Learn how to quickly and easily freeze dozens of foods — saving you time in the kitchen, eliminating extra trips to the grocery store, and reducing wasted food. Win, win, win!
I am passionate about freezer cooking because it’s such a simple way to save time and money in the kitchen (and prevent wasted food!)
Over the last 2 decades, I have diligently kept our deep freezer(s) stocked with full meals and TONS of pre-cooked, pre-portioned foods like:
- shredded chicken
- ground beef
- ground sausage
- roasted veggies
- homemade refried beans
- cooked beans and lentils
- frozen fruits and veggies
- cheese
- baked goods
- and so much more!
While I don’t claim to be a “Freezer Foods Expert”, I have frozen more than my share of foods over the years — I’ve even taught classes on freezing, drying, and canning.
So with that said…
Here’s my LONG list of freezable foods that will save you time and money.
1. Freezable Baked Goods:
Whenever I bake, I make a double batch and set some aside for the freezer.
Not only does it help with portion control, but it also allows us to enjoy a variety of baked goods, and it means I always have treats on hand, even at the last minute.
You can freeze almost all baked goods; here’s how I freeze the following:
Brownies & Cookies: Put them in resealable bags or storage containers with tight-fitting lids, and they’ll last as long as you can resist them.
Cookie Dough Balls: For fresh-from-the-oven cookies any time, freeze balls of cookie dough and store them in zip-top bags. Simply pull out as many as you need and pop them straight into a hot oven for fresh cookies without the mess.
Yeast Breads, Buns, and Rolls: You can double-bag these to prevent freezer burn, and they should be fine for several months. Both homemade and store-bought bread products freeze well — meaning you can stock up when they go on sale.
Tortillas: I’ve gone through seasons where I make and freeze my own tortillas, but store-bought tortillas freeze well too.
Quick Breads and Muffins: These are one of the easiest baked goods to freeze because they defrost so well. I often keep several mini loaves of quick bread in the freezer to give as gifts throughout the year, and muffins are easy to defrost for a quick breakfast or school snack.
Cupcakes & Cake: Yes, you can easily freeze cupcakes and even full cakes! I usually freeze them unfrosted.
Granola & Granola Bars: If you love homemade granola and Granola Bars, make a big batch and freeze it in zip-top bags or food storage containers.
Pies: Want to prep several pies ahead of time to save your sanity over the holidays? Simply freeze them BEFORE you bake them, then bake from frozen (you’ll need to increase the baking time for this — just Google it!)
2. Freezable Baking Supplies:
Along with the finished baked goods, you can also freeze many of your favorite baking supplies in their original packages (so start stocking up when they go on sale).
I use regular old shoe boxes to “stack” bags of chocolate chips, nuts, candies, etc., and keep them from tipping over or getting lost in the back of the freezer.
Chocolate: I store all my baking chocolates in the freezer because they keep for much longer, and I don’t need to worry about them melting in the pantry.
Nuts and Seeds: I store all our extra nuts and seeds in the freezer to keep their oils from going rancid. I first heard this tip from Rachel Ray years ago, and it seems to work well.
Flours, Cornmeal, and Sugars: While it’s not necessary, I often freeze my flour and sugar — especially in the summer when our house is more humid. NOTE: I do not freeze my freshly-milled whole grain flour (just all-purpose) because I’ve read that freezing it will “kill off” many of the nutrients.
Baking Soda: I often keep an extra container of baking soda in the fridge and freezer (opened) — not because it stays fresher, but to absorb any potential odors. I don’t use this baking soda for baking, but just thought I’d throw this tip out there in case anyone is dealing with a smelly fridge or freezer.
3. Freezable Dairy:
Dairy prices are going up (just like everything else), and you can save so much money by purchasing dairy products in bulk when they’re on sale and freezing them for later.
From my experience, most dairy products should keep for at least 6 months.
Butter: No trick here, just stick the entire package in the freezer and remove when you’re ready to use.
Block Cheese: Block cheese freezes well; however, if you plan to use it sliced, you’ll want to slice it before you freeze it, otherwise it will crumble.
Shredded Cheese: Shredded and sliced cheeses freeze so well, just throw the packages in the freezer (lay flat for easier storage) and pull out whenever you need more cheese.
Feta Cheese: Yes, you can buy the giant containers of Feta from Costco and divide it up into quart-size zip-top bags. It tastes perfectly fresh when you pull it out of the freezer.
