15 Foods that Freeze Well

When I cooked a whole bunch of black bean burgers I loved it that I could freeze them and heat them up one by one for lunches throughout the week. It was efficient and it took a meal that I loved and let me eat it over and over again. (I could never get tired of those things) It got me thinking of what other things I could cook or prep in large quantities and freeze.

Later this week I will be posting three freezer-friendly meals that you can prep ahead of time, freeze, and cook later hassle free, but today I wanted to share 15 foods that freeze well that you might not have known you could freeze.

1. Rice

Here is a time efficient idea! Cook several batches of rice at once and then freeze some in baggies in the amounts you would want to use for a typical meal. After you cook a batch of rice and spread it out on a baking sheet to freeze, and once it is frozen, you can transfer it to a container to store in the freezer. For more specific instructions you can go to The Kitchn. (photo from The Kitchn)

2. Butter

Freezing butter is a very good way to take to advantage of when you find a great sale on your favorite butter. Frozen butter is great for baking. Did you know you can grate frozen butter into your dough to make tender pie crusts and biscuits. The fresher the butter is, the greater potential longer-term storage time. Butter can be kept frozen up to four months. For the best results, freeze fresh butter in its original carton within a plastic freezer bag. (Photo from The Etsy Blog)

3. Cookie Dough

Make a batch of your favorite cookie dough and spoon it out onto a baking sheet. Freeze and then throw into a zip lock bag. Now you can bake just a few cookies at a time when you find out someone is coming over last minute! For more specific instructions on how to freeze cookie dough you can go to The Little Kitchen. (photo from The Little Kitchen)

4. Fresh Herbs

What fresh herbs do you find yourself buying on a regular basis? Oregano? Basil? Parsley? Chives? Or maybe you are growing your own herbs this Spring? There are three methods to freezing herbs that will assure you always have some fresh herbs on hand. Keep in mind, though, that the herbs may go limp after thawing, so freezing them to cook into recipes is going to be better than trying to use them for garnishing purposes. You can freeze them on a cookie sheet after removing the leaves from the stems, or you can freeze them in water (or oil) in ice cube trays. You can go to Simply Canning to get more instructions on how to do each of these methods. (pictures from Be Well Barron County)

5. Fresh Fruits

Wash, cut, and line them up side by side on a lined baking sheet. Once they are frozen, place them in a bag or freezer safe container. Of course frozen fruit is great for smoothies, but you can also add them in baked goods like pies, muffins, cobblers, and crumbles. For more specifics of how to freeze fruits you can go to The Kitchn here. (photo from The Kitchn)

6. Onion

Onions and potatoes always seem to come in great big bags for really cheap, but I don’t always need that many onions in one week. Luckily, freezing sliced and chopped onions is incredibly easy. Similarly to freezing fruit, place the onions on the baking sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen they can go in a Ziploc bag and be stored in the freezer until you are ready to use them. You can also do this with bell peppers. For more instructions on how to cut onion without the tears, you can go here.

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7. Wine

I am actually not a wine drinker, but I do LOVE chicken Marsala so I was really happy to discover this one! If you buy wine for a recipe and you don’t use it all you can pour the extra wine you aren’t using into an ice cube tray and you can pop a cube into your pan the next time your recipe calls for some. (picture from PopSugar)

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8. Uncooked bacon

I don’t know about you but I do always cook the entire package of bacon, especially when I am cooking the bacon to add to a meal. The good news is that bacon freezes well and thaws really quickly at room temperature. If you wrap 3-4 slices side by side in parchment paper and then store it in a freezer bag you can pull out as much bacon as you need when you need it. (photo from Beef Bacon)

9. Ripe bananas

Frozen bananas are great for adding to smoothies since it makes them creamier and you can use less ice but you can also freeze them when they are good and ripe, to be used in banana bread later. You can freeze them peeled or unpeeled, but I suggest freezing them peeled. Peeled frozen bananas can last up to four months, while those frozen with the peel last only two months. If you freeze with the peel, the peel will turn black, but the banana will stay preserved. You can go to Bless This Mess to learn more specifics on how to freeze bananas. (photo from Serious Eats)

10. Egg Yokes and Egg Whites

You can freeze eggs by putting them in a muffin tin, silicone baking cups, plastic egg holders, or ice cube trays sprayed with cooking spray! Muffin tins and silicone baking cups are great for when you want to freeze whole eggs, and ice cube trays are great for when you are separating the egg yoke from the egg white. For more information on this you can go to Fabulous Farm Girl here. (photo from Fabulous Farm Girl)

How to Freeze Nuts to Maintain Freshness

11. Nuts

Freezing your nuts is actually always a good idea. When you freeze nuts it makes them last longer by keeping the oils in them from going rancid. So, next time you see a big bulk size bag of nuts for a great price, go ahead and get them and stick them in the freezer. They will thaw quickly on your kitchen counter. For a whole bunch more information on freezing nuts dos and don’ts you can go to Hub Pages here. (photo from Hub Pages)

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12. Fresh Squeezed Juice

This one is a great one for moms, especially when the weather starts to get warmer! Make your own Popsicles out of juice. Just pour the juice into ice cube trays and stick a toothpick into the tray. If you are having a hard time getting the toothpicks to stand up straight you can add a piece of fruit in there and stick the toothpick into the fruit, or you can cover the ice cube tray with aluminum foil and poke the toothpicks through the aluminum foil. Add your kids favorite fruits and let your kids help you!

13. Yogurt

Frozen yogurt dots are another great summertime treat you and your kids will love! You can freeze yogurt dots by plopping little dollops of yogurt on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Once frozen transfer to a bowl and serve, or put them in a freezer bag and store in the freezer until ready to use.

14. Flour

Most of us keep our flour in a pantry or on the counter in a special container just for flour, but like many foods, flour lasts longer in the freezer. Most bakers actually prefer to keep their flour frozen, as cold ingredients make for a flakier pastry crust. (photo from Ideas in Food)

15. Baby Food!

This one is my favorite because it saved us so much money when our kids were babies. Did you know you can make your own baby food? You can. Using your handy dandy ice cube tray you can make 17 jars of baby food for just $1. Want proof? Click here. We did the math for you. Want to learn how to make your own baby food, along with tips from a pediatrician? Click here and we will walk you through it.

How about you? Are there foods that you have found that freeze well? Drop us a comment and tell us about it!

Go here for more detailed step-by-step directions on how to blanching and freezing fruits and vegetables.

15 Foods that Freeze Well

More from Meal Planning Mommies:

Spaghetti Squash with Spinach Tomato Ragu

Slow Cooker Pantry Chicken Soup

More from Meal Planning Mommies:

Spaghetti Squash with Spinach Tomato Ragu

Slow Cooker Pantry Chicken Soup

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