Eggs, bananas and mash… here are 10 foods you never knew you could freeze
Throwing away food is such a waste of money, so with these tips you won't need to
NO one likes wasting food, but sometimes it happens to all of us.
Use by dates sneak up on us, or else those best-laid plans to cook a big vegetable soup from scratch don’t pan out.
It’s such a waste of money too… although actually it doesn’t have to be. That’s because there are loads of foods which are just as good when they’ve been frozen as they are fresh, and the list will probably surprise you.
Eggs
Yep, you can actually freeze them – unbelievable.
The main thing to remember is to crack them first because if you leave them in their shell they might explode.
So crack into suitable bags, stick in the freezer and the job’s done. Thaw them out in the fridge before you use them – they’re great for scrambled eggs especially.
Flour
OK so flour does have quite a long shelf life, but if you’re a Great British Bake-Off lover you’ll never want to run out.
Stick a packet in the freezer and it’ll keep for a year, just make sure it’s thawed before you use it.
Wrap it carefully too, so it doesn’t start ponging of anything else you have in there with it.
Nuts
Fresh nuts are fab, dry and flaky ones not so much.
Bulk-buying cuts the cost too, so do that and then stick a portion in the freezer. They’ll last for six months and you can even toast them without thawing out.
Cheese
Got a bargain on cheese but know you won’t get through it all? There is a way to keep it without it crumbling.
The trick here is to let the cheese sit on the worktop until it’s completely thawed after its time in the freezer – don’t put it straight in the fridge.
You can also grate it before freezing, then add a tablespoon of flour to it to make sure it doesn’t go clumpy.
Tomatoes
If you have a tonne of squashy tomatoes on your hands, stick them in a baking tray, drizzle with oil then roast for four hours.
When they come out you’ll have the perfect tomato sauce to use with pastas, which can be frozen in batchs and thawed as needed.
Whipped cream
It’s probably not that often that you have too much whipped cream, but if it does ever happen fear not.
The sweet treat freezes perfectly, lasting between one and two months.
Try freezing in ice cube trays – it’s the perfect amount for the top of a hot chocolate.
Bananas
The yellow fruit can go off quick as a flash.
If you know black bananas are on the horizon, chop them up and stuff them in the freezer.
They work well in smoothies or for baking. All you need to do is bung in the microwave for a few seconds.
You don’t even need to chop first – you can freeze in their skins, then microwave for a couple of seconds to thaw and the fruit will squeeze out easily.
Mashed potatoes
Another food that most people would sling out if they made too much, but there’s no reason to.
Use an ice-cream scoop to section off portions, then freeze on bits of parchment. Once they’re cold, stick in a freezer bag and they’ll save for at least two months.
Mushrooms
These are another food which can spoil really fast.
You can freeze them whether they’re cooked or not, just chop them up and bung thhem on a baking sheet in the freezer. That’s important because it stops them sticking together.
Once cold, portion off into bags.
If you’ve cooked them first, make sure they’re cold before you freeze.
Sandwiches
Now, this one is a real time-saver.
If you’re a busy mum who doesn’t always have time to get the packed lunch together, why not have a monster sandwich making session and then freeze what you don’t need?
The good thing with this is you can take out of the freezer in the morning, and by lunch time they’ll be thawed and ready to eat – plus they won’t have gone warm. Mayo and lettuce don’t keep well, but meat and cheese do.
