shredded with a fork, or by hand, and frozen in bags for later use in enchiladas, soups, etc.
KJ
October 29, 2014 at 7:21 AM
If you put your chicken in a food processor and give it a few presses of the button it shreds it quickly. Be careful not to let it chop too long or it will be superfine, unless you want it that way for maybe chicken salad or something like that. It’s a lot quicker than shredding by hand!
Great tips!! I’m going to try a lot of these. I’ve frozen butter before. Works just fine. If you want to freeze your own fresh vegetables, in most cases (like broccoli, squashes, cauliflower, etc) you have to parboil them. Boil them for a few minutes then plunk them in cold water so they stop cooking. Drain them as much as possible. Then freeze. One time I cut up a huge bag of giant potatoes and did this with them. I cut them in all different shapes: cubed, sliced, fries. Parboiled them and froze them. Then when I needed them for supper, the hard part was already done. The trick about frozen potatoes though is that you don’t let them thaw. They go straight into oil, boiling water, or the oven. It made making mashed potatoes a breeze!
Ken
February 12, 2013 at 7:43 AM
Freezers are great for all of these things, but more as a convenience in daily life versus preparedness storage. I believe Anita’s experience is all too common, and would be good to heed. Virtually all of these foods have other means of storage which are not susceptible to power failure.
One preparedness use not mentioned was vacuum sealing your garden seeds and storing them in the freezer.
Cindy
February 12, 2013 at 8:16 PM
I travel a lot and work some funky hours, I learned a long time ago to make my own “frozen dinners”. As mentioned, soups, any kind freeze well, as do casseroles and any gravy or tomato based meal or sauces
Make an extra Shepards Pie and freeze it
Stuffed pasta shells
I make my own baked beans and vacuum seal them in small packages
Freeze stuffed peppers
Thanks Giving dinners (mashed potatoes, turkey and gravy)
Bake 8 large potatoes and turn them into twice baked, then I’ll make mini meat loaf and will freeze a meat loaf and twice baked potato together in a vacuum seal bag.
Living in New England, sword fish season means lowest prices are in August and September, so I stock up for several portions for the next several months, also vacuum sealed.
The trick is to label it, or your dinner plans will suddenly change when you thought you were having Chicken Ala King and it’s Turkey Rice Soup!
Vacuum seal bags can be written on, for reusable containers, I use wide painters tape and write on that, it stays on through the freezing and comes right off.
Having fast meals around is great when we’re working late, or need something to take to work for lunch. If I’m on a trip, I know my kitchen challenged spouse has food he can heat and eat, we know what is in it and he’s less likely to eat cheese burgers or visit The Colonel!
Berenice
February 12, 2013 at 10:40 PM
I always make apple or peach pie to freeze using tin pie pans then invert one pie tin over the filled pie and use freezer tape to seal the two tins together. That way you can use them over and over again, fill the pies high and not have the tops get crushed. And they stack up well in the freezer. You can write what kind of pie it is on the freezer tape.
Tamara Thompson
February 26, 2013 at 1:47 AM
Bernice, I put the pie pans on top too. I didnt have enough to make many pies so bought some at goodwill to go on top. They dont have to be perfect on top. Now I can make a lot and it doesnt cost me a lot 🙂
Chuck
February 14, 2013 at 10:56 AM
My wife and I like half brown rice which takes longer to cook, so she always makes a rice cooker full of rice and breezes it in balls the size of two golf balls. Onigiri is the Japanese name for rice balls and that is soul food for Japanese as they make onigiri for many purposes. The rice balls make a single serving of rice, so if she feels like rice and I don’t or vice versa, we have single servings frozen and in the freezer at all times. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice. You can develop beri beri if you eat too much white rice to the exclusion of other vegetables. You won’t if you eat brown rice. Brown rice doesn’t keep as long as white rice however. I suspect if you vacuum packed and froze uncooked brown rice it would keep until you took it out of the freezer. This was a great article.
Theresa
February 14, 2013 at 11:10 AM
I also would like to know the trick for shredding chicken.
