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April 23, 2015

20 Tips on Freezing Food to Save You Time and Money

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This is a great list of 20 things you can freeze to save you time and money! I think I need to go freeze #11 right now!
We’ve learned to freeze food, both for saving money and for getting things done ahead of time. Our family purchased a “scratch and dent” freezer and put it in the garage – I can’t tell you how handy it’s been!

Before we talk about what foods freeze well, let’s jump right in and look at the foods you shouldn’t freeze, so we can get that out of the way.

Here’s a list of “What Not to Freeze:”
Don’t Freeze – Eggs in the shell.
Don’t Freeze – Any water-rich vegetables like celery, lettuce, cucumbers or tomatoes. When thawed, they’ll be a watery mess, so it’s best to eat them fresh.
Don’t Freeze – Soft cheeses like ricotta, cottage cheese and cream cheese.
Don’t Freeze – Emulsions like mayonnaise, salad dressings and yogurt.
Don’t Freeze – Water-rich fruits like citrus, apples and watermelon.

This is a great list of 20 things you can freeze to save you time and money! I think I need to go freeze #11 right now!
OK. Now let’s look at what you can freeze. I’m happy to say the doors are open pretty wide. When it comes to making meals ahead of time or storing leftovers, there are so many options!

Here are my top 20 tips on freezing food:

1. Casseroles – Casseroles freeze very well. Wrapped tightly, they’ll last about 3 months in the freezer. Let them thaw completely before reheating in the oven.

2. Raw Meat – Place raw meat with the marinade in an airtight container and freeze. When thawed, it’ll be marinated and ready to cook!

3. Cooked Meats – Grilled and cooked meats can be put in an airtight container and frozen for about 6 months. You can pull the out individual pieces of meat for portion control.

4. Soup – I haven’t met a soup, stew or chili that doesn’t freeze well. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw completely and then reheat on the stove in a large pot. Alternatively, freeze in individual serving portions for future flexibility.

5. Berries – I love to freeze berries when they’re at their prime. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and scatter the berries in an even layer. Freeze for about 1 hour then transfer the berries to an airtight container. They will keep for about 6 months.

6. Baked Goods – Muffins, cakes, pancakes, brownies, waffles and breads can be placed in an airtight container and frozen for 6-9 months. I like to pull out individual portions on busy mornings, place them frozen in the oven and bake at 300ºF for about 15 minutes. They’ll taste like you just made them!

7. Butter – Buy butter on sale and freeze it! Finding good, grass-fed butter on sale is like winning the lottery, so I always stock up. Keep the butter in its original packaging while in the freezer to keep it from taking on any odors from the other foods.

8. Bananas – Ripe bananas can be frozen and then added to smoothies, breads or muffins. I place them directly in the freezer. To thaw – fill up a large measuring cup with hot water. Place the frozen banana in the hot water and let sit for about 2 minutes. Remove from the hot water and the skins should easily come off.

9. Flours – Baking flours can be frozen in an airtight container for about one year. I often purchase in bulk, so this keeps the flours from going rancid before I use the whole quantity.

10. Milk – Freeze milk in plastic jugs and thaw when you’re ready to use. It keeps in the freezer for about 6 months. Our family drinks raw milk and sometimes the cream separates a little, but not enough for my kids to mind.

11. Cookie Dough – You can freeze cookie dough! I learned this one from my mom years ago when working at her company, The Festive Kitchen. Here’s how you do it: Scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze the dough for about 3 hours and then transfer the dough balls to an airtight container. The best part is, you can bake the cookies straight from the freezer! Just add about 3-4 minutes to the baking time.

12. Liquids – Freeze leftover coffee, wine, buttermilk, and coconut milk in ice cube trays and then transfer to an airtight container. This way nothing goes to waste and you’ll have smaller portions to use with smoothies, iced coffee, soups, stews, etc.

13. Cheesecake – Cheesecake freezes incredibly well. During the holidays I make several of my honey-sweetened cheesecakes, store them in the freezer, and then pull out a decadent dessert when guests come over. To defrost – Place in the fridge overnight and then let sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.

14. Eggs (without shells) – Eggs free of their shells can be whisked together, placed in an airtight container, and frozen for up to 6 months. This is great if you’re going out of town and forgot to eat all the eggs.

15. Grapes – Frozen grapes are my kids’ favorite snack in the summertime. Place the grapes in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for about 1 hour and then transfer to an airtight container for about 3 months. We eat them straight from the freezer!

16. Pie Crust Dough – Pie crust dough can be tightly wrapped, placed in an airtight container, and frozen for about 6 months. I’ve tested this with my grain-free pie dough recipes (from this site and my dairy-free recipe from my latest cookbook) and it works beautifully! When you’re ready to use it, thaw the dough in the fridge overnight and roll out the next day.

17. Pesto – I always have some pesto in the freezer. You can freeze it in ice cube trays or in a large container. It keeps for up to 6 months and is fantastic served with grilled vegetables, stirred into soups or mashed potatoes, or whisked with some olive oil for a delicious salad dressing.

18. Mashed Potatoes – Mashed potatoes stay in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw, heat on the stove and add just a few tablespoons of milk to help them become creamy again.

19. Tomato Paste – Most recipes that call for tomato paste only use a few tablespoons, so I always freeze the paste. It will keep in the freezer for about a year.

