Save Money by Freezing VeggiesVeggies on sale? Buy a lot and freeze them. Your freezer can be your best friend when trying to save money on your food bills.
Half-a-Month CookingAs a busy home school mom, I needed a way to have easy, quick, inexpensive meals without going out. I did not even have one day to do once a month cooking.
Dividing Up Your Ground BeefI cook up 10 pounds of ground beef at a time and then divide it up into one pound packages (our family's size). Then I freeze it.
Saving Lemons Before They Go BadIf you bought lemons in bulk and they are close to going "bad", squeeze all the juice into a bowl, remove all seeds, and pour into empty ice cube trays. Freeze and voila, when you need fresh lemon juice take the tray out and pop a cube.
Milk Crates for FreezerUse milk crates to rotate and separate frozen items in chest freezer.
- Shanyn
Reusing Plastic Containers For FreezingI recycle cottage cheese and sour cream containers to freeze bulk purchases of ground beef in. I have discovered that 1 lb. of ground beef fits in a 16 oz. container.
Saved Money When I Got Rid of My FreezerThough I loved my freezer when we first got it, over the years it wasn't freezing as well. Eventually I had to throw out food. We have only had the top of our fridge freezer for 9 months now.
Store Cookies in Pringle Cans in the FreezerWhen you finish with a Pringles potato chip can, wash it out and store holiday cookies in them. They stand up well in the freezer.
Packaging and Freezing FoodHere are some great food tips for saving money on food by packaging and freezing it:
Quick and Easy Meals Using the Freezer (PDF)Making meals ahead and freezing them in single-serve sizes can save you time and money. And, homemade freezer meals will be lower in fat and sodium than store bought ones.
Frugal Freezer BagsI save the waxed liner that dry cereal comes in. I wash it really well and then let it air dry. Then I use it as a large freezer bag. It's free, so don't waste it by throwing it away.
Convenient Frozen Soup and StewWhen we make soups, stews, or chili to freeze, we pour them into freezer bags which are placed in bread pans. After the contents are frozen, we remove them from the bread pans. This makes great "bricks" which stack nicely in the freezer.
Buy Cheese Cheap and Freeze ItBuy chunks of cheese when it is on sale for around $2 per pound. Grate it in the food processor and store it in zip-locs bags in the freezer. Whack the bag of cheese on the counter to loosen it up, and use straight from the freezer in casseroles, etc.
A Quick Supper From LeftoversKeep a large plastic container in your freezer. A gallon jar with lid or a plastic ice cream bucket. Or even a large Zip lock bag will work. Instead of throwing away the celery leaves when you trim celery, tuck them into the container. That spoonful or two of leftover peas, corn, carrots, etc.
Freezing Fruit for PiesI take the fruit I grow and make pie filling as if I was going to bake a pie and freeze it in a freezer bag. I put a pies worth of filling in a freezer bag so that I can quickly put together a pie when I am ready to do some baking.
Jan
Make Your Own Frozen FoodsI use my stock pot to make huge pots of soup, or chili, or spaghetti sauce to use for one dinner and freeze the rest in meal-size portions and use one a night when there is not time to cook and you still need a hearty meal.
Cook An Extra Meal and FreezeWhen preparing a meal (it doesn't matter if it is a breakfast casserole or a dinner), try doubling the amount you are cooking. Freeze the second part.
Lots of Carrots, Help! Looking for Ideas.I have been given tons of carrots, besides the usual stews, snacks, pattties, cakes, loafs and cookies, broth, etc., I'd like to know if you can freeze them?
Anyone know or have other ideas on this nice lot of carrots?
Make Two Meat Loaves Instead of OneSave time and money by doubling your recipes, and putting half in the freezer for later use. For example, with meat loaf, cook one for dinner that night, and save the other one in the freezer for later.
Quality for Keeps - Freezing FruitsThis extension site offers a very detailed and technical look at freezing fruits. "Frozen foods can add variety to your meals year-round. As with any method of food preservation, following specific guidelines will assure you of high quality, safe food."
Freezing Vegetables (PDF)Fresh vegetables can be frozen quickly and easily during the harvest season. Whether you freeze purchased or home-grown vegetables, the keys to a successful product are using vegetables at the peak of ripeness and freezing quickly after purchase or harvest.