Cream Cheese: Believe it or not, you can freeze cream cheese. It might be a bit “lumpier” after it defrosts, but it tastes the same.
Milk and Buttermilk: I usually don’t need to freeze our milk, but I do it whenever we go on vacation. Just pop the milk jugs in the freezer (the “indentations” on the sides will expand when the milk freezes). NOTE: If you’re nursing, breastmilk freezes well too (use these bags).
Yogurt: You can freeze small cups of yogurt with popsicle sticks in them for easy yogurt pops in hot weather. You can also freeze yogurt in ice cube trays to use in delicious smoothies.
Cottage Cheese: It’s freezable, but sometimes the texture is a little runnier after defrosting. The taste is the same, though.
4. Freezable Fruits:
Before freezing fruit, make sure it is washed, dried, and divided into smaller portions. This will make it easier to quickly grab what you need without defrosting the entire batch if it’s all stuck together.
Fruits should keep for up to a year if properly sealed.
All Fruits: You can pretty much freeze any fruit you plan to use in smoothies because it will get mashed up anyway. However, don’t plan on freezing fruit simply for eating — it will be quite soggy.
Apples: Frozen apple slices are delicious in pies, oatmeal, baked french toast, smoothies, or even to make applesauce in the middle of winter.
Berries: I freeze all kinds of berries for pancakes and smoothies. I also keep 2-cup containers of crushed berries to use for making jam, ice cream toppings, or for berry shortcake.
Bananas: I put whole, unpeeled bananas in the freezer any time they start to get brown. Then whenever a recipe calls for bananas, I grab that number of bananas, defrost them overnight (usually on a plate as they get sort of soggy), and bake the next day. I also freeze peeled bananas for smoothies.
Grapes and Blueberries: Frozen grapes and blueberries are an excellent summer snack. Our kids LOVE them!
Cherries: Frozen cherries are a yummy treat in oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies. Just make sure you pit them before freezing. I use this cherry pitter to make things super quick.
Peaches: These are also great for oatmeal, yogurts, and smoothies. You’ll obviously want to peel and slice them first. Then freeze in zip-top bags, laid flat to save space.
Avocados: If you find a good deal on avocados, or if yours are getting too ripe, simply peel and slice them into zip-top bags and pop them in the freezer. You can use them to make guacamole any time as they defrost quickly.
Jams and Jellies: I usually can my own jam, but my mom and mother-in-law always freeze it. Freezing jam is quicker and easier… if you have the freezer space. That said, you can also freeze your berries to can jam whenever it’s convenient for you (I always do it in the winter months).
5. Freezable Herbs & Vegetables:
Herbs: I freeze fresh herbs in ice-cube trays filled with water to use for soups, stews, and casseroles later in the year. Here’s a free Herb Reference Sheet that explains how you can use and preserve different herbs.
All Veggies: To save some time — here is a link to my Vegetable Freezing Worksheet. It’s a list of 20 different vegetables and how to freeze them … you may print it for free.
Roasted Veggies: Lately, I’ve been freezing roasted vegetables and then reheating them in my cast iron pans. They are delicious and a huge time-saver because I can roast huge amounts of vegetables at one time.
Spinach and Kale: These can go south quickly if left unused in the fridge. However, they can also easily be frozen in zip-top bags and used for soups, smoothies, casserols, pasta dishes, and more. NOTE: Once frozen, I squeeze the bags with my hands to “pulverize” the leaves into tiny bits — this eliminates the need to chop it up!
6. Freezable Protein:
Meat: Meat is the most money-saving, time-saving freezer food. Stock up when it’s on sale or save even more by purchasing a quarter of a cow or half a cow (you’ll need lots of freezer space for this).
All meat freezes well — raw meat, cooked meat, deli meat, ground meat, shredded meat, “whole” meat, etc. I once had a whole turkey in the freezer for about 18 months, and it was absolutely delicious when we cooked it!
NOTE: Here’s my post about Safely Freezing, Defrosting, and Re-Freezing Meat.
Beans: You can freeze almost any type of cooked bean with fantastic results — black, navy, pinto, refried, etc. This is especially handy since beans take a LONG time to soak and cook.
Lentils: Cook full bags of lentils at one time and then portion them out for the freezer. Then use lentils to “bulk up” your soups, stews, and casseroles — saving money on more expensive meats.
7. Freezable Meals:
If you have the freezer space, it’s really not that much extra work to make a double or triple batches of your favorite meals. You could even make a goal to do this once per week.
