Freezing food helps reduce food waste and saves you money
Before you’re tempted to throw away all your leftovers, check to see if they can be popped into the freezer and enjoyed at a later date to save you money and help reduce food waste
If you’re someone who stocks up on food, have a big family and find yourself often with lots left over, don’t throw it all away. Chances are some of your leftovers could find a new home in the freezer and be put to use again.
While we all know pizza, peas and ice-cream can happily live in the freezer box, there are some surprising items that are perfectly fine to freeze with just a little bit of preparation. Emma Brown, in-house nutritionist for calorie experts, Nutracheck, said: “We know we ditch more than 7m tonnes of food and drink a year, costing the average UK household around £60 a month – so any dents we can make in these numbers have got to be good. “Lots of foods go to waste simply because people don’t realise they are freezeable. “We should be casting the frozen net much wider. The freezer can help us all cut down on the amount that we chuck in the bin – and that’s good news.
“And it’s also helpful if you’re watching your weight. Freezing foods you can easily overindulge in, like chocolate for example, helps with portion control. We’ve rounded up 10 everyday foods you can freeze – you may be surprised by a few. 1. Leftover wine Freeze in ice cube trays and add straight to recipes (don’t bother trying to drink it!) 2. Cheese Grate and store in a freezer bag and grab a handful as and when you need it. 3. Pasta Cook the whole pack, cool under the cold tap and freeze in weighed portions (very helpful if you’re watching your weight). Reheat by pouring boiling water over it, or add straight to soups and casseroles. 4. Bananas Freeze over-ripe bananas with or without the skin. 5. Cooked rice If you’ve made too much, don’t bin it – let it cool then freeze it. 6. Egg yolk and whites Whisk in a bowl, then pour into a freezer bag or ice cube tray. 7. Nuts Freezing makes nuts last longer as it stops the oil going rancid. 8. Fresh herbs Finely chop, pop in an ice cube tray and cover with water. 9. Leftovers with meat Leftover meals containing previously frozen meat can be safely frozen. 10. Hot cross buns Slice in half, freeze on day of purchase and toast straight from frozen.