KJ
October 29, 2014 at 7:27 AM
I gave an idea above under Liz’s question about it.
Bill
February 14, 2013 at 3:15 PM
after eating grits place left over grits in plastic long glass , place in freezer and when ready to use remove from freezer slice into 1/2 slices, and fry in pan to a golden brown then serve with butter and syrup.
DELORES
February 21, 2013 at 10:21 AM
I MAKE RAW HAMBURGER BALLS FREEZE ON A COOKIE SHEET,VACUUM SEAL AND I CAN TAKE OUT AS MANY AS I NEED,THAT WAY THEY DON’T STICK TOGETHER, PUT THE REST BACK IN THE FREEZER.
Lori
March 1, 2013 at 12:59 AM
Excellent article and comments–thanks to you all!
We also freeze grapes, approx 1/2 cup in sandwich bags–makes excellent snack for work or to send in school lunches. Chocolate and candy also freeze fairly well, as does butter sticks. We always section off large packages of meat (bought on sale)into meal-sized portions–quart or gallon size baggies work very well. Thanks for the reminder to always write the date on the packages. Thanks for the great information!
You guys make wonderful neighbors:)
Pam
March 6, 2013 at 3:29 PM
Butter can also be frozen.
Sharon
April 4, 2013 at 9:00 AM
I buy in bulk walnuts, almonds, pecans when fresh and on sale. Put them in the freezer and they keep for a very long time without getting stale or going rancid. I just take out what I need and put the rest back in the freezer.
I have frozen yeast for baking bread in the freezer to extend the life. I measure what I need and let it set on the counter to thaw for about 30 minutes before trying to use,
I am using an older refrigerator/freezer to store my more fragile food storage such as butter, sour cream, cheese, I believe it will extend the life of these items (#10 cans of food storage that says it has a 5-15 year shelf life instead of 30 years that the other foods have, hoping to extend these to closer to 20 or 30 yrs also)
Whatever fresh vegetables are on sale for the week get blanched and put into freezer bags for soups or later quick cooking at a far better price than buying commercial frozen vegetables.
John
November 1, 2013 at 7:50 AM
Good primer on freezing foods you would never think to preserve. Don’t forget to give thoughts on how to keep frozen, or dehydrate if you loose power for extended periods and don’t have a generator.
chet
November 1, 2013 at 7:52 AM
How do I freeze my Chile peppers. Seeds in or out.????
Janet
November 19, 2018 at 9:35 AM
depends on how hot you want the chilies- out for ‘cool’, in for ‘hot’
BrianYYC
November 1, 2013 at 8:17 AM
We have a chest freezer and found that various foods would get lost at the bottom of the freezer. In addition, it was a real chore finding what you wanted for dinner with all that digging. Solution: Stackable, collapsible baskets. We have 4 of them…beef, chicken, pork and miscellaneous for lamb, fish, etc. Large items stay out of the baskets. Way easier to search for what you want or need and it’s easy to tell what you’re running out of.
…and get a FoodSaver Vacuum bagger so you can buy large cuts of meats at Costco like whole rib-eyes and pork loin, cut them into steaks, chops and roasts, then suck ’em down! Label and date the bags. Meats can last over a year with no freezer damage whatsoever.
Tom Yaeger
November 19, 2018 at 3:35 PM
Does anyone have a favorite vacuum bagger other than a foodsaver. I have one and not happy with it.
AL
November 1, 2013 at 8:33 AM
I dice up green peppers and spread on cookie sheet. After frozen brake up and store in large freezer bag or vacuum bag. I have been freezing cheese for years I buy in 5#bags shredded and spread on cookie sheet and do the same as the green peppers. I like to use 1qt containers you can get from places that sell to restaurants and you can re use over and over. I have also washed out my freezer bags and re-used then several times. I like to buy chicken legs with thigh and backs attached cheaper that way. Cut the backs at the thighbone and store for later stock making and also freeze that.