Freezer meals are great for busy days or even to give to friends or family.
Here’s a list of our family’s favorite freezer meals. Also, the majority of recipes in my online recipe box are freezer-friendly!
Broths: Making homemade bone broth is a huge savings over buying it (plus, you can control the salt). After it’s finished cooking, simply divide it up into 2-cup portions and freeze for making soups, stews, and casseroles.
Soups and Stews: Speaking of soups and stews, they freeze amazingly well too. The only soup I don’t freeze are potato-based soups because the texture is weird for us. Here are some of my favorite soup recipes.
Casseroles: These are so easy to freeze because all the components are already cooked. We freeze lasagna, fajitas, enchiladas, chicken dishes, and more. Defrost it in the fridge the day before and bake as normal.
Pasta Sauce: If you struggle to use up a full jar or batch of pasta sauce in one meal, pop the leftovers in the freezer for the next time you make pasta.
Sandwiches: Expedite your school lunch packing by freezing bulk sandwiches on the weekend. We’ve had great luck with both meat and cheese or PB&Js.
The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to freezable foods… but these are the ones I have personally tried with much success.
If you’re wondering about a specific food, not on my list above, just give it a try with a small amount of the food… and then you’ll know.
Want more Freezable Foods posts, tips, and information?
- Here are ALL my freezer foods posts over the history of my blog.
- Here’s a post I wrote specifically to address many of the frozen foods questions I’ve gotten over the years.
- Click here to access my virtual recipe box (most of which are freezable foods).
- And this is how I defrost our deep freezer.
What are your favorite freezable foods?
I’m always looking for more foods to freeze, so if you know of any foods I missed, please share your suggestions in the comments below!
Pin it for later!
Sherry says
For those that asked about cooling before freezing. Here is the deal. The colder the food is before it goes into the freezer the smaller the ice crystals that form in the food. The small the ice crystals the less damage to the food in terms of texture and flavor. So for the best results you should store your food in the fridge overnight and then freeze.
Also, it is best to cool your food quickly, outside the fridge, uncovered. Especially things like soups and stew that can retain a lot of heat for long periods of time. Great way to cool food quickly is to spread them out on a sheet pan (jelly roll pan), add freezer sticks(some use plastic bottle with frozen water inside – they make these for commercial kitchens haven’t seen a home cook version), putting a bowl of soup/stew in another bowl filled with ice and water and stir occasionally.
Your goal is to cool the food off quickly so that when you put the food in your fridge/freezer that you don’t “heat up” the fridge and put the rest of the food in your fridge in “the danger zone” (above 40 degrees and below 140). You also want to make sure that when you cover the food it is not warm enough to gather condensation inside the lid(perfect breading ground for bacteria).
6HollowLegs says
My sister taught me how to freeze blocks of cheese without them becoming crumbly. The secret is in the defrosting. You need to take it out of the freezer, put it on your counter, and let it defrost to room temperature, then put it in the fridge. No crumbles this way… ever.
jale95 says
That is so great to know, thank you!
Misty @ Your Own Home Store says
Love this. Very well written, informative, helpful, detailed. Just found it on pinterest and shared it tonight on my blog. Thanks!
Sara says
Freezing sugar? Is there some kind of method to follow for that? I tried it with a 4Lb bag one time, and what I got was … rock candy. The condensation from thawing out turned my sugar into a nearly solid block. I got tired of trying to crush it back into pourable form, so I broke it into chunks and threw it into my food processor. What I had then was powdered sugar, sans corn starch. Not what I really wanted. If there is a secret for avoiding this problem, I’d love to hear about it! 🙂
Michaela says
As you discovered, putting the bad of sugar in the freezer doesn’t work. You have to put it into another container which is airtight. One with a latch lid (sometimes called a bail lid) works for us. Even then, I pick it up and shake it a bit every now and then, just to make sure it’s not clumping.
Donna says
I freeze milk all the time. No need to pour a cup out beforehand. That’s what those indented circles are for-to expand while freezing. In the six years I’ve been doing it, I’ve only had 2-3 containers leak on me when defrosted. We do 2-3 gallons a week so those are pretty good odds.
You can also chop up onions and peppers and freeze. Great for smaller families that don’t use the whole thing at once.
Andrea says
Good to know Donna — I’ve always used/drank a bit of the milk before freezing it! I’ll have to try it without next time! And I too also freeze lots of chopped up veggies and use them in soups an casseroles later on.
