Over the years, and I've read any number of tips that have changed my life. Not only do many of these tips save me time and energy, some of them save me money too. So as part of the new MMC, we are now bringing you "Quick Tip Tuesday": time and budget saving tips in short blog post form.
Are you ready for it.......Here's this weeks tip.........
YOU CAN FREEZE ALMOST ANYTHING
This is life altering for many many reasons. First, freezing your food means that, like most of our meals, its available for use in the future. Second, if you ended up with some unexpected left overs, or excess produce you can't finish in time, you can save it for later - this way it does not go to waste, and it saves you money in the future. Third, you can buy just about anything in bulk that is on sale.
Frozen Banana Slices - Perfect for Smoothies
I was quite skeptical in the beginning, of what I could or couldn't freeze. I played it safe. Lately, I've been branching out, and doing some research and it has definitely paid off. Can't finish off that huge container of Costco spinach? Freeze it. Throw it in smoothies, dishes calling for frozen or fresh spinach. What about the ridiculous large container of Costco pesto? Freeze it in cubes, throw in dishes at a later date. Bought a fridge full of squash and zucchini and suddenly have to leave town? Slice it up and freeze it. Throw it in some orzo at a later date. And those are just a few.
Frozen Pesto Cubes!
I could go on and on, but in the interest of this being a short post, I'll leave you with a few basics and some links. First and foremost - most things should be quick frozen on a cookie sheet, freeze for 1 to 24 hours, then bag. This freezes all the items separately, so you can store in a single bag and grab as much as you need. For example: slice up bananas and lay on a parchment paper lined pan. When frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag. Scoop out what you need for a smoothie when you need it. This is the same for most fruits. I do the same procedure for meatballs and individual burritos. Sauces freeze great in ice cube trays. Once frozen, put in a bag.
- The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a Can I freeze it list with loads of different fruits and veggies. Here's the published version. This site also has information on canning, smoking, and other methods of food preservation.
- From Once a Month Meals, the can and cannot freeze guide.
- 31 more things you can freeze including dairy, cheese, fruits and veggies.
- From Kitchen Stewardess, 25 Things My Real Food Freezer Can't Live Without
- Google is your friend. Don't know if you can freeze it? Search it. You are not alone.
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