Kathy Bonnin
November 1, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Sharp Cheddar and Cheddar Cheese always crumble after I freeze them, I
cannot just slice it after it thaws completely. Any suggestions? As of now I just do not freeze it unless It’s cooked in a dish or I shred or grate it before I freeze it. Thanks!
Karen R
August 10, 2014 at 8:53 PM
It’s something about the way cheddar is made compared to other cheeses. Swiss sometimes has the same problem. If you know you are going to eat it sliced on crackers or like that, just put it in the fridge but if you are going to use it to cook with, crumbled cheddar works just as good as shredded, and even melts a bit smoother. Also you could learn to wax your cheese, which keeps it very well without refrigeration.
Jungle Jeff
December 22, 2014 at 6:42 PM
Yeh, that’s because it is REAL CHEESE, not fake processed ‘cheese food’ of cheap cheeses with fillers and gums (guar, xanthum). Feta and Blues crumble from the get-go. Mozzarella doesn’t because it is a fresh acid-formed (vinegar or lemon juice) ‘cheese’, not a real rennet cultured cheese.
Deborah
November 1, 2013 at 5:54 PM
One of my favorites is zucchini (stressed or puréed) for zucchini bread. I take the extras from my garden and purée them in my vitamix, and put them into freezer bags. Get all the air out and stack them flat to freeze.
Another one I like is leftover cantaloupes, watermelon and honeydew, put them in a freezer bag with a little juice or sugar water (get the air out and freeze them. They make a great fruit cocktail in the winter.
cactusbob
November 1, 2013 at 11:40 PM
Vegetables such as carrots, beets, squash, beet greens, and Swiss chard all freeze nicely when cut to size. Blanch first, then put in vacuumed bags for best results. Peas are another cinch, either pods or shelled peas. String beans are another obvious success.
Babycog
November 5, 2013 at 6:25 AM
My grandmother always froze tomatoes. Blanch and remove the skins, then place on cookie sheet and freeze whole. Once frozen, put in storage bag – like big, bright red marbles!
She also would cut up tomatoes and freeze in ice cube trays. Once frozen, put the cubes in a freezer bag. Then for soups, stews. etc., you can take out as many cubes as you need and drop them into your pot.
Momma Bear
November 25, 2013 at 5:46 PM
I freeze unopened cans of coffee & spices. Then when I need I have it. I also freeze baking powder, baking soda, eggs, yeast etc…I keep an extra of almost everything in the freezer. When it comes out of freezer a new batch goes in. Just always vacuum & date. Remember most importantly FIRST IN FIRST OUT.
LM Gilbert
December 18, 2013 at 9:35 AM
Any herb can be chopped, put in ice cube trays, fill with water & freeze, then pop them out & put in freezer containers. No need to defrost for dishes being cooked.
Earl
December 18, 2013 at 4:50 PM
Yes, you left out diced or sliced onions and bell peppers. I freeze sliced and diced onions and bell peppers that I’ve halved and cleaned by the bag full along with almost everything else. I also freeze heads of cabbage. When I want cabbage rolls it really easy to work with after it’s thawed.
michael
January 1, 2014 at 11:45 AM
Sounds fine until the electricity goes out, then what????
Miss Linda Louise Gauer
December 9, 2014 at 2:38 PM
you dehydrate some too.
Jungle Jeff
December 22, 2014 at 6:50 PM
Okay, I may be dating myself here… your pioneer ancestors generations ago but still had ‘ice boxes’. As a kid, our summer camp in the fingerlakes was off the grid so we hand pumped our water and went to the icehouse every couple days for blocks of ice to put in the ‘icebox’, like a smaller wooden fridge of today with cool compartment below an upper chamber where ice was put. Worked great! Locals cut the ice in February from the lakes and ponds and stored the blocks between layers of sawdust. Our large icehouse (ice barn) burnt down but we were still pulling ice out of it 2 years later! So, if you live up north where you get a good freeze (i.e.- you can go ice fishing) you can cut blocks of ice for your OWN ice house!
GH
May 2, 2014 at 1:16 PM
I turn used bread sacks inside out and dry them out then use them to double wrap all breads products that I freeze as they WILL take on the “freezer smell”, then remove them immediately after taking them from the freezer and discarding. If you leave them on while defrosting the product, the smell will linger- use your nose.