April says
I don’t break the seal on my milk before freezing either. I have only had one gallon bust open one time in all the time I’ve done this. So…just to be on the safe side I sit the bag down in a grocery bag until it’s frozen solid just to be on the safe side and contain any possible mess. But honestly, it’s only happened once and I think it was a weak spot in that particular jug. 🙂
Carla L-- says
You can also freeze potatoe chips (in the bag), and I freeze Cheerios in bag and box they come in – not sure about other cereals. I also own a food saver and use it to do lots of freezing. It takes all the air out of the bag. I even buy already frozen chicken breasts and individually package them in the saver bags so that the get not frost bite. Love it!!!
April says
I freeze all ready to eat cereal all the time. When my local store has a good sale I stock up. Once when my store had an awesome sale and I also had coupons I bought and froze 50 boxes for my family and my sisters families to share for next to nothing.
I freeze tons of stuff including most of what has been posted on here. Milk, cheese, nuts, veggies, choc chips, pancakes, waffles, tomato paste, leftovers, beans, bread, cupcakes, cookies, juice, yogurt.
I often put things like flour, boxes of cake mix, uncooked rice and pasta, couscous and things like that in the freezer in the summer to keep bugs out of it too.
Denise C says
I purchase chopped green chili in the #10 size cans (the huge ones) and scoop into ice cube trays. Freeze & then transfer into freezer bags. SO much more economical than the little cans!
Irene says
Thanks for this info… I was just given a gallon can of diced/chopped green chili’s and I was afraid to open and use any for fear of the rest going to waste.
I’m thinking about measuring them out into 1/4 or 1/2 cup portions and putting them in small freezer bags…and THEN all into a larger freezer bag. I do this with all my bell peppers (all colors) and even chopped onions. It works great!!
Laurie says
Great article. Thanks!
Rachael says
I found you via pinterest – what a great list. I always have jacket potatoes in the freezer both whole plain ones and twice baked ones where the potato has been scooped out and mixed with cream cheese, grated cheese, ham and caramelised onions before being stuffed back into the jackets. Defrost and then bake for a further 20 minutes – delicious. I have an old freezer book which suggests you use an egg yolk with mashed potatoes before you freeze to hold it together and help keep it’s texture. I’m going to go and freeze my cooking chocolate now!
Andrea says
Thanks Rachael — I will definitely have to try your egg yolk/mashed potatoes suggestion too!! That is probably the one thing I wish I could freeze but I’ve never had good luck with it. So excited to try this!!
cheryl says
i also freeze a ton of things.in response to the woman who commented on the Foodsaver, well there are many other brands and they are less ezpensive.QVC always has one on sale.Check their website.Other items I freeze are carmelized onions,sauted mushrooms,whole tomatoes,corn on the cob,fresh beans,margarine,yogurt that comes in tubes for kids and baked goods that come in a box like cupcakes,danish,pies etc.If I can’t use the fresh mushrooms before they get bad, I slice them and saute them and freeze them for soup or a steak topping etc. Whole tomatoes from the garden freeze nicely. At the end of the season you usually have tons of produce and not enough time to can everything. My Mom told me to freeze the tomatoes in a freezer bag-whole.When you need them just pop them in your soup, chil or sauce -whole-frozen or thawed,no skinning necessary (it dissolves).Just remember to core the tomatoes before freezing.I blanch my beans and corn (take off the cob) before freezing. I once tried freezing the corn on the cob, well it was awful-mushy and grey looking, no flavor. Margarine,like butter just put the whole box in. I like to stock up on these for baking before the holidays.We go to an outlet bread company store and purchase bread, rolls and all kinds of baked goods.I put the bread in another freezer bag and the whole un-opened box of single serve baked goods.Then you can take out 1 or 2 for kids lunches and they will thaw by lunchtime and keep their sandwich cool at the same time.I freeze the 8 ct. boxes of yogurt in the tubes and then eat them like ice cream for my night snack.I have also made apple pies. Half bake,cool and triple wrap in cellophane and freeze.Last but not least I have made my Xmas cookie dough before Thanksgiving and froze it.Just thaw overnite in the freezer.Before you freeze the dough, lightly dust with flour and wrap first in waxed paper not cellophane and then a freezer bag.We have a FoodSaver and it really helps with no freezer burn and the food can be kept much longer than the traditional method.One important thing though –Always write on the package what is inside,the date you froze it and any other helpful hints like add more sauce before baking the lasagna or top with shredded cheese or how many servings or the weight. I hope this helps you.
