Freezer food

[Crunky_Snack]

For the last year I’ve tried to only buy yellow sticker/reduced food (mainly meat). It’s honestly a huge hobby of mine now our freezer is full of sausages, chicken, steak, quiche, mince, pies etc. I try not to take up valuable freezer space with low value items, e.g. chips, fish fingers, frozen pizza etc and now our weekly shop for two is down from £60+ to approx £30

 

[Nolongerjustalurker]

We had freezer roulette last night and my boyfriend took a Tupperware of gravy to work for lunch dying he was so pissed off he thought it was chilli

 

[Penguinandthepinecone]

The most useful things that I freeze are things that you’re not necessarily supposed to freeze. I buy a nice chorizo and it goes straight in the freezer (it says not to on the one I buy). When I cook jambalaya or a fresh pizza I take it out freezer and slice what I need whilst still frozen, then put the rest back in. I used to waste it so much by just leaving it in the fridge to go past it’s date. I also halve lots of fresh things that I know I won’t get used in full, rather than it going off. It feels really efficient to halve, wrap and freeze on the day of purchase, rather than waiting for it to head towards past its best and regret that it didn’t get used. Oh and I love raiding the reduced fridge in M&S and Co-op and stocking up on anything that can be frozen!

 

[Pinkii]

I don’t batch cook, but always make a little extra when we have meals like curries and stuff so we have one portion in the fridge in case either me
Or my husband want a quick meal or he wants to take something to work

what I have started doing is when I get chicken, I will usually marinate some with different sauces, so i can just pop that out and make a quick meal, its become so handy.

 

[DCICassieStuart]

The most useful things that I freeze are things that you’re not necessarily supposed to freeze. I buy a nice chorizo and it goes straight in the freezer (it says not to on the one I buy). When I cook jambalaya or a fresh pizza I take it out freezer and slice what I need whilst still frozen, then put the rest back in. I used to waste it so much by just leaving it in the fridge to go past it’s date. I also halve lots of fresh things that I know I won’t get used in full, rather than it going off. It feels really efficient to halve, wrap and freeze on the day of purchase, rather than waiting for it to head towards past its best and regret that it didn’t get used. Oh and I love raiding the reduced fridge in M&S and Co-op and stocking up on anything that can be frozen!

I do that with herbs and spinach, and just use them from frozen.

 

[Notorious PIG]

I have three freezers and they all have different groups of stuff in them.

The kitchen freezer (fridge freezer) is ready made stuff, like chips, hash browns, schnitzels, fish fingers etc. Basement freezer (on the fridge freezer) is mostly cooking ingredients - various herbs, garlic cloves, chunks of ginger, several types of chillies, lemon grass stalks, cooked plain rice, passata, plus a few tubs of batch cooked meals, eg curry, chow mein, fried rice, chicken stir fry.

The basement chest freezer, which is the size of what one would find in a British corner shop holding the ice lollies, is for loves of sliced bread and various raw meats. Also the unopened surplus ready made stuffs goes in there, which gets transferred to the upstairs fridge freezer once opened.

 

[CherryAcid]

I batch cook chilli and bolognaise and keep them in freezer bags. The rest of my freezer is meat, ice cubes, ice cream and steamed veg packs

 

[Columbo]

Chopped frozen onions and garlic and ginger has been a life changing discovery for me I really hate peeling and chopping onions and garlic!

I bought a box of takeaway tubs from Costco and use those to freeze portions of food in. They stack well and can be microwaved and go in the dishwasher. I also have a roll of labels and a sharpie next to the freezer to try and label everything before it goes in.

Why have I never thought of dividing into portions? I usually freeze a whole lasagne anyone know if cooked rice is OK to freeze? If so can it go straight from the freezer to the microwave?

 

[Notorious PIG]

Why have I never thought of dividing into portions? I usually freeze a whole lasagne anyone know if cooked rice is OK to freeze? If so can it go straight from the freezer to the microwave?

Cooked, cooled rice freezes excellently, and yes it can go straight in the microwave from frozen. No need to add anything, no water, nothing. Full power for a minute, then mix, separate the grains a bit, then back in for a couple of mins or til nice and hot to your liking. Don’t overdo it though or it will start to dry out, clump together and go chewy.

 

[rivermonster]

Why have I never thought of dividing into portions? I usually freeze a whole lasagne anyone know if cooked rice is OK to freeze? If so can it go straight from the freezer to the microwave?

I put cooked rice onto a tray and open freeze it then put it into a bag and put it back into the freezer. I always reheat it in the micro from frozen.

 

[Columbo]

I put cooked rice onto a tray and open freeze it then put it into a bag and put it back into the freezer. I always reheat it in the micro from frozen.

Cooked, cooled rice freezes excellently, and yes it can go straight in the microwave from frozen. No need to add anything, no water, nothing. Full power for a minute, then mix, separate the grains a bit, then back in for a couple of mins or til nice and hot to your liking. Don’t overdo it though or it will start to dry out, clump together and go chewy.

Thanks guys. I freeze curries all the time but always made the rice fresh. Going to do portions of curry with rice next time

 

[HowlOwl]

We have the usual chips, peas etc but also frozen mushy peas - they take half-an-hour to cook and you need to season them but they are the best. I may freeze leftover chilli, braised beef etc but usually take it out to defrost. We like Morrison’s chilled pasta meals, 3 for £6, so there’s usually some in there, and chicken breasts in breadcrumbs, fish etc. Ice creams, the Extreme cones are delicious. We bought some frozen garlic and ginger but it’s small chunks and I’m not keen, would rather use fresh.

 

[Happy Lady]

I buy fresh meat in bulk from the local farm shop, divide and freeze, especially steak, chicken and mince. Always have a selection of fish, fish cakes, veg, ice cream and the most important frozen berries which I use instead of ice cubes in my gin .

In winter I make chilli that I freeze in containers and take with me when we go off in our touring caravan.

Note to self: pack frozen berries on caravan expeditions.

 

[jaymie]

We bought a few yellow sticker Charlie Bigman meals, it is a life saver on weekend. The problem is that you have to defrost it before you can put it in the oven.

 

[Cobbles]

Very silly question I know but I took some uncooked, unopened sausages out of the freezer this morning and put them in the fridge to defrost as I was planning on using them for dinner tonight. A friend was coming over tonight but has now postponed until tomorrow. Will the sausages be ok to eat tomorrow if left in the fridge? I know it’s a silly question but I’ve had food poisoning before and am rubbish with freezing food.

 

[coconochanel]

Very silly question I know but I took some uncooked, unopened sausages out of the freezer this morning and put them in the fridge to defrost as I was planning on using them for dinner tonight. A friend was coming over tonight but has now postponed until tomorrow. Will the sausages be ok to eat tomorrow if left in the fridge? I know it’s a silly question but I’ve had food poisoning before and am rubbish with freezing food.

It normally says you have to eat them within 24 hours of being defrosted.