Your guide to foods that can be frozen
Freezing is to busy lifestyles what sliced bread is to sandwich makers - convenient, easy and timesaving. Your freezer keeps your ice cream cold and ice cubes icy, but that is just the beginning. Freezing is a great way to extend the shelf life of most of your food products and is an incredibly valuable tool for meal planning, bulk buying and money saving. Our guide to freezing will help you learn the basics and make the most out of this useful and time-saving method. Here’s a guide to foods you might not know you can freeze! You might be surprised at what you find!
Grated cheese
Grating makes hard cheese much more receptive to the freezing process. It is not recommended to freeze blocks of cheese or soft cheeses (ricotta, cottage cheese and cream cheese). When stored correctly in an airtight container, freezing grated cheese will not have an impact on original taste, texture or consistency.
Can you freeze flour and sugar?
While these pantry goods do not have to be stored in the freezer, freezing can help them to last longer, particularly in humid or warm months and climates. If they are in paper bags, put them into a freezer-safe bag or container before freezing. Let them come to room temperature before using for baking.
Can you freeze cooked pasta or rice?
Freezing half-cooked pasta and rice is a great way to save time in the kitchen. It is best to par-cook the pasta or rice, as this avoids overcooking during the reheating process.
How to freeze bread and milk
As staples, the short shelf lives of milk and bread can be frustrating. Freezing these kitchen essentials is particularly useful for those who need to stock up, or reduce food waste. Ensure bread is sliced before freezing so you can take a few slices at a time.
Which prepared foods can you freeze?
Freezing prepared foods is an absolute time-saver. While not all meals work well in the freezer, those that do are a great way to ensure that your family has delicious, ready-to-go meals whenever they need, minus the work! Here are a few prepared foods that you can freeze:
- Pancakes and waffles (as batter or cooked) - try this fluffy pancake recipe
- Lasagne - Classic Beef Lasagne or this vegetarian Zucchini and Sweet Potato Lasagne
- Cookies - they freeze well once baked, including these Coconut Jam Drop Cookies
- Sandwiches (without creamy sauces or vegetables high in water i.e. lettuce and tomato. Peanut butter, jam or Vegemite would work well in the freezer)
- Mashed potato (use an ice cream scoop to create serving portions of mashed potato)
- Meatballs - Chicken Meatballs in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce (the pasta can be frozen separately)
- Soups - have this Chicken Soup ready to go for when you need a winter remedy
Potato chips, crackers and pretzels
Not only can potato chips, crackers and pretzels be eaten straight from the freezer, their texture is actually crisper. This only works for un-opened packets so make sure you store them correctly and you will never be short of these goodies.
How to freeze fresh herbs
Fresh herbs won't freeze well by themselves. They do freeze well if you chop them up, pop them into an ice-tray or zip-lock bag and cover them with olive oil. Use this little tip to preserve your favourite herbs and effortlessly add great flavour to all your dishes or use as a marinade. Watch the video to see how easy it is!
Now you know all these tips and tricks, why not try them out? We have great freezer-friendly recipes below, or click here to check out our 5 top freezer organisation hacks!
GET THE RECIPE: Basic Pancakes
Freeze cooked pancakes on a sheet pan until hard, then put all the pancakes into one container or bag. This stops them from sticking together so you can take individual pancakes.