Lisa @ The Cooking Bride says
Just found you via Pinterest. Going to read ALL your freezer organization posts now. Thanks!
Amy says
I freeze pancakes. I usually make extra, place them in between wax paper and throw in a freezer bag. Then just take what you need out, and throw in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
Kim B says
I freeze pizza dough when I make it. Llike you, I make up a bigger batch, but then divide it before raising, wrap and freeze what isn’t needed that day. Take out the dough in the morning, and it’s defrosted and risen by evening!
sarah says
Instead of grabbing the $4.99 bag of preshredded cheese and the $4.99 presliced cheese while shopping I was inspired to grab the huge block of cheese and process it myself and freeze the results, Saved a couple bucks doing it myself 🙂 Love the frugal ideas!
Michaela says
You’re also reducing your exposure to the chemicals sprayed on cheese to keep it fresh.
amber says
When freezing meals, like chili and lasagna, should I put it in the freezer while it’s still warm or wait until it reaches room temperature before freezing? I’ve heard that if you freeze/refrigerate warm foods, it will cause bacteria to grow because the center will be warm for a while. I’ve also heard that leaving food out is bad as well. Thanks!
Andrea says
I usually wait for the food to cool a little and then pop it in the freezer. The freezing temperatures will probably kill any bacteria growing — and if it doesn’t, the rest will be killed off when you cook the food… so I wouldn’t worry about it!
Carin says
Whether the food cools down on the shelf or in the fridge/freezer probably won’t make a difference to the bacteria in the warm food, but it will make a difference if you heat food that’s been cold or frozen buy putting hot food in the fridge or freezer.
tam says
I find that rice freezes fine! My mom does it all the time. I also buy frozen rice from Trader Joe’s because I’m in too much of a rush to cook rice the slower way! LOL! It gets freezer burnt sometimes…well I think we open our freezer too often (wish we had a big freezer for the garage!) but it’s fine really! I mean 4 minutes to heat up vs 20-30 minutes. Sometimes you just need fast food!
Donna says
We thaw our frozen brown rice in a steamer basket – and it’s just as good as the day we made it. 🙂
Margaret says
If you keep a straight sided pitcher or something with an easily removed top in your freezer, you can put your leftovers,veggies even french fries, in it and when it is full make a terrific pot of soup. I don’r recomment adding sweet potato fries but anything you would put is soup is terrific.
Nonnie Rose says
I’d like to let ya’ll know that using my Foodsaver (vacuum sealing machine) has eliminated ALL the “freezer burn” issues that can occur with freezer cooking.
I do not work for them or sell them, but I can attest that this little machine has increased my food storage capacities 10 fold!
When I cook casseroles, I do 2 or more….then separate the meals out into individual meals for hubby and I. I also will freeze bulk pks for times when we have unexpected company drop in. This is especially handy when it’s several miles into town to the store!
I never (NEVER) buy meat that is not on special and usually get it at least 1/2 off (VONS/Safeway is fab on meat sales). Before I had the foodsaver, the only way for me to get meat to stay reasonably well, was to double pkg it….once in plastic wrap, and then placed into a freezer bag. Now I just put it into my foodsaver bags and push a button. No more freezer burn and since I am now buying 1/2 of the storage materials it is the same price! I get the bulk foodsaver bag material at CostCo so it’s easy to find.
I highly recommend buying one at CostCo….they are reliable machines, about $150.00 and once you use it, you will never go without it. I keep mine on the counter and it is used DAILY!
Nancy says
Great list. I didn’t know you could freeze marshmallows! I’m single so I rarely use a whole can/jar/bottle of anything when cooking for myself. If I only use part of a can I put the rest in a bag in the freezer for the next time I need it. Along with a lot of what you listed above, usually my freezer has: condensed cream of mushroom soup, pumpkin, simmer sauces, coconut milk, wine (ice cube tray), shredded coconut and V8 juice.
B-Naz says
Hello,
I’ve tried making large meals and freezing but I find that some things ‘change’. Chilli for example. Once I’m done thawing and re-heating the beans get chewy. Am I doing it wrong or is it just me? Other things I have tried like stuffed pastas have been fine. Just given up on stews and soups.
