I discovered something after my husband passed away that works for me. I make a batch of mashed potatoes using ample milk and butter. When cooled I use an ice cream scoop to portion out and put on cookie tray to freeze. I then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze. I can take out a couple at a time to include with my meal. I usually microwave in small bowl covered loosely with a cloth napkin or saucer. Hope this might help others. 🌷
Do you find that when you freeze the potatoes this way the consistency is not the same? I froze mashed potatoes before and I found that the consistency was not what I cared for.😊
@@DivinevirgoFeminine same with cooked potatoes in stew and soup. 😞 My mother has this great recipe for a "party soup". The potatoes discolor and are not very nice after frozen. I made a note to cook the potatoes separately if freezing to make ahead. 😒
My husband is gluten free so I freeze the "ends" of his GF bread. When the bag is full I let them dry out and make GF bread crumbs which saves a TON of $$.
Emmy and Paul. My husband and I have been on a two year journey to go debt free. We have given up many things in the two years, gone without vacations etc… however we are only $2,000 away from achieving our goal! I want you both to know how important your videos have been to me, when I have felt like faltering I always watch you and get my mind back on track. Ty for all you do 💕
Blueberries! I buy them by the bucket full every July. I wash them, dry them off on towels and pack into freezer containers. I don't spread them out on cookie trays to freeze individually, and I haven't had any problem with them sticking together. I have also frozen fresh cranberries right in their original bag. Again, no problem with sticking since they are dry.
Grandma used to grow cherry tomatoes in huge amounts. She'd pick the ripe ones, wash them, dry them, and put in a double bread bag, twist tie and popped them in the freezer. When she made soup she'd pop the tomatoes in and remove the peel as they cooked.
I freeze nearly everything! Chopped jalapeño's, onions, colored peppers, cherry tomatoes, cheese , bread, butter, I have frozen milk before too. All with great results. I didn't know about rice. Great idea!
I did the same and was trying to figure out what to do with them. I had been chopping one or two for omelets, but need to go ahead and use up that bag fullI have.
I had bought a small bag of baby potatoes and left the peel on. I didn’t want to lose them to rot, so I cooked the whole bag. It took about an hour, but boy was it worth it. I let them cool, tossed them into a freezer bag and now I have them in the freezer. Winter time comes and I’m eating baby potatoes that I bought in the summer. 😊
I have watched all of your videos and honestly some of them I’ve watched multiple times. I had forgotten about this video. It’s truly one of my favorites. Sometimes I cringe thinking about all the food I’ve wasted in the past and it’s such a blessing to have these videos. You are really my favorite RUclips channel.
I have been freezing many things for years, and I have learned to keep it super simple. If there are too many steps, I won't do it. As long as fruits and vegetables are dry you can freeze them in a thin layer directly in a freezer bag by laying them flat as they freeze, give them a crumble if they are sticking. I freeze sauces, avocados, pastes by spreading them thinning in a freezer bag, break off what you need. I also store my bags upright in dollar store baskets by categories in by freezer. Super easy to find what I need and to just add how much I want to a recipe.
Freezing the whipped cream like that is genius! I freeze my citrus rinds after juicing. Then if I need some zest for a recipe, I grate the rind while frozen. Works like a dream.
Here's my hack with fresh ginger. I buy a chunk of ginger at the store, pop it into a bag and freeze it whole. When I want ginger for a recipe, I break off a small piece and grate it (with my zester). I never worry about peeling it, I just zest away until I have as much as I want, then pop it back into the freezer till next time! SO EASY!!
Hi Emmy and Paul I freeze my fresh garlic. We plant a ton of it so at harvest time we peel most of it and put it in zip lock bags and pop it in the freezer. When ready to use just take out what you need and use it just as you would fresh. you really dont even need to thaw it out. you can mince it, slice it or use the whole clove.
I wonder if roasting bulbs first would work. I'm finding eating garlic doesn't agree with my stomach as I get older. Same with bell peppers. I can live without green peppers, bit not garlic.
@@joanprout9619 I have not tried that but you can roast them and cover the garlic with olive oil and store them in the fridge, They will only last for a week.
I like to buy onions in bulk and then use a roaster to caramelize a ton at once. I portion them in my silicon muffin liners and freeze them. Once they're frozen I take them out of the muffin liners and bag them. Then I have little pucks of caramelize onions for whatever. Soups, curry's, baked potatoes, sky's the limit
Love your freezer tips and your channel! I make homemade pasta bags for to take to my office for lunch. I freeze cooked pasta (penne works well) on one tray, cooked ground beef or chicken strips on a separate tray, and the sauce in a greased ice cube tray (dedicated for this use only). After everything is frozen, I put a couple handfulls of pasta, few sauce cubes, and a bit of the meat into a ziplock bag or reusable glass container and back in the freezer for a quick office lunch. I usually get around 6 bags out of a box of pasta, but you can make them any size that fits your appetite. I've also made other frozen dinner inspired lunch ideas but this is the easiest and most reliable! Great way to save money on lunch and have more control over the ingredients.
