We all want to save money and reduce food waste, right? Here are 9 foods that tend to go bad or get thrown out – that you probably didn’t know you can freeze!
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I’m a freak about food waste. Call it savvy homemaking or residual trauma from being broke and hungry. The truth is, when you are on a budget and trying to eat healthy, you need to reduce food waste. Learning how to freeze real food that goes bad quickly will help you save money and eat well.
Here are 9 foods you probably didn’t know you can freeze!
These real foods tend to go bad quickly (avocados, anyone?) or just end up getting tossed because we don’t know any better or we couldn’t eat them in time.
9 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Freeze
We all want to save money and reduce food waste, right? Here are 9 foods that tend to go bad quickly or just end up getting tossed because we don't know any better or we couldn't eat them in time.
Do you know the tail end of that bag or box of spring mix, spinach, kale, or mixed greens? It always gets missed, right? And then gets... slimy.
Never again. Just toss it in the freezer (you don't even need to use a freezer bag - just use the bag it came in!) and use it for green smoothies or casseroles.
(Note: I only freeze spring mix for use in smoothies, not cooking)
Try it with collard greens, kale, spinach, and more!
Avocado
You know how avocados go overripe in about 30 seconds? Freeze those avocados whole or chop them up and flash freeze them for easy use! You can mash frozen avocados into guacamole or toss them in your smoothies, no problem.
Onion
Simply chop it as you would for soup, store it in a freezer bag, and toss it in the soup pot or casserole.
One of my favorite soups is this easy budget-friendly hamburger soup. Frozen onion works great here.
Simply chop the celery, pop it in a freezer bag, and toss it in the soup pot whenever you need it!
Soup season means we use a lot of celery. Use this quick hack to make it last as long as possible and save you money.
You can even freeze the leaves and use them!
Ginger Root
I never use ginger root fast enough. Instead of wasting this amazing root, you can peel it, chop it, and freeze it in a small freezer bag. Frozen ginger grates just fine, or toss it in your broth to add a delightful kick.
We love ginger in this quick and easy instant pot turmeric chicken.
Milk, Cream, and Half & Half
If your milk, cream, or half and half is about to go bad, simply pop it in the freezer. You can thaw it out and use it for baked goods whenever you need it!
It works great in this pancake recipe and my kids' favorite baked oatmeal.
The key to exceptionally frugal bone broth is the Broth Bag.
This is a freezer bag that we keep in the freezer. Every time we cook a whole chicken or beef roast, (or peel an onion or carrot) the skin, bones, ends, and bits go into the broth bag.
Then we use a simple, no-fuss process to make nourishing, practically free bone broth in 3 ways: on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in your Instant Pot.
Juice from cooking beef and chicken
You know when you cook a beef roast or bake a whole chicken (or just pop it in the instantpot) and you're left with a few cups of juice in the bottom of the pan?
THAT'S BROTH. I don't throw it out. Instead, I pour it into a container, let it cool overnight in the fridge, then store it in the freezer (I like using reusable plastic containers, but freezer bags work too). It's loaded with flavor, and I can use it in a soup recipe along with some water instead of normal broth.
Citrus zest
Citrus zest makes baked goods taste amazing. But instead of specifically buying a lemon or orange whenever I want to make my favorite scones, I prefer to keep some zest in the freezer. That way I can buy my fruit on sale and in season, and I can make scones whenever I want. It's a win-win, really.
Every Christmas, we make buttercream frosted sugar cookies.
My problem is the frosting. Butter can be expensive, so buttercream is a luxury. We always end up with extra frosting.
Simply scoop the frosting into a freezer bag, carefully squeeze all the extra air out of it, and seal. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you want to use it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then let it soften on the counter for an hour or two. You may need to re-whip it a little.
Eggs
You can freeze eggs! Did you know this? So the next time you find them on sale, stock up!
Eggs keep for a really long time in the fridge, so I don't worry too much about them going bad. However, occasionally, I will crack the eggs and pour them into a freezer bag, label the bag with how many whole eggs are in it, and freeze.
Frozen eggs work best for baking. Like in this oatmeal cake or these pancakes.
Whether you’re on a really tight budget or simply trying to reduce food waste, freezing these foods before they go bad will save you so much money.
What’s a surprising food you learned you could freeze?
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Thank you! There are several items on this list I will be freezing! Great post!