Five Tips To Freeze Your Food For Success

Do you hate freezer burn or not being prepared for an impromptu guest? Or do you wonder if you could cut portion sizes by freezing leftovers? Read on for SupermarketGuru’s top freezing tips.

Do you hate freezer burn or not being prepared for an impromptu guest? Have you ever wondered when walking by an amazing sale in the supermarket if you could buy in bulk and freeze what you didn’t need immediately? Or do you wonder if you could cut portion sizes by freezing leftovers? Well there are a lot of surprising foods you can freeze. And the benefits are many, from saving money to always being prepared, freezing is the way to go. Here are five tips from SupermarketGuru to get the most out of what you freeze.

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 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.

Cheese. Need to get some hors d’oeuvres ready for a last minute dinner party? Well 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 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.

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 baking sheet to set. 
Once frozen solid, remove the herbs, place them in an airtight plastic bag and pop back into freezer until you are ready to use.

Hosting an afternoon tea, or in need of a quick fresh baked dessert? Well 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 your ready to go! Your house will never be without the scent of fresh baked cookies!

Baked goods. 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 let thaw in refrigerator or pop them in oven for a warm fresh baked experience!

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!