5 foods you didn’t know you could store in the freezer
If you want to save time in the kitchen as well as avoid food waste, these freezer storage ideas are for you. Many people use their freezer to store the usual suspects like peas, meat or a portion of bolognese. But there is so much more that you could be freezing which will mean you can add a little bit of this and that to your meals without any waste.
Pesto
Whether it’s homemade or store bought, pesto doesn’t have a very long shelf life in the fridge. Get into the habit of putting any unused pesto in an ice cube tray. Once firm, pop into a zip lock bag for storage in the freezer. You can then throw one or two cubes into a pot of pumpkin soup, or defrost in the microwave to make a quick pasta sauce.
Parmesan
If you’ve bought some good quality hard cheese you might feel under pressure to get through it before it goes bad. Don’t worry, you can now store it safely in the freezer. Just grate it if you want to make it easier to work with later, or leave whole and grate from frozen as needed. Throw a handful over lasagna, or use a tablespoon or two in your salad.
Chilli
If you buy too many chillis or have a bumper harvest from the garden, just pop them whole in the freezer. You can then finely dice for a stir fry, or grate using the fine grater to sprinkle over your chilli con carne.
Cooked rice
Instead of cooking rice to order every time you need it, make a double or triple batch instead. Once cooled, store rice in individual or family sized serves in a zip lock bag. Flatten before you freeze it. When needed, just defrost on the bench or remove from the plastic and place in the microwave.
Tomato paste
So often you only need a small amount of paste and then you’re left with an almost full jar or a half used tin that quickly goes mouldy. Start a new tradition of storing unused tomato paste in the freezer in ice cube trays. You can then grab a cube as and when needed in your recipe. If you like you could measure it out so that each cube is exactly one tablespoon of tomato paste.
Related links:
Add colour to your home (without painting)
Cleaning products you should never mix