15 Surprising Foods You Can Freeze

15 Surprizing Foods You Can Freeze - My Whole Food Life

I like to cook in big batches. Another thing we do to keep costs down is to buy in-season foods and freeze them.  Surprisingly, a lot of foods are freezer-friendly and keep well when stored in zip lock bags.  I also always re-use the same bags.  I haven’t bought new ones in a long time as a result.  So without further ado, here’s a quick list of freezer-friendly foods:

  1. Fresh Herbs – Believe it or not, fresh herbs freeze very well.  Just spread all your herbs onto a lined baking sheet side by side.  After they are all frozen, pull them off the sheet and store in a zip lock bag.
  2. Baked Goods –   This is one I do all the time.  I make a double batch and freeze one.  I store my muffins, donuts, waffles and pancakes in freezer-safe containers or zip lock bags.  I just make sure to separate them with a sheet of parchment. It’s also a good idea to let them completely cool out of the oven before putting them in the freezer. This way they don’t steam in their container as they cool.
  3. Fresh Fruits –   These work just like the herbs.  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.
  4. Vegetable Scraps –   Save those odds and end from cutting veggies!  You can use them to easily make a homemade broth. There is never a reason to buy broth when you can make it cheaper.
  5. Citrus Rinds –  Yes you can freeze your rinds.  Don’t discard them.  If you have a recipe that calls for zest, they can be used without having to buy more fruit.  Just store them in a freezer-safe container or zip lock bag.
  6. Rice – Cook a batch of rice and spread it out on a baking sheet to freeze, once frozen, you can transfer it to a container to store.  I love doing this with wild rice since it takes so long to cook.  I love to use mine in stir fries.
  7. Pesto or Tomato Sauce – I usually make these and freeze in serving size containers.  That way, you don’t need to thaw a huge amount at once.  You can also freeze individual serving size portions in a ice tray.
  8. 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.  So when you have a cookie craving, you can just bake a few.  I let mine thaw out slightly on the counter before baking.
  9. Ketchup –  If you are like me and only use ketchup on occasion, you can freeze most of it.  Spoon the ketchup into ice trays and freeze so you can easily pop some out when needed. When it is time to warm it back up, just put the container under some hot water. You run the risk of burning it if you try to thaw it out in the microwave, plus it will lose its freshness.
  10. Ginger –  Trim and peel ginger into 1 inch pieces.  Wrap them in plastic and store them in a bag in the freezer.  They should be used within 3 months or thrown away.  Thaw them out on the counter before using. We do this with the ginger we use for homemade juices.
  11. Nuts – Store nuts in an air tight container and freeze.  Pull them out to thaw before using.  They should be used within 6 months for best quality.
  12. Tomato Paste –  Spoon the paste into ice trays and freeze.  Just pop one out when you need it.  When we make spaghetti sauce, we pull our frozen tomato paste out, add some water to a sauce pan, and let the nice warm bath do its trick. The paste should last about 6 months.
  13. Bread –  We are not big bread eaters in our house, so when we buy a loaf, we usually store it in the freezer.  Just pop a slice out when you need it and stick it in the toaster.  Bread should last about 6 months in the freezer.  In addition to bread, save bread scraps and heels in a bag in the freezer.  They can easily be made into healthy breadcrumbs.
  14. Wine –  Ever open a bottle of wine and not finish it?  Instead of pouring it out, freeze it in ice cube trays.  It will not be fit for drinking, but you can use it in cooking, and we all know wine is a great way to take your creative kitchen experiments from ordinary to gourmet.
  15. Fresh Squeezed Juice –  If you don’t drink juice often, juice an orange or an apple and freeze the juice in ice trays. Stick a popsicle stick in it and give it to your kids too. They will love that they are getting a tasty treat.

This is my list of foods that freeze, but I’m sure there are other things that freeze that I didn’t mention. What do you like to freeze? Feel free to add them in the comments!

84 thoughts to “15 Surprising Foods You Can Freeze”