Save Money By Roasting Your Own PeppersIf you like roasted red peppers, but not the cost (the average jar runs around $3 and if you check, it only has about one pepper in it). At the end of summer when they are really cheap, about .99 lb or so, there is what you do...
Freeze Chicken Leftovers in BrothWhen you cook a chicken and have leftovers to put in the freezer, store the chunks of chicken in broth to keep it from drying out. Your chicken will be nice and moist when you need it for casseroles, etc.
By Katz
Foodsaver Tip: Labelling Meat for FreezerAfter putting meat to be vacuumed into the Foodsaver bag, I then enclose the cut-out from the supermarket meat sticker/description indicating cut of meat, weight, date, etc. Then I 'seal' the meat and record the date of the sealing with a black permanent marker.
By Lynn in Norfolk, VA
Marinated Frozen Chicken BreastsWhen I buy "on-sale" chicken breasts to freeze, I add marinade, which could be Italian dressing, leftover wine and seasonings or beer or salsa, to the bag. They will be frozen in.
FoodSaver Tip: Freeze Individual ServingsI freeze a lot of leftovers in individual servings in food saver bags. If it is liquidy, I freeze it in the bag before I seal it. This way if I don't want to cook, everybody picks what they want. Also good for taking to work.
By Vickie
Freezing MeatballsTo freeze meatballs, place them on a cookie sheet until frozen. Place in plastic bags. They will stay separated so that you may remove as many as you want.
By Peggy
Freezing Sauces Or LiquidWhen freezing leftover sauces or any liquid I always freeze them in the smallest round or square containers I can. Then I set them on the counter just enough to thaw around the edges so they will slip out into a ziplock bag.
Once a Week CookingThere are no "leftovers" at our house! We prefer to call them pre-planned meals. We buy meats on sale and I usually spend a Sunday evening cooking. I often make meat loaves, barbecued spare ribs and baked chicken.
Freezing Soups or Chili in BowlsMake a big pot of soup, chili, or stew and freeze the rest in bowls. Just thaw and heat up for the next meal.
Freezing MarshmallowsBuy marshmallows on sale and freeze freeze them in bags until you are ready to use them. They defrost and work quite nicely in recipes and keep longer.
Freezing Fish Individually - Quick Frozen FishSpread a single layer of fish or portions on a flat pan, such as a cookie sheet. Cover with a protective wrapping and place in freezer. When fish are thoroughly frozen, remove and package in heavy plastic freezer bags or freezer containers.
Freezing Tomato PasteBefore you use tomato paste in a recipe, open BOTH ends of the can, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze. After frozen, push the paste out of one open end and slice off what you need.
Baking Less than the Whole Bowl of Cookie DoughWhen I make chocolate chip cookies, I always make a full batch. Since it's just my husband and me, I bake a dozen and form and freeze the rest on wax paper in the freezer.
Freezing RiceLiving in Louisiana we eat a lot of rice. Since it's just the two of us now I've learned to freeze the cooked rice. After it's cooked and cooled I put in in a large ziplock freezer bag and flatten it out.
Freezing SausagesWhen I buy sausages for freezing I lay out several pieces of plastic wrap on the counter, then I open the pack and I put one sausage on each piece of wrap. I then roll them up. Then I put them all in a large zip lock bag.
Shred Your Own CheesePre-shredded cheese is expensive so I have come up with a cheaper way to have this convenience. When I buy a block of cheese, I go ahead and grate the whole thing.
Freezing Brown RiceSave time and money on healthy brown rice by buying just the plain natural long grain rice. Cook the whole package at once. I cook about 3 pounds at a time. Cook until within 10 minutes of being done, drain and cool and package in individual freezer bags.
Buying Chunk CheeseWhenever I find chunk cheese on sale, I take advantage of it. After I get home, I grate it.
Cleaning Harvested Carrots for Blanching and FreezingWhen preparing a lot of carrots for blanching and freezing, brush off as much dirt as possible, fill an old pillow case with carrots, tie it with string and use the rinse cycle in your washer to clean them...