Loved this article-
Albert Warford
May 21, 2014 at 9:01 AM
Great information and about half I didn’t know. Thanks.
Chaz
June 6, 2014 at 4:55 PM
I have been told that if you freeze fish you should add water to the freezer bag .This will ensure that the fish will last longer and will not get freezer burn.
Gail
June 11, 2014 at 2:28 PM
You can also freeze fresh tomatoes (skin on) for cooking with later. Put them on a cookie sheet till frozen then vacuum bag or zip lock bag them. When you take them out to add to your sauce just a little warm water will make the skin come off and you can dice while they are still firm.
Gail
June 11, 2014 at 2:30 PM
You can freeze fresh tomatos (skin on) by putting on a cookie sheet till frozen then vacuum or zip lock bagging them. To use take out how many you need and run a little warm water on them and the skin comes right off, then you can dice them while they are still firm.
Patriot Maiden
July 2, 2014 at 10:31 PM
I loved the article on “Cook Now Eat Later”. However, I saw several suggestions on using the microwave to thaw items. The microwave will kill the beneficial enzymes in the food. While the vitamins are important the enzymes are equally so. Refrain from ever using the micro wave when possible. Patr
Beverly
July 10, 2014 at 4:43 PM
I made a WordPerfect document out of the freezer list. Many thanks, it will save me time and prevent waste.
Dennis Kramer
July 18, 2014 at 11:32 PM
Hello, my wife has been freezing bacon for years. She opens a package cuts the bacon in half and spreads out on cookie sheets. When frozen, she bags up in zip lock freezer bags. This keeps fresh frozen and when you want a BLT you easily shake out 4-6 halves wrap in a paper towel and (depending on the thickness)…nuke ’em 2-4 minutes. We like the thick kind and nuke them for three minutes. Drop them from the grease soaked nuking paper towel to a dry one and throw the nuking towel away and start slicing the tomato’s.
louise cohoon
July 23, 2014 at 8:37 AM
Another thing I freeze which people I bet arent aware you can do , is eggs. I buy in large on sale. Bring them home and some I seperate whites for pies and yellow for noodles. Some put yellow and whites together for breakfast ot what ever. I olace all these in big cottage cheese cartons label and freeze. They freeze very well.
MJ
August 1, 2014 at 10:20 AM
Addition to the freezer tips:
RE freezing a prepared casserole: When the casserole is prepared & frozen in its dish, remove it from the casserole dish (like removing jello from a mold), wrap it appropriately for freezer; when ready to thaw & prepare it, place the frozen casserole back into the casserole dish in which it was frozen, and it’s ready for thawing and the appropriate cooking method.
Mrhycannon
August 21, 2014 at 6:49 PM
I already freeze moet of that stuff.. I have heard that eggs should be mixed and salted first.. Haven’t tried it yet but I do freeze egg whites with no preparation.. When thawed they are just like fresh.. Cream Cheese gets grainy..
Catherine
September 1, 2014 at 12:30 PM
About ground beef. You don’t need to cook before freezing if you like it better cooked fresh. I freeze ground beef and turkey in a whole lump and then defrost in microwave until just enough of the lump is defrosted. I then put the remainder that is still frozen back in the freezer until I need more.
Joan Menter
October 1, 2014 at 6:52 AM
If you freeze the eggs w/out lightly beating them first, the yolks congeal into a lump that never liquifies when thawed and makes ugly, nasty fried eggs, unless you use a blender and scramble ’em. Easier to beat ’em a little and then use them thawed as you would for scrambles or baking/cooking or omlettes.I put 2 each in the little snack bags. Using ice cube trays ONLY works if you oil them first or you can’t get ’em out. BTDT.(been there, doin’ that)
Good article, my family has farmed for generations and passed most of this on to us, the rest we figured out on our tight-wad own.
