You know when you kick yourself for buying too much of any particular food--let's say, a Costco size bag of avocados--because they end up ripening too fast and going to waste? I bet you didn't know that you could actually freeze avocado for later, when you're ready to use it? Or perhaps you didn't realize that you could freeze leftover cooked rice or pasta for a future busy weeknight when you're frantically trying make dinner?
Here are 12 nutritious foods that can be thrown into the freezer for later use, which will help to cut your household food waste, save you money, and offer healthy ingredients for future meals and snacks.
Avocadoes have a delicious, buttery texture that's hard to resist, but can be really expensive. When you buy them in bulk, they tend to be a bit cheaper, but can ripen faster than you're able to eat them. As an alternative, you can free the avocado flesh for later use! Simply half your avocado, remove the peel, place in a freezer-safe plastic re-sealable bag and freeze! You can also puree the flesh, add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, and freeze it in the same type of bag. Although the texture will change post-freezing, the previously frozen avocado makes for delicious guacamole, a decadent avocado chocolate pudding or a great addition to a creamy avocado pasta sauce.
I always make double or triple the amount of rice that I need because it freezes SO well and makes my life so much easier on busy nights down the road. Simply allow your rice to cool, place into a freezer-safe re-sealable bag, and freeze! To thaw, place the rice into a microwave-safe bowl, add a little bit of water or broth to it, and microwave until heated through!
Most people don't realize that you can freeze raw egg! Although I don't often run into problems using up eggs before they go off, it's nice to know that freezing them is an option. Hint: don't freeze them inside their shells. Instead, crack the egg, dispose of the shell and freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container, to use later! Thaw overnight in the fridge or run the bag under cool water until thawed. Cook and eat right away.
Although it doesn't take long to cook pasta, it's so nice to have some pre-cooked and ready to eat on a busy weeknight. To freeze pasta, make sure that you cook it al dente (a bit firm), toss in a little bit of olive oil, and place in mounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet before putting it into the freezer. Once frozen, transfer each mount into a freezer-safe bag or container and place back into the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge or run cool water over top of the bag for faster thawing.
Freezing fresh garlic and ginger could not be easier. For garlic, simply place the whole head of garlic into a freezer-safe bag and break off a clove at a time as you need it. You can peel the outer paper off and grate it for whatever recipe you're making. Another option is to chop or mince your garlic, wrap in plastic wrap, place it into a freezer-safe bag and freeze. To use, add a bit of olive oil to the frozen garlic and puree in a food processor before adding to your dish. You can also thaw overnight and mince as you normally would the next day.
I always freeze fresh ginger because it's much easier to grate! Simply place the entire ginger root into a freezer-safe bag or container.
I'm a sucker for those Costco-sized containers of hummus and often find that we can't get through it all. It's a good thing that hummus freezes so well! To freeze, scoop it into a freezer-safe container or baggy and make sure that there's a tight suction to the container or no air left in the bag prior to sealing it. Place into the freezer for up to four months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight, stir and enjoy!
There are a few ways to freeze corn, but the easiest, by far, is to freeze the entire cob. You can leave the leaves and silk on if you'd like, or take them off prior to freezing. Either way, stick the cob of corn into a large freezer-safe bag, and seal, making sure that all of the air is removed, and freeze! Previously frozen corn has a slightly different texture from fresh--a bit more watery or soggy--but if you place frozen cobs in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, you won't be able to notice much of a difference.
Frozen lemon, orange, or lime wedges make for easy and convenient garnishes, and delicious-tasting water. Simply cut your citrus fruit into wedges, place into a freezer-safe sealable bag, remove all of the air, seal and toss into the freezer!
I don't freeze cheese often (because we eat so much of it at home), but it's nice to know that it's ok to freeze it, in case you don't get through it fast enough! Simply place the unopened package of cheese into the freezer, or remove it from it's original package, place into a freezer-safe bag and freeze. You can also shred cheese prior to freezing it, making sure to remove all of the air from the freezer-safe bag prior to popping it into the freezer. As with many foods, freezing cheese alters its texture slightly, so thawed cheese is best used for cooking in sauces, casseroles and soups.
I use frozen bananas all of the time, especially for fruit smoothies and baking! Simply pop the entire banana into the freezer (I usually place in a freezer-safe bag first), or peel the banana prior to freezing in a freezer-safe and sealed bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight to use for baking the next day, or pop frozen peeled banana into a blender to make a smoothie!
Frozen grapes are like candy- sweet and crisp! Simply rinse and dry them, and either place directly into a freezer-safe bag (making sure to remove all of the air), or place rinsed grapes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then freeze, prior to transferring to a freezer-safe bag and placing back into the freezer.
If you find that your milk is nearing it's best before date, and you don't want it to go to waste, you can definitely freeze it! Milk expands in the freezer, so make sure that you leave enough room for this in whichever container you freeze it in. You can place the entire unopened container into the freezer, or transfer to a freezer-safe container prior to freezing. Thaw in the fridge overnight and enjoy!
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Sarah is known as the "Non-Diet Dietitian", because her mission is to inspire people to enjoy food in an intuitive and non-restrictive way, while respecting their health at the same time. Sarah is Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist specializing in pediatric/family nutrition and picky eating. She's also a freelance writer and appears regularly in local and national media.
She's also a mother, a wife and a lover of chocolate, red wine, coffee and pretty much all foods. She aspires to become remotely as amazing a cook as her Mom is and to one day find that "sweet spot" balance between being a great Mom/wife and running a successful part-time business (she's a dreamer too!).
She enjoys practicing yoga, jogging and spending time with her two young kids and husband.
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