Marking Your Leftover FoodWhen putting foods up after a meal or after preparing, be sure to label what's in the dish, the date prepared, whether you're putting in the refrigerator or the freezer.
Freeze Citrus PeelsFreeze the peel from oranges or lemon and later you can use it to flavor tea, coffee or cider.
Keeping Chopped Onion on HandI chop an onion and keep it in the freezer inside a ziplock bag that is inside a freezer bag...
Lime Leaves for FlavorDid you know that you can pick the leaves of a Lime tree and pour boiling water over them let it cool down and then freeze them into ice cubes...
Pre Chopping and Preparing OnionsI spend one week a year on onions when harvest time is at hand so I can get the entire process out of the way all at once for the year. I have never had very good luck with storing onions no matter what I tried until I hit on this method, and it sure works for me.
Freezing GrapesWhen seedless grapes are on sale, I buy a large quantity, keep out what I guess will be eaten and flash freeze the rest of them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
Freezing Lemon Juice and ZestFresh lemon juice and lemon zest can be pretty pricey most of the year, but I eliminate this consideration by freezing the juice and zest when lemons are on sale.
Freezing GrapesI can never seem to finish a whole bag of grapes before they go bad. So, out of curiosity, I put them into a blender, pureed them, and froze the puree in small plastic containers. I didn't need to add anything else.
Turn Fresh Tomatoes Into Quick & Easy...Most of us know that planting a garden is one of the cheapest ways to provide your family with fresh vegetables. My husband is the chief gardener in our household, and since it is his domain, he gets to decide what to plant.
Homemade Frozen DinnersWhenever I cook a frozen dinner, I save the plates they were cooked in. Then, when I make meatloaf or roast or whatever, and veggie or mashed potatoes, I'll put the leftovers in individual portions in the saved frozen plates.
Labeling Your LeftoversIn order to make full use of the dibs and dabs of food you freeze for later use, it is vital that you label the container with what it is.
Freezing ApplesauceApplesauce can be frozen in plastic freezer bags and rigid plastic or glass containers that are airtight and provide a moisture/vapor barrier. Leave at least 1/2 of headroom for pints and 1 inch for quarts.
Freezing CabbageA Guide to Freezing Cabbage. Cabbage can be brined as sauerkraut or made into coleslaw or relishes and frozen. Whole leaves can be frozen unblanched for use as wrappers for baking or stuffing, and used immediately after thawing. Cabbages should not be frozen whole.
Freezing Brussels SproutsA Guide to Freezing Brussels Sprouts. Brussels sprouts can be added to dishes for cooking directly from the freezer without thawing.
Freezing CauliflowerIn general, cauliflower does not freeze well. Freezing it will preserve its flavor, but tends to severely break down its texture. Still, frozen cauliflower may be useful in some recipes-especially those using puree.
Freezing EggplantsFreezing eggplants will severely alter their texture, but is still useful for some recipes. Harvest eggplants before seeds become mature and when color is uniformly dark.
Freezing FennelA Guide to Freezing Fennel. Fennel leaves will lose their crisp texture during freezing but will retain good flavor and be suitable for cooked dishes. Gently wash fresh leaves and blot dry. Strip leaves off stalks and either chop leaves or freeze them whole.
Make Hamburger Patties for the FreezerFirst, cut small squares out of wax paper to set you hamburger patties on. Then form patties, no more than one inch thick and set them on a piece of wax paper and place them on a cookie sheet.
Freezing GreensA Guide to Freezing Greens. Select young, tender green leaves. Leaves on greens like spinach should be at least 6 inches long to harvest; they can be as long as 10 inches on other greens (chard). Harvest early in the day before heat from the sun causes greens to become limp.
Freezing LeeksLeeks look like giant scallions, only with bulbs that are straight and cylindrical. Look for crisp, fresh, dark green leaves and stalks that are firm and pliable.
Freezing PeasA Guide to Freezing Green Peas. Harvest when pods are filled with young, tender peas that have not become starchy. Peas should be harvested and processed as quickly as possible after pods are full to retain the sweetest flavor.
Freezing Green BeansA Guide to Freezing Green Beans. Select young tender pods when the seed is first formed.
Freezing GarlicA Guide to Freezing Garlic. Garlic can be frozen either as cloves or as a whole head, but it will lose some of it's texture and its potent flavor during freezing.
