Freezer Storage Tips to Make Your Food Last Longer and Taste Better!

Freezers were invented in the 1940s and since then, it’s been an indispensable appliance in most homes. But there are so many other things you can keep in your freezer besides meat and ice cubes.

Baked Goods and Flour

If you regularly buy sliced bread, you’d understand the disappointment when you get to the last two slices and see blue mold. But make that a thing of the past. Sliced bread freezes extremely well. This storage method works great if you don’t eat bread that much, or perhaps live on your own. You simply take out the slices you need and pop them in a toaster, or defrost the slices for 5 to 10 second in the microwave. The bread will taste as fresh as the day you bought it! Speaking of disappointments…ever got to your pantry and found weevils in your flour? Well, stop them in their tracks by freezing the flour. This will prevent the survival and growth of weevils, and the flour will stay fresh for a long time. Other goods you can freeze are bread rolls, tortillas, and pitas. Take out only what you need, and keep the rest in the freezer!

Fruits

Most people know you can freeze fruits and vegetables. But there are also some shortcuts to make your life easier. Bananas that go brown are great to use for banana bread, but what if you want a banana for your smoothie? Use frozen bananas! Peel bananas, and either slice or halve them. Place in a Ziploc bag and place in the freezer. The added bonus of using frozen bananas in your smoothie is that the texture will be similar to that of a frappe. Yum!

For those that like to cook curries on a regular basis, having chilies on hand is an absolute must! Which is why the freezer is the ideal place to store them. Wash the chilies, dry them thoroughly and slice (you can also leave them whole).  Lay the chilies in a single layer on a flat tray and place in the freezer. Once the chilies are frozen, you can throw them in a Ziploc bag and put them back in a freezer. Blueberries also freeze well, and can be used in smoothies, pancakes, or muffins. Follow the same steps as you would for the chilies.

Other Foods

Now is a great time to do batch cooking and freeze portions of the meal for later. But don’t just freeze fully prepared meals like lasagna or pot pie. You can also freeze elements of meals, and assemble it when you want to make dinner. For a quick weeknight meal, freeze cooked chicken, pork, or beef to use in tacos or wraps. You can also cook a large pot of rice and freeze it in portions for later use. Just make sure to cool the rice down before placing it in the freezer.

Don’t let your cheese go moldy, freeze it. Cheese shouldn’t be frozen in a solid block, as it will be difficult to grate after defrosting. Grate the cheese first and freeze it in portions. For dishes where the cheese will be melted (toasted sandwiches, pizza, etc.), you can use the cheese without defrosting it. Or you can defrost the frozen cheese in your fridge and it will be ready to use!

What are your freezer tips? Tell us in the comments below!