20. Stock – We can’t forget our beloved chicken stock (aka: bone broth)! I like to freeze stock in wide-mouth mason jars or in ice cube trays.

Here are some of my favorite containers for freezing:
Wide-Mouth Mason Jars
Glass Pyrex dishes with Lids (The lids are plastic, but as long as the food isn’t touching the plastic while it’s being reheated, then I feel good using these dishes.)
13 x 9-inch dishes
Bormioli Jars

 

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Filed Under: Thyroid Disease | 36 Comments

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36 Comments

  1. susan

    April 23, 2015 at 10:55 am

    I loved theses tips! Thanks for sharing. For watermelon, I like to blend it and freeze it in ice cube trays to add to water or to make a slushie. For soups and bone broth, I love using this silicone mold from Amazon. (It's an 8 cavity 2x2x2 cube by freshwater) Each cube is 4oz for easy measuring and 16 cubes fit perfectly into a Fallon freezer bag making storage amazing.
    to susan" aria-label='Reply to this comment to susan'>Reply to this comment
  2. marcella

    April 23, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    Great list! Right now we're finishing off "eating down the freezer" so there will be lots of room for this seasons produce. I love to freeze tomatoes though - not only as puree but even just washed and whole in a zipper bag. As they thaw the skins slip off easily and a few crushed into a soup or stew adds a great summer fresh tomato flavor. Sure, they wouldn't work raw in a salad but cooked they are great.
    to marcella" aria-label='Reply to this comment to marcella'>Reply to this comment
  3. BARBARA MACEY

    April 23, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    Carrie, We always freeze APPLE SLICES for "fried apples." We use the Food Savor to make sure they do not become a mess. All we have to do is add them to a medium heated large cast iron skillet that has a bit of oil & butter & fry them up, sometimes I add a little sugar, YUM! Many people have Cracker Barrel's fried apples which are nothing more than apple pie slices & are yucky, certainly nothing like the Fried Apples I grew up with.
    to BARBARA MACEY" aria-label='Reply to this comment to BARBARA MACEY'>Reply to this comment
  4. Liz

    April 23, 2015 at 6:51 pm

    Freezing watermelon in large seedless chunks is a really tasty treat! Use the frozen water melon along with fresh lemon juice, salt and honey for a tasty blender treat!!!
    to Liz" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Liz'>Reply to this comment
  5. Sonya

    April 24, 2015 at 6:11 am

    All great tips.....and timely, its been on my mind how to leave my home office and work from my B&M office space without sacrificing dinner on the table by 5pm. Time to organize my freezers. Thanks :)
    to Sonya" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Sonya'>Reply to this comment
  6. Karen

    April 26, 2015 at 7:34 am

    I actually freeze ricotta and cream cheese frequently. It gets a little grainy when it thaws, so I don't use it "raw" after freezing, but it still works wonderfully in casseroles.
    to Karen" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Karen'>Reply to this comment
  7. Michele

    April 29, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    Hi. I'm sorry this doesn't have to do with this post, but I am trying very hard to follow Dr. Davis's Wheat Free diet. My questions actually has to do with making mayonnaise. I tried to make it in my food processor, but it never came together. Do you make mayo and if so, can you offer any help? Thanks, Michele
    to Michele" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Michele'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      May 1, 2015 at 8:25 am

      I do! Here's my favorite recipe and it turns out great every time!http://www.organicspark.com/portfolio/simply-mayonnaise/
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  8. Melissa S

    May 15, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    Great freezer tips! How long does butter keep in the freezer?
    to Melissa S" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Melissa S'>Reply to this comment
    • Carrie Vitt

      May 18, 2015 at 9:31 am

      It will keep for about 6 months.
      to Carrie Vitt" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Carrie Vitt'>Reply to this comment
  9. Kristine

    June 1, 2015 at 4:28 pm

    Fantastic information, Carrie! I appreciate it! I have started a new job with more of a 'commission-type' salary and I was wondering how in the world I would keep up with my bills! This is timely information! Love you!!!!!!!!!! :) - Kristine
    to Kristine" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Kristine'>Reply to this comment
  10. Jackie

    June 25, 2015 at 6:02 am

    Thanks for the great list! In LA, we sautee onions, celery and garlic for just about every dish. I find it helpful to dice celery (and onions) and freeze them in a gallon bag. That cuts down on meal prep and I never have to worry that the celery will spoil before so can use it. I also like to buy smoked sausage in bulk and cut it up for quick addition to pastas, jambalayas, and gumbos.
    to Jackie" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Jackie'>Reply to this comment
  11. Noreen

    August 16, 2018 at 4:13 pm

    I love to make things ahead, or even make part of the recipe ahead and freeze it. But I have a hard time with containers being air tight and not having crystals on stuff. You mention Mason jars..can you freeze those even though they are glass? Is there any type of thing you wouldn't want to freeze in a Mason jar, or tips on how to do it?
    to Noreen" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Noreen'>Reply to this comment
  12. Gizella

    August 23, 2018 at 10:01 am

    I tried freezing soup in a wide mouthed Mason jar but the jar broke! What is the secret? Please advise.
    to Gizella" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Gizella'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      August 27, 2018 at 11:40 am

      You need to leave at least an inch or two of space at the top, otherwise you run the risk of it breaking.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment

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Through unprocessed, organic food and detox I’ve reversed Hashimoto’s disease, chronic migraines, IBS and eczema.

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