Freezing SandwichesGood packaging for freezing prepared sandwiches includes freezer-grade plastic bags, rigid plastic containers, glass containers, heavy-duty aluminum foil and foil containers.
Freezing PotatoesCooked potatoes make the best candidates for freezing. Raw potatoes can be frozen with mixed results, but may develop a watery or grainy texture during freezing.
Freezing MuffinsMuffins hold up in the freezer pretty well, however it is no more possible to restore that crispy right-out-of-the-oven top after freezing, than it would be if you stored them at room temperature.
Freezing Water ChestnutsA Guide to Freezing Water Chestnuts. To select good water chestnuts, look for firm, hard-shelled tubers that are free from insect damage and bruising.
Cook Two CasserolesWhen making a casserole, double the ingredients and make two. Cook one and store the other in the freezer.
Plastic Freezer JarsI found something wonderful in the seasonal isle of my local jewel. They just started to sell all the things you need for canning, and I came across Plastic freezer jars with twist on lids from the BALL corporation.
Using Fruits and Veggies Before They Go BadUsing Fruits and Veggies Before They Go Bad. I have several ideas for using fruits and veggies before they go bad. Onions, bell pepper, celery, other veggies I can use in a recipe, I chop, then store in the freezer in a ziplock freezer bag. . .
Buying Fresh Produce in BulkBuying Bulk in Fresh Products. This can still be done and not have it go bad. For example, large bulk carrots, apples, bananas, strawberries, pears, peaches almost any fruit can be frozen for later. Grocery stores will have last day sales with fresh products. . .
Storing CakesKeeping Cakes Good for Eating. A few years ago, a dear pal baked us a cake. It was a very, very moist cake... She didn't say how long it would keep for or if I should freeze it or refrigerate it. . .
Freezing Individual Portions of Soup or StewWhen I make soup or stew, I make enough for an army, so I can freeze it for lunch or dinner and not worry about cooking during the week.
Freezing GrapesI've been freezing red, seedless grapes for years. I buy 10-15 lbs. at a time. I separate the grapes from the stems, place in a large colander, rinse well and then place them in another collander in layers with paper towels in between to absorb all the moisture.
Repackage Frozen Veggies in Smaller PortionsI buy frozen vegetables in the bags. Then when I get home I divide the veggies into the proportion size I want and put them into a sealed container.
Freeze Your EggsEggs, (blended) can be kept in the freezer in an airtight container for up to four months. Here are some simple tips to help you freeze your eggs properly.
Divide Large Canned Goods Into Smaller ServingsAs expensive as canned vegetables have gotten, I find it better to buy one super large can and divide portions into small size zip bags for freezing.
Freeze Whole TomatoesIf you have too many tomatoes from your garden, put them in a brown paper bag and put them in your freezer. When you are ready for your favorite tomato recipe, just take them out and run them under cold water.
Freeze Grapes as a SnackI am sure some already do this. When grapes are on sale, buy them and freeze them. They make a great frozen snack. Be sure and wash them good before eating.
Freezing Bacon StripsIf you want to freeze bacon without it sticking together in a clump, roll each piece from one end to the other like a jellyroll. Place each rolled piece, side by side, and lay flat in ziplock bag in freezer.
Freeze Meatballs In Recycled Egg CartonsWhen making meatballs, I always make extra and freeze them in washed egg cartons. It recycles the cartons and keeps the meatballs well.
Freeze Excess Veggies To Prevent SpoilageI became tired of throwing away green and red peppers because they either didn't get used or started to go bad. Now I chop them up or cut into strips and put them in freezer bags to take out anytime I need some.
Make Extra Pancakes and FreezeWhen I make a batch of pancakes, I double the recipe. I use the second batch to cook up, then cool them. I put the pancakes separately between squares I cut from wax paper, stack them, and store them in a covered tupperware container and put in the freezer.
Freezing Blended FruitMy granddaughter and I love fruit. We really miss it in the winter time. I don't like fruit after it has been frozen so I tried experimenting with strawberries and found a delicious way to have them all year.
