I have two deep freezers and I am always experimenting with what does and does not freeze well so I can stock up when things are on sale or there are triple coupons. I thought we could start a list of things we have found that freeze well or not so well.

-Freezes well-

-sometimes I freeze things that I buy in cans but won't use the whole can...like saurkraut (sp?) my mom likes it on hot dogs but no one else does so I open a can for her and throw the rest into a freezer bag and refreeze...works just fine. This also works for canned pumpkin.

-coffee creamer

-hot dogs

-butter or margarine sticks

-bell peppers, I freeze them whole and use them in sauces, as pizza topping, and in meatloaf when thawed.

-eggs, slightly beat them and freeze them in ice cube trays then pop them out and put them in a ziploc bag. When you thaw them out 3 Tbsp. of the mixture equals one large egg in recipes. They also taste fine scrambled.

-bananas, I freeze them whole, in or out of the peel, and throw one in the blender with milk and a touch of vanilla extract and make an awesome healthy milkshake type smoothie for a snack or breakfast.

-flour and cornmeal

-cream cheese, can't use for spreading but works fine in recipes like cheesecake

-heavy whipping cream, it won't whip after it has been frozen but is fine in homemade ice cream or for cooking. It get's a little grainy so I throw it in the blender and it gets creamy again.

-chocolate chips

-Bisquick

-block cheese

-shredded cheese

-blue cheese crumbles

-parmesan cheese

-candy from after Easter, Halloween or Christmas

-orange juice, when I get a good deal I open the cartons and pour a little out, put the lid back on and throw them in the freezer

-deli meats

-pepperoni

-pre-packaged lunch meats

-homemade cookies

-homemade muffins

-homemade breads

-homemade biscuits

-hot dog and hamburger buns, we toast ours when we use them so it doesn't really matter that they are a little dry when defrosted.


-berries, throw them on a cookie sheet and freeze, then put them in ziploc bags

-Tomatoes, drop them in boiling water for one or two minutes to loosen the skin...it peels right off. Then cut them into quarters and throw them in quart size bags. Lay flat, stack, and freeze. I use these instead of a 14 ounce can in recipes.

-apples, peel and slice then drop in boiling water for two minutes to blanch. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice to prevent browning, toss, and throw in gallon size bags in 8 cup portions. I use these for apple pies, cobblers, brown bettys, etc.


-Doesn't freeze well-

-half and half...don't try it...trust me:D

-rice, I just don't personally like it, it tastes very mushy

-pears, I personally don't have good luck freezing pears, they always thaw brown and strange

thanks for the good tips!

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Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money.

Thank You-
I appreciate the tips

Thanks! I have a neat trick for the bell peppers. Dice them, then freeze. You can add them frozen to sauces, stir-frys etc. Works perfect every time!

I also freeze cooked pasta. Just put them in a colondar and run hot water over them, they will taste as if you just cooked it! I always freeze the leftovers for a quick meal with my frozen pasta sauce!
Alana

Wild game does very well, deer, elk, duck and geese. I save my milk containers, put the marinade in the container and then put in wild bird and freeze. It seasons while freezing and defrosting.

What a great idea!! THANKS for all of YOUR tips! This is great!
I just froze excess zucchini from my garden, some I shredded, some a sliced and froze.

I have really never explored the freezing of much other than meat, vegies and bread, so thanks again!!

Thanks for your tips!

Anyone else have any things to add??? There have to be more things out there you have experimented with.

I keep almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc. in the freezer all the time. They stay fresh for a long time. I love all the other ideas. Thanks.


"One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats." Iris Murdock

*Peaches also freeze well: Blanch for 30 seconds. Peel off skins, pit, slice. Lay out on cookie sheets. I also pureed some and put in ice cube trays and froze for babyfood. I plan to use them for babyfood, pie, and a sauce to put over pancakes/frenchtoast/waffles.

*For the apples, you don't have to blanch them. I just peel, core, and slice them. And put them in freezer bags. Sometimes I add sugar, sometimes I don't.

*Berries--You can also freeze cherries. Don't need to pit. Just thaw and eat!

*And who knew, but celery also freezes. I sliced it and put it on cookie sheets. I've not tried in a recipe yet but my mom and aunt say it works great, especially for soups and casseroles.

*Cheese

*Another hint: I've been using a little cooking spray on the cookie sheets and everything just slides off. I figured it was cheaper than using plastic wrap etc.

We just bought a medium sized cheast freezer on clearance so I'm slowly learning what freezes and what doesn't. I'm trying to save money that way, too. Hopefully it will work. I was bummed--I bought a bunch of tomatoes at the farmers market yesterday and then saw them considerably cheaper at a local "homegrown" produce store/stand. Grrr!! Oh well.