I have done everything like you have in all my 50 years of cooking. Sadly all this old school freezing and cooking have escaped my wasteful good kids. Did you know that you can freeze potato chip bags and marshmallows as well? I enjoy how you explain everything so nicely. Stay safe and happiest. Isn’ it such fun loving the kitchen? Love from Kansas City, Mo.
I use oatmilk so I freeze whole milk in pint containers . Then I have regular milk for who ever comes over or cooking. Tip: when you defrost milk, you can blitz it in a blender and get a nice consistency
When I get a large bag of onions I use my food processor to chop them and freeze small portions in freezer bags . No waste onions and speeds up food preparation.
I always double bag my bread so it does not get soggy when thawed. Works great! These are awesome tips. I am going to be freezing my store bought frozen veggies in heavier bags. Thanks for all the great tips to make our food go further and stay fresher longer.
I regularly freeze many things in my kitchen! I have always frozen butter purchased on sale…since it has skyrocketed in price, I’ve never had to pay full price. I also get cheese and cream cheese on discount and put it directly into the freezer. I make a good homemade vegetable soup and I freeze the small amount left over and use that as a “soup starter” base for my next batch…it works great! I learned a lot from this video….thank you Emmy and Paul!💕💕
My kids say “Mom will freeze anything!!!” I’m always telling them just freeze I! 😆 I freeze all my nuts and seeds also herbs from my garden for use in the winter months. I freeze grated garlic in a bit of olive oil for easy use in sauces too . just put them in ice cube trays! You could save your ginger container and make more cubes when you’re done with it! Love my freezers!❤️
Thanks for the great tips. I make 10# of mashed potatoes and freeze in small portions, I also buy a #10 can of pizza sauce at a local pizza restaurant supplier and portion it into 8oz containers and freeze them for our Saturday night pizza parties, the big can of pizza sauce is enough for about 26 -14" pizzas the quality and cost of the pizza sauce is soo much cheaper than store bought pizza sauce. Thanks for the great content in you videos.
Observation when looking at the comments from viewers. Unlike most other sites when you ask a question to Frugal Money Saver it actually get answered or when you comment there is a response. Happy to subscribe to a couple who considers their viewers.
Just walk down the frozen food aisle and you can see what can be frozen! Great video! Thanks for all the great freezer tips! I freeze the warehouse club packages of butter, cheese and bread. I also buy meat on sale and break down large packages into smaller portions that I will use for myself.
Great video. I freeze tomato paste the same way you do your veggies. I take a can of tomato paste and empty it into a small Ziploc bag.flattened it takes up no space. When I need some I break off what I need. Faster than finding can opener and so much cheaper than the fancy imported tubes.
As I live alone, I usually cook more than needed at any one meal. I then portion the leftovers and freeze them. I also freeze canned pasta sauce in individual portions. Cuts down on waste and spoilage.
I love when something is on sale and I buy Xtra of just to freeze, my grocery store had onions on sale 3 pounds for.89c I sliced, diced and shredded them up and put in the freezer two months ago and I still have some. ✌️🙏💗
Emmy, I too am a Freezer Queen! 🙋♀️😂 One of my favorite things to freeze is a white sauce or Bechamel Sauce! I simply thaw it out, give it a little whisk and use it as a cream of chicken soup base for casseroles, lasagna or anything you'd use a white sauce for. My secret ingredient is chicken bouillon. It's so good! Add grated cheese and it becomes a cheese sauce. I also brown sausage and ground beef and flash freeze it in a baking pan then keep it in a freezer bag to use just the amount I need because it doesn't stick together.
I keep a bag of chopped onion, red pepper and poblano pepper mix in freezer so I can pull out a 1/4 cup for white chicken chili or a black bean stir fry that my son enjoys. It saves me a bunch of time from cutting up vegetables individually for different dinners.
One of my favorite things to freeze over the last year is butter. I buy it when it goes on sale (like around $2 lb). I buy the limit and freeze it. I have over a years worth in my freezer and we rotate it. When butter was over $5 lb (for regular store brand butter) I didn't have to purchase it for months. I do the same with eggs. It really does help when prices are soaring.
When onions or peppers are on sale I buy a bunch of them. We chop and freeze both for recipes and sti0fry. I also slice fresh squash and zucchini to use in recipes.
Hi Emmy, Love this video, great job. Because I live alone and the Irish in me loves mashed potatoes, I freeze them. I make a big pot of the potatoes, mash them up with milk and butter. Then get a cookie sheet and put them in a blob of how much I'm going to eat per serving. After they are frozen, I put them all in a big zip lock bag. Then when I want some, I just put one blob in the microwave for a few minutes. Love it because I don't have to wash a pot. Keep making great videos. Hi to Paul too! Love you guys!