Buy Marked Down Pastries And Freeze ThemTired of buying those expensive snacks for school? I try to do my shopping early in the morning because our local store has a display of doughnuts, muffins, etc., marked down. I buy these marked down items and place them in our freezer.
Freezing Meat and PoultryWrap all meat products well before you freeze them. This prevents flavor changes and drying of the meat. Heavy duty foil and coated freezer paper are excellent barriers to both air and moisture.
Making Frozen French FriesYou can make frozen French fried potatoes at home. The mealy type potato is best. Use mature potatoes you have stored for at least 30 days.
Freeze Your Fresh CherriesI found myself with many cherries last week. After washing, I put them into snack size bags, and placed them into the freezer. Whenever anyone wanted cherries, they pulled a bag out, either waiting about 10 minutes, or slightly taking off the chill in the microwave.
Freezing Produce In Paper BagsI learned this freezing method from a friend who puts up produce from a very large garden every year. She freezes Okra, green beans, bell peppers, zucchini and yellow squash, Purple hull peas, and more this way. Use brown paper lunch bags.
Store Ice Cream In Plastic Coffee CansThe 34 oz. plastic coffee cans that come with the nice plastic lids are great to store the 1.75 qt. round ice cream containers in your freezer and prevent freezer burn or crystallization of the ice cream.
Freeze a Month of Dinners in One AfternoonIn just three hours, I made dinners to freeze for the entire month. I do this each month and it's so much easier than freezing the raw meat, then thawing it then cooking. This way, the kitchen is only hot for a few hours.
Freezing GrapesI take whatever seedless grape is on sale, take them off the "vine" and rinse and dry them. I put them in quart sized Ziplock and freeze them.
Keep Frozen Bread Dough on HandKeep frozen bread dough on hand to save time. You can substitute the thawed dough for just about any yeast bread recipe. I use it for pizza dough (just thaw and roll), sweet rolls, roll out thawed dough,spread with butter sprinkle with brown or white sugar, cinnamon, nuts and raisins.
Freeze Whipping Cream In Ice Cube TraysWhen I buy whipping cream, I buy it on sale. Then I pour it into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen I put the cubes in ziplock bags in the freezer. A cube is about 2 Tablespoons. It's great when you only need a couple tablespoons in a recipe.
Freeze Lemon Peels to Freshen Garbage DisposalI appreciate the tip on saving lemon peels in the freezer for future recipes, that call for lemon rind or zest. I would like to add that by saving lemon peels in the freezer, you can use a few of them in the garbage disposal periodically. This will freshen the smell, and cleanse the disposal.
Flatten Packages For Quicker DefrostingThis is a tip for easy storing and thawing of ground beef, turkey, chicken, or bulk sausage. Divide into 1 lb. portions and place each lb. in a gallon zip lock bag. With the bag zipped closed, flatten by hand or roll meat flat with a rolling pin.
Use Turkey for Freezer MealsI make our own TV dinners so I can control the salt content and avoid other additives. I make up dinner for two on each plate, cover with freezer wrap and freeze. Whenever we are running late, we can take out a plate, heat it and dinner is ready.
Make and Freeze Batches of WafflesI purchased an inexpensive box of waffle mix and spent a couple hours making the whole box of waffles. Once the waffles have cooled, I place them into freezer bags and pop into the freezer for a quick and easy breakfast.
Save and Refill TV Dinner PlatesWhen TV dinners were on sale, I purchased a number of them. We used these dinners when we were in a hurry rather than eating fast food. When done, I washed and saved the "plate".
Freeze Cracker or Cookie CrumbsTo save money and not waste cookies, take left over animal crackers, graham crackers, teddy grams, etc. and grind them up. I then measure them into baggies, 1 cup at a time, and freeze the bags. To use in recipes, pie crusts, 7 layer bars, etc.
Freeze Excess ParsleyWhen buying a bunch of parsley, I clean off the stems and throw them away. I place parsley leaves in a freezer bag. When needed, I use a scissor and cut off what I need.
Use Cork Board to Organize Meat in FreezerWe hang a cork board by the freezer to organize the meat in our freezer. List each type of meat along one side of the board, such as Beef, Chicken, Pork. Under these categories we list such as chicken, boneless breasts leg quarters and ground.
