Thursday 18 July 2013

Things you didn't know you could freeze...

If you're anything like me your freezer is full of the usual things, frozen veg, meat, ice cream, leftovers, etc but it can be used for so much more than that! Here's some of things that you maybe didn't know you could freeze....

Cake!
 Once baked a plain cake can be wrapped in cling film and popped in the freezer...Make sure it's not decorated, as the icing and edible decorations will not freeze as well...

Eggs!
Ever frozen an egg before? No you don't stick it in there whole but if you crack it into a bowl give it a little whisk and pour it into a freezer bag or individual ice cube trays and you can make your eggs last much longer...If you're an avid baker it can be handy to freeze the egg yolk and whites separately. This way you can use the whites for recipes such as meringues and the yolks for making dishes like mayonnaise - and you don't have to worry about wasting the leftovers...

Cheese!
If your block of cheese is soon to go out of date, never fear it can be frozen! It's best to grate the cheese and store in airtight Tupperware container, cling film or freezer bags...this will make it easier to grab handfuls when you need it.
 
Bananas!
Bananas tend to go off quite quickly but this doesn't mean they should be heading for the bin. Over-ripe (or brown) bananas can be frozen with or without the skin, and used at another time. You don't need to wait for them to go off either you can stick bananas in the freezer as soon as you buy them if you don't think you'll get a chance to use them all. 

Milk!
Best frozen in individual portions, milk is great for storing away in the freezer if it's nearing its expiry date. If you decide to store the milk in a carton or bottle, make sure you pour a little bit of the milk away from the top so it has room to expand. When thawing, leave it in the fridge overnight and every now and then shake the bottle or carton to mix the milk and the fat back together.

Yogurt!
Freeze when you reach their use-by date and they make great healthy alternatives to ice creams. You can use straight from the freezer for a quick treat for children or blitz in a blender with more fruit and a splash of milk or juice for a thick smoothie.....Another idea for your frozen yogurt is to freeze them in lolly moulds. These will make great treats for the kids in the summer months plus yogurt or smoothie ice lollies are much better for you than your average ice lolly!

Rice!
If you've made way too much rice and have a heap leftover from dinner don't bin it - freeze it! Make sure your rice is cooled before freezing. Portion your rice into Tupperware boxes & when it comes to defrosting your rice you can leave it in the fridge to defrost overnight or give it a quick blast in the microwave!

Wine!
A few drops left in your wine bottle? It does happen sometimes....lol Don't pour it down the sink - pour it into an ice cube tray or ziplock bag and freeze instead. The freezing process doesn't effect the wine at all and it means you'll always have some to hand to add to dishes and sauces. 

Fresh Herbs!
Fresh herbs do not have a long shelf-life and do not lose any flavour when frozen....So if you've got a window box of herbs or some leftover from a meal, finely chop and push them into ice cube trays, top with water and freeze...Simply chop when needed and add to meals - no need to defrost..

Nuts!
Freezing nuts or seeds is a great way of keeping them super fresh and full of flavour. It's also a good way of avoiding waste when they're near their use-by date....Freeze your nuts in a zip lock bag and use from frozen. You can leave on the side to defrost or add to cake mixtures or warm foods like porridge without defrosting them.

No comments :

Post a Comment