  1. Hi! Just stumbled on your site and love it! Had a question regarding freezing fruits. If I buy fresh blueberries, wash, then freeze, are they suitable to eat or really just for baking? Thanks!
      1. Frozen blueberries are great as frozen snacks. Since they are very acidic, they do not freeze solid. I freeze them in quart sized bags, and snack on them kids love them because they are sweeter when frozen. If you let them thaw for about 30-60 minutes, they get to room temperature and are almost like fresh blueberries again! They can be thrown into smoothies are used for baking while frozen too. When you add frozen blueberries to muffins or pancakes, they maintain their shape and flavor!
      2. I wash and freeze them same with strawberries and raw walnuts I freeze them separately so I choose if I want 1 or 3 different things I put them in a bowl and and milk and cereal the strawberries you might want to cut them up so they defrost faster. sometimes if im in a hurry Ill defrost the fruit in the microwave it's also good with hot oatmeal
    1. I love using frozen blueberries in smoothies! Seriouslyl my favorite smoothie go-to. I use them sometimes in muffins and pancakes, too. We pick or buy a ton of fresh blueberries in the summer and freeze immediately to maintain freshness so we have tasty bluebs year-round :)
    2. I only ever buy fresh blueberries when in season (and strawberries), wash, spread on lined baking sheet and put in freezer, when frozen put in zip lock bags. They are GREAT! The fresh ones are even better and juicier than frozen from grocery store. I also freeze grapes, red and green pepper and just about anything when they're in season.
  2. Question about freezing apples? - I saw on QVC - the seller was selling apple peeler, corer and slicer and after using a peeler she talked about how you can freeze apples - I had never heard this before and missed what she did after slicing them - do you know if you have to first "soak" them in lemon, or something else - I never thought to freeze apples. Also, as for cherries - not sure - put I pit mine cut them in half (I use them in smoothies) freeze them and throw them into my vitamix to use with other fruits - but......you can also eat them - they are fine - not like some fruits when you take out of the freezer. anyway, hopefully you or another reader will know what to do with the apples.
    1. I have never frozen apples, but I imagine it's possible. You will probably need to squeeze something acidic on them to keep them from browning. I would try pineapple juice. Lemon juice can be bitter and may effect the taste of the apples.
  3. Thanks for sharing the great tips! I look forward to trying some I hadn't seen before. I put some bananas in the freezer this weekend....just peeled, sliced, placed flat in a ziploc bag, and I have about 9 frozen bananas ready to use later in smoothies, oatmeal, etc. I'm also freezing lots of homemade apple butter to enjoy later.
    1. Thanks! I LOVE frozen bananas. They make the best ice cream. I usually buy two bunches and one bunch goes right into the freezer. :)
    2. My daughter likes to slice up a banana and put it in the freezer. When it's mostly frozen she takes it out and mashes it up - instant banana "ice cream" for my 5-year-old grandson! As for myself, I've found that bananas often turn dark when they're frozen, which is fine for making banana bread. I'm thinking that those frozen bananas on a stick that you can buy must have something on them (sprayed or dipped) to keep them so pretty. Or am I missing an "easy fix"?
  4. I freeze EVERYTHING! If I have a meal or ingredient that I can't finish eating, I freeze it. Apple sauce, broth, cream, almond milk, soups, casseroles, the sky is the limit. Recently I cooked dry beans, spread them on a cookie sheet, and then froze them. That way I have an alternative to canned beans. I also make blended black beans (similar to refried in texture) and freeze for later use. I've also been known to freeze half an avocado. I squeeze some lemon juice on it and then use it in a smoothie. And, as I mentioned in a reply earlier, some things I put into muffin cups with a silicone liner. That way I can easily remove the liner and I have pre-measured portions to use later.
  5. Grapes!! Frozen grapes are awesome. My youngest sister LOVES them, as in I gave them to her for her birthday loves them! I just wash them, dry them off quickly with a paper towel & then spread them out on a cookie sheet to freeze. Once frozen I divide them into baggies.
  6. I've been freezing lots of things for my green juices and smoothies. Preserves the foods properly and helps chill the juices in my Vitamix. I freeze (or fridge) all my seeds and nuts so they don't go rancid: FREEZE whole grapes, chunked ginger root or cantaloupe. bulk bags of chia & flax seed, walnuts, raw almonds, coconut & almond flour. FRIDGE flaxseed oil, corn oil, and olive oil (but in a container with a wide opening to spoon out what you want...it will solidify when cold). Then, I keep smaller containers of chia & flax seeds, almonds and walnuts in the fridge for convenience with my green juices (I use a tbsp of each at a time) and refill the containers as I empty them. BANANAS peel and chunk the bananas, place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment (I use a Silpat), let freeze for an hour, then store in a ziplock. Great for quick, icy smoothies or frozen treats, instead of ice cubes. Freezing keeps them from turning brown...but don't leave them sit out too long after freezing...instant brown moosh! COCONUT OIL stays in the pantry...doesn't go rancid.
  7. Whole ripe avacados. I load up if organics go on sale, and just pop them in the chest freezer- no special packaging necessary! They are a little watery when thawed, but still great.
  8. I freeze raspberries now while they are in season. I put parchment paper on a cookie sheet and they will freeze individually instead of in a clump. Then just transfer to a freezer bag.
  9. I also pour leftover chicken or vegetable broth in ice cube trays to freeze then put in a freezer bag for later use. One ice cube tray is about 2 cups of broth. :)

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