Theresa
November 26, 2014 at 8:58 AM
For years I’ve taken a large container and anytime anything is left over from a meal, even if it is just one teaspoon full of peas or 1 tablespoon of mashed potatoes or only the liquid from a vegetable, etc. it is thrown in the ‘Smorgasbord Soup’ container. Meat is cut in small pieces. No matter what it is thrownin there. When the container gets full, it is time for soup. You would be surprised how quickly you have makings for a soup. It has always tasted good and is unique each time and it is stuff you were going to throw away, so it is a free meal.
sue
November 27, 2014 at 7:57 PM
Great ideas! here’s another one I just learned:
when sweet taters are on sale – buy them up! cook sweets till done, cool, peel.
then – I sliced some – put on cookie sheet and froze. when frozen, then store in ziplock freezer bag or vacuum seal, the amount you prefer. I then have slices to fry, bake however.
I also took some – mashed up, dished out by serving (1 cup etc), put on cookie sheet and froze. when done – packed in bags too.
I did 2 small ones, peeled and wrapped in plastic wrap – ate those within 2 days! just mashed, put on cinnamon/nutmeg/butter – oh sooo good for a quickie!
This idea can also be used for potatoes, etc. havent tried doing it with oatmeal, grits or cream of wheat….I like quick stuff.
Miss Linda Louise Gauer
December 9, 2014 at 2:34 PM
You forgot Yams, Sweet potatoes and Pumpkin. I always cook my pumpkins after Halloween, and mash them after they have cooled off from cooking and zip them up in a freezer bag. Other thing I freeze all the time is onions and Bell Peppers. I dice them first and put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer until frozen then put them in zip lock bags according to your needs. I even dehydrate these and put them in a jar too.
To cook it the easiest way. Cut off stem ,cut them in half and take all seeds out, put inside of pumpkin down on a cookie sheet size to fit pumpkin. Cook about 45 minutes or until you poke it and it is soft.
Then take out and let cool, the outside skin will peel off easily. Mash and put in 1 or more ziplock bags. I always add some to my wheat/honey pancake mix with a little pumpkin pie spice and a little sugar or substitute. Then freeze the pancakes or just the cooked pumpkin.
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Dave
September 11, 2016 at 10:28 PM
We catch and eat a lot of fish. What we do is freeze it, dip it in cold water, freeze it again, and repeat the process up to four times. It eliminates freezer burn and makes them last much longer whether it’s fillets or whole fish with skin on. Works for venison and beef too.
Leland
November 19, 2018 at 9:37 AM
I remember my mother took whole tomatoes that she used for cooking and freeze them on a cookie sheet. When making soups, pasta sauce , or what ever she would drop the frozen tomato in a few seconds later the skin would float to the surface and she would remove it. She would then remove the skinless tomato long enough to chop or dice. while it was still mostly frozen.
Janet
November 19, 2018 at 9:43 AM
Pseudo Stir-Fry
2 pounds chili grind meat ( I usually use beef but pork or chicken will work)
3 eggs, scrambled
1 can each bean sprouts, baby corn, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, mushrooms (use the large can) DRAINED and washed off
2 lbs rice (your choice of kinds)
2TBSP Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 pkgs Teriyaki create a meal stir fry
1 head of bok choy or Napa cabbage, cut up
Water
Scramble eggs and set aside. Cook meat and canned goods together in water till meat is done. Add Rice and stir occasionally till rice has absorbed most to all the water. Add scrambled eggs, cabbage and create a meal packages except for sauces to rice, meat and veggie mix on low heat till all is hot. Add Soy sauce and teriyaki sauce packets and stir till well mixed. Serves 4-16 depending on how hungry they are and will freeze well for later serving, just portion it out for individual servings and freeze. Keeps well for six months or so
Kandy
November 19, 2018 at 10:22 AM
Question: Article says you can freeze canned biscuits, do you thaw them and open and bake like usual or do you cook them from frozen?
Malinda
November 22, 2018 at 12:09 AM
Been freezing for 45 years and a new one for me is a bag of power greens. Freeze the whole bag of spinach etc, remove a large handful for your smoothie. No waste. Amazing!