5 Items You Should Always Keep in Your Freezer

From nuts to herbs, there are many foods great for freezing!

Have you ever been unprepared for guests or came home late with nothing in your house to eat? Or have you ever walked by an amazing sale in the supermarket wondering if you could freeze the items for later use? There are a lot of surprising foods you can freeze and easy foods to keep in the freezer for impromptu guests. In addition, you can save money and help with portion sizes so you don't overindulge.

Let’s start with nuts, seeds, and even grains. If you like to keep a variety on hand for snacking and cooking, the freezer is the place to be! Nuts, especially unshelled, can quickly go rancid thanks to their healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats. Heat, moisture, and light can cause nuts to spoil. Store them in a plastic, airtight container. Shelled nuts last for up to eight months in the freezer.

Need to get some hors d’oeuvres ready for last minute guests? Thankfully you froze your block cheese - yes that’s right when you see cheese on sale, stock up. Hard cheeses can be frozen in their original packaging, but wrap tightly in plastic wrap or heavy-duty aluminum foil as well. Soft cheese and cheesy spreads will only last one month frozen, so it’s worth it to freeze the harder cheeses, which will last up to six months. Just remember to thaw the cheese in the refrigerator overnight before you plan to use or serve them.

In need of a quick fresh baked dessert? Go ahead and prepare the cookie dough, freeze in a log shape, and when in need, remove from freezer, cut into ½ inch slices, place on baking sheet and you are ready to go! Your house will never be with out the scent of fresh baked cookies!

You can also store freshly baked goodies in the freezer. After cooling, wrap cookies individually in plastic and place in an airtight container for up to one month. When ready to use, take out and let thaw in refrigerator or pop them in the oven for a warm fresh baked experience!

Herbs! Freezing herbs at their freshest is a great way to store moist herbs to retain flavor. Wash and dry the herbs and divide into portions - then place in freezer on a baking sheet to set. Once frozen solid, remove the herbs, and place them in an airtight plastic bag and pop back into freezer until you are ready to use.

You can experiment with freezing items, just expect that some items may not have the same consistency after they defrost. With some heavy-duty aluminum foil, plastic bags, and plastic wrap, you can store some of your essential everyday food for months. Remember to label everything with the date and what’s inside, and clean out your refrigerator several times a year!