Andrea says
Hmm…that’s weird because soups are one of the main things I freeze. I don’t freeze any soups with potatoes though, because the potatoes get mushy; however I have never had trouble with chili {and I freeze several batches of chili each winter}
Maybe you could try making chili without the beans, freezing it, and then adding the beans after it defrosts. This would still save you a bunch of time and you wouldn’t have “chewy’ beans!
B-Naz says
That’s a great idea. Thanks Andrea!
Cbear says
can you buy large restaraunt size refried beans and freeze them in a freezer bag? how about restaraunt size veggies like corn and such. the prices are soooooooooo much more of a bargain purchased like that!
Andrea says
I can’t see why not. I often stock up on specific items and then divide it up into smaller portions for the freezer. Just make sure everything is sealed well so it doesn’t get freezer burn.
Debra says
I buy bulk a lot. The most common thing I buy and freeze are the #10 refried beans and Ketchup. I put them in ziplock bags in the portions I know I will use later. The Ketchup I just snip the corner and squeeze in my ketchup container in the fridge when it becomes empty. The Refried beans defrost just fine. I also make extra of my home made sweet and sour sauce that my family prefers and stick that in a freezer bag. It doesn’t freeze solid so it can be scooped out in any portion size. Perfect for my hungry teenagers and leftover rice from the night before.
Alaya says
I used to work at a pick-your-own blueberry farm and we were told to tell the customers that under no conditions should they wash their blueberries before freezing. The reason, we were told, is that they absorb the water and will a) likely stick to each other in the freezer and become inedible when thawed and b) lose their freshness when rethawed. I’m not sure about other fruits but I have been freezing blueberries for years and this is definitely the way to go!
Shell says
Actually, rice and potatoes freeze O.K. You can put the rice on a cookie sheet until frozen(so it doesn’t clump together) and then place in a freezer bag. Great for casseroles or fried rice. Potatoes even freeze O.K. I put a few dehydrated flakes in mashed potatoes, when they thaw and sometimes a bit more butter. Dress them up with parsley and they are great. I think the only thing I have found that doesn’t freeze well is lettuce.
Andrea says
Thanks for the input Shell. When I said you couldn’t free potatoes, I was actually talking about potato chunks in soup — which really do not freeze well. I’ve tried several different things, but they always come out really mushy and grainy.
However, I will have to try your “dehydrated potato flakes” tip with frozen mashed potatoes!
Adrienne says
Great list, Andrea!
I will add two things….you can freeze hummus! We make a huge batch at a time and sometimes freeze it (we eat a lot of it when I make it). The texture isn’t quite as good thawed out. but you can add some olive oil to it and mix it in to make it almost like fresh once it is thawed.
Also, for cilantro, you can use the stems also and freeze those for adding to dips, salsas, etc. You don’t have to throw them out! 🙂
sarahworldcook says
I loved this post and everyone’s ideas- I also stock up on things when they are on sale and freeze them. I also make large amounts of food and if we are getting tired of eating it, I will put it in the freezer for a later meal. I also found out the hard way that potatoes do not freeze well. Also, cooked meat has a much shorter freezer-life than raw meat (found that out with a cooked turkey I put in and forgot about).
I was wondering just this morning if coleslaw could be frozen? Anybody know?
http://homestyleworldcook.blogspot.com
Andrea says
Hmmm…I’ve never tried to freeze coleslaw before. Personally, I don’t think it would turn out well. I think the key to coleslaw is the crunchy cabbage…and if you freeze it, the cabbage will be mushy…don’t you think?
You could always try a small batch and see what you think. If it works, make sure to let me know 🙂
Gina says
What a great guide to freezing – I didn’t realize you could freeze dairy products but it makes sense. We’re dairy-free due to my son’s sensitivity, but I may try to freeze some of our products to see how they hold up.
I like to spend a sunday afternoon about once a month to prepare Make Ahead Meals like chili, meatloaf, lasagna or other baked pasta dishes, pasta sauce, casseroles, etc. that we freeze until we need dinner in a jiffy. For me, it’s a fun investment of my time that saves some sanity during a busy school/work week!
Sue says
I grew up in Southeast Alaska. When I was little and in school our milk was always frozen. That’s the only way they could ship it to us and it still be fresh. It was the little containers so they couldn’t pour any out. I guess it didn’t expand very much.
april says
I want to see a picture of your freezer!!!
Andrea says
haha! our freezer actually isn’t THAT full. I’m constantly using the items in my freezer…but if necessary, we could last a pretty long time without going to the store!
