Chill out! Drop 5lbs fast: Fight flab with food from the freezer

Make the most of freezer food and drop pounds in 7 days

HOW IT WORKS

Dig deep and take a look at what’s in your freezer, as chances are it is packed full of nutrient-rich fruit and veg. These can be used in smoothies, soups and family meals and will help you lose weight, too. Follow our freezer plan and drop pounds.

While we’re all striving to stay well with regular shopping trips off-limits, using items from your freezer could be the answer. Frozen veg and fruit is nutrient-dense as it’s picked and frozen fresh. You can turn frozen meat, such as mince, chicken pieces and even fish fingers into tasty low-fat family meals.

Mark Gilbert, nutritionist for 1:1 by Cambridge Weight Plan, says: ‘You can wash several different fruits and veg – enough to blend up a smoothie – and put them in bags or Tupperware in the freezer, then chuck them in the blender with water, protein powder and perhaps a splash of healthy fat like virgin olive oil for a nutritious shake.’

Prepping meals for the freezer is easy – you can either double up on meals you were already cooking and freeze extra or get the family involved and have cooking day to make food in advance. Steer clear of frozen readymade meals as they’re often loaded with preservatives and extra salt.

Diet expert and author Dr Josh Axe suggests: ‘Turn favourite recipes into freezer-friendly dishes by prepping and freezing the main part of the meal then add fresh ingredients, like seafood or herbs, when you reheat.’

Let meals cool completely before you freeze to ensure freshness, and mark each meal with the date it’s prepared. Meat, including chicken, should be eaten within three months, while fish, fruit and veggie dishes will last around six. Defrost in the fridge rather than the worktop for better flavour results.

Our fabulous freezer plan uses some store cupboard favourites, too.