I didn't either until I got sick of throwing onions and celery away because they were going bad!
No more!
Just in case you weren't aware, I wanted to compile a list of ingredients that I've found to freeze well.
NOTE: I don't use the thawed items to eat raw as usually the texture does change a little bit. But if you're needing these ingredients for a stir fry, soup, casserole, or other cooked/baked dish, then freeze away, my cooking friends. and save in the process!
- Mushrooms. Slice, bag and label.
- Onions. Slice or mince a bunch at once and put into one cup baggies.
- Bell peppers. Wash, slice, and let freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, bag and label.
- Celery. Wash, slice and let freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, divide into 1 cup portions in labeled bags.
- Pureed squash, zucchini, pumpkin, sweet potato. Divide into 1 1/2 cup portions, bag and label.
- Spinach. If you think your spinach is on its last leg, toss it (bag an all) in the freezer. Just take a handful out to put into smoothies when you need!
- Homemade beans. Divide into 1 1/2 cup portions (a cans worth), bag and label.
- Cut, cooked corn. Let cool, divide into bags. You can eat these as a side just fine.
- Tomato paste. Divide left over paste into 1 TBLS clumps on a baking sheet and then pop off and put the in a labeled bag.
- Tomato or vegetable juice. I have a recipe that calls for 2/3 cup vegetable juice and it's my only recipe that requires it, so I put mine in 2/3 cup portions in a bag and let it freeze in a little pyrex dish. Once frozen, I take them out and stack them in a larger bag.
- Spaghetti sauce. Freeze in an old jar (just don't fill to the top) and label. Or freeze in a bag laid flat on a baking sheet.
- Hummus. You can freeze dollops or whole cup worths in bags for later use. Maybe not as great for dipping, but just fine for pitas or sandwiches.
- Oatmeal. Freeze in microwave safe container, or in a bag that's frozen in an old little yogurt container. Pop them all into a gallon sized freezer bag and take out 2 for a breakfast.
- Grapes. Wash, let dry, and bag. A wonderful little sweet treat!
- Most berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, etc) and pineapple. Wash, cut, and bag.
- Bananas. Freeze them in the skin or peel and leave plain. You can also mash or just slice and bag like that. Freeze them "just ripe" or "over ripe" depending on what you're planning to make.
Other things to freeze: apple sauce, orange juice, salsa, carrots, (any type of vegetable you'd find in the frozen section of the market can be frozen!), leftover lasagna, soups, rice, pizza crust, breads
Just remember to label everything you freeze! There are guides on line for how long things should last in your freezer. I don't have a huge freezer, so mine gets "gone through" pretty quickly, but a deep freezer would be harder for me to go through everything.
Item to Freeze:
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How:
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Use after thawing:
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Bananas
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In peel, cut in chunks, or unpeeled whole or mashed
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In baked goods, smoothies, oatmeal
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Bell Peppers
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Washed, sliced or diced. Initially freeze on cookie sheet, then transfer to bag.
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In soups, stiryfrys, casseroles
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Berries/Cranberries
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Washed and dried
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In smoothies, on cereal/oatmeal
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Breads
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In a double bag (muffins and pancakes)
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As you would normally
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Carrots
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Chopped
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Steam for a side. In a baked dish or stirfry.
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Celery
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Sliced and initially frozen on a cookie sheet, then transfer to bag/box.
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In soups, stiryfrys, casseroles
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Corn, cooked and cut
(Almost any veggie)
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In a bag
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Steam as a side. In a baked dish or stirfry.
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Grapes
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Washed and dried. In a gab.
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Eat frozen as a sweet treat.
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Herbs
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Chopped. Place 1 tsp or 1 TBLS amounts in ice cube trays with a little water.
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Throw into soups/stews/stirfrys
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Homemade Beans
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In 1 ½ cup measurements (1 can equiv)
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Use as you would normally
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Hummus
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In dollops on cookies sheet and then transfer or in container
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On tortillas, as a dip
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Leftovers
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Wrap in plastic and then tinfoil.
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Unwrap, thaw, reheat and enjoy!
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Mango and Peaches
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Chop or puree
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In baked desserts or in salsa
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Mushrooms
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Chopped and bagged
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In soups, stiryfrys, casseroles
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Oatmeal
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Let cool and freeze in single portions
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Reheat and enjoy
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Onions
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Sliced, chopped, diced
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Sauté as you would, or put in soup or casserole
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Orange Juice
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Freeze in ½ cup or 1 cup portions or in ice cube trays
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As you would normally for soups or main dishes
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Orange Juice Concentrate
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Buy it, open it, put plastic wrap with the top back on. Scoop when needed.
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1 TBLS combined with ¼ water to make Orange Juice
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Pasta or Rice
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Freeze after cooked and cooled in single portions
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As you would normally
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Pizza Dough or Crust
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Freeze in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag
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Thaw in fridge overnight and then on the counter a few hours
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Pureed Veggies
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In 1 ½ cup measurements in bags
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In baked goods, sauces, casseroles
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Salsa
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In a container
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As you would normally
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Sandwiches
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Make multiple sandwiches, wrap in plastic and take out when needed**
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As you would normally
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Scallions
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Slice thin and put in a plastic container or bottle
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Shake out and use as you would normally would: top salads/stirfry
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Soup
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Freeze in 2 or 4 servings
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As you would normally
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Spaghetti Sauce
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Freeze in 2 or 4 servings
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As you would normally
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Spinach
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When it’s at the end, throw the whole bag in the freezer
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In smoothies
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Squash/Zucchini
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Slice and bag
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In soups, stiryfrys, casseroles
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Tomato or Vegetable Juice
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Freeze in ½ cup or 1 cup portions or in ice cube trays
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As you would normally
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Tomato Paste
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Freeze in 1 TBLS dollops on cookie sheet and transfer to a bag
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As you would normally
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