Kristen @ JoyfullyThriving says
A great list, Andrea! I freeze all of these things myself. Don’t forget to add to your list all the candy we stock up on after the holidays at bargain prices!
Karen @ Abundance on a Dime says
Great list! I freeze a lot of items, too – especially local berries we pick in the summer 🙂 I’ve found the best way to freeze bananas is to freeze them whole (unpeeled, in the skin). You don’t even need to put them in a bag, just put them in the freezer as-is. When you thaw them, just cut the top off and squeeze out the banana “goop” like a toothpaste tube.
Andrea says
Thanks Karen,
I have to admit, I’m super grossed out by defrosted, over-ripe, mushy bananas so the reason I peel them before is so I don’t have to touch them later! I simply dump the mushy bananas right into my mixing bowl and toss the bag! But your method is more environmentally friendly, lol!
Kalyn says
I am going to have to try that method next time. I just pulled out a bag of mushed bananas a couple days ago to thaw and it was one black goopy mess. I was so disgusted I threw the whole thing out! 🙂
Sandy says
I love to take over ripe bananas and cut them into pieces (about 5 for one) and then throw them into a bag and in to the freezer. They make smoothies wonderfuly creamy when used as ice cubes. I love to make choc/ banana protein shakes after working out and they take away the powder taste from the protein. YUMMY!!!
Andrea says
Banana ice-cubes — such a great idea! Thanks for sharing Sandy!
Adrienne says
I have always frozen peeled bananas in a sturdy plastic bag. Then we break or peel off what we need for baking or smoothies…or even for eating as is. If they aren’t too mushy when you freeze them they will hold up nicely – think about those frozen chocolate covered bananas on a stick that they sell on ice cream trucks sometimes!
ACM says
So…you might think we are odd, but….we have two deep freezes and then the “usual” freezer attached to the fridge. My favorite things to freeze other then the usual meat and dairy you find on super sale (and Andrea has already mentioned some of these):
evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk (if you aren’t using up the whole can anytime soon)
tomato paste (we never use a whole can)
soups, stews, taco meat, etc. I like to throw the soups/stews and taco meat in quart-sized freezer bags and store them flat (saves a ton of space)
ham bones or turkey bones (for a crockpot soup or just plain soup stock months later)
veggies or fruits that are nearing their “expiration” – then throw them in smoothies or soups/stews/casseroles later. (some items like mushrooms or asparagus, I’ll sautee before freezing and then it’s just a matter of dumping them into whatever at a later date.)
tortillas – we get great buys on a yummy kind through a veggie co-op but they are HUGE and come in 5 lb bags…sooooo, we are greatful they freeze well 🙂
Leftovers (with the caveat below) are WONDERFUL – then my hubby or I have a variety of “meals” to pick from when we need food for the work week or weekend.
The only thing that we have found doesn’t freeze well are rice and potatoes – something about the starchiness doesn’t hold up well in the freezer.
Andrea says
Wow, thanks for the great addition to my list! I was wondering about tortillas so I’m glad to hear you CAN freeze them!
Sally says
I have had great success freezing both rice and potatoes. The secret? Warming the dishes (plain rice and potatoes are best, other ingredients may burn for loose texture/nutrients being heated for so long) far longer than you think you need to. Rice and potatoes will refresh to their original textures when heated very hot for several minutes (microwave or in the oven). Give it a try, I know it’ll fork for you!!!
Carin says
It’s also safer to “superheat” starchy food from the freezer, it stops the microorganisms having a feeding frenzy with the mushy starchy stuff.
Thanks for your list, maybe you could have a list for things that really DON’T freeze well.
Rain says
Neat list! I didn’t know about the dairy products, thanks for the tips!
QuatroMama says
WOW. This is Awesomesauce. Thanks so much for putting this all together! Your site is a WONDERFUL resource. So full of goodness.
Andrea says
Thanks Jen! I’m sure you and growing boys can benefit from a fully stocked freezer!
Sonja says
Do you have my house bugged? With the baby on the way I was just saying how nice it’d be to have some frozen meals on hand – but I didn’t have the first clue about what I should freeze it IN or if i should cook it completely before or when serving. This was very helpful!
Andrea says
haha…nope, no house “bugging” going on over here!
Glad I could help you out, Sonja…and yes, frozen meals will come in handy when your new baby arrives. Congrats!