❤ Paul and Emmy! Yet another fun video with great tips! We, too, freeze almost anything! I love to "cook big" and freeze half for when I don't feel like cooking, so we always have something to eat...like spaghetti sauce, soups, beans, anything! ❤
I freeze diced fresh bell peppers. They frequently go on sale at our local vegitable stand. About a month ago they were $1 lb. We asked where they came from this time of year, Mexico. Got beautiful red ones and ate a lot of strips but I add the diced ones to about any casserole or sauce. Adds flavor and vitamins. Pre frozen strps are$1.59 for 8 oz.
I grow lots of tomatoes and freeze them. I just pick them and put them in gallon bags, dirt and all! When I'm ready to can them or use them in a dish, I hold them under warm running water and the skin rubs off. Then I can cut them up for making salsa to can or mash them in a dish I'm making. I also buy large packages of yeast. I keep a small jar in the fridge and freeze the rest in a freezer bag.
When freezing a product in its original package be careful if you are having out of town guests. This last Christmas, my son and his family visited for a few days. Knowing they were coming, I took a package of frozen bacon out of the freezer. He looked in the refrigerator, saw the package, saw the expiration date and THREW IT OUT! Kids! :)
I just saw recently that if you freeze cabbage, it makes it easier to make cabbage rolls. I didn't start with a whole head but froze some outside leaves from St. Patrick's Day to give it a try.
I freeze most things as well. My favourite thing to freeze (that people find weird) are sauces/stocks/gravies. When I cook chicken in the Instant Pot, I always cool the stock and then pour into an ice cube tray (that is labeled for sauce use only). Once frozen, I pop them out and put them in a freezer bag to use later. I do the same thing with things like leftover gravies, tomato paste, flavoured butter, etc. One thing I would be cautious of freezing are sauces that have dairy in them (like the sour cream in a Swedish meatball gravy), in my experience they don’t hold up well.
Hi, Emmy! Great tips today! Never heard of freezing cooked rice and I will definitely be trying that idea. One of my newest items to freeze is tomato paste...I wrap tablespoon portions in wax paper and put them into a larger freezer bag. Have a wonderful day!
We buy bread at a day old bakery, about 10 loaves at a time and freeze them. They are about half price and it takes us several days to use a loaf anyway. Carole
Check out prices & weight of fresh compared with frozen. Fresh foods are not always cheaper. I found I was freezing fresh vegetables & fruit to eat later but frozen was much cheaper in my supermarket. I lost hours in prep too. Now I buy the big bags & divvy them out in either single or double portions. I don’t use my food saver on veg (as we eat veg quickly & because of the cost to make up the bags) but it comes into its own on meats. Popping the veg in cheap food bags on the roll & then popping them in the thicker zip lock bags to protect the veg is fine. The bags are reusable. Elastic bands to hold bags shut is good too.
I have a freezer bag with what is left when I prep my veggies. All those pieces nobody is going to eat. Bit by bit the bag fills up and I can make wonderful vegetable stock. And I freeze unbaked biscuits and German "Laugenbrezeln" (I live in Germany). This way I can have them fresh whenever I want.
I always make a blender of fruit and yogurt smoothies which is about twice as much as I'd drink. So I pour my big mug full and then put what's left in half pint Mason jars with screw on tops and freeze them for quick frozen desserts at a later time. Just leave a little space at the top for expansion. They way I always use up my fresh fruit and yogurt before they go bad. I add a scoop of protein powder sometimes and have that instead of a meal.
What a great way to use up leftover whipped cream! I love that idea! I always freeze rice in 1/2 cup portions - since I still work, it's easy on a busy night to throw together a stir fry and serve it over rice with a homemade stir fry sauce. I just add my baggie of rice to a bowl of hot water to defrost it while I assemble the stir fry. I also freeze herbs - I look up how to best freeze and store them, but then they don't go to waste and I get a treat later when I can add those herbs to jazz up a dish.
I freeze my tomatoes from my garden. I wash them, let dry. Then, put the tomatoes on a cookie sheet and into the freezer. Once the tomatoes are frozen, I put them in a food saver bag, seal it, and the tomatoes will stay whole. Back into the freezer until I'm ready to use them. I use them for homemade sauces and salsa.
Hi Emmy and Paul! We freeze leftover brewed coffe in ice cube trays to use in iced coffees and lattes. I freeze orange peels in a bag and use them as an airfreshener by putting the peels, a little cinnamon, clove, and ginger in some water in a sauce pan and put on a burner on low to simmer for a short-time and then turn it off and the house smells wonderful for hours. In the summer I leave out the cloves and ginger and put a splash of vanilla in instead. We also freeze all our left over cooked veggies in a zipper freezer bag and when it's full it goes in vegetable soup. I also freeze left overs in plastic containers with dividers so my husband can take to work another day and have a hot home cooked meal. ❤
Great video I always learned something new from you ,,👍😎 I was very surprised to find whole fresh chicken today 2.99 lb 🇨🇦 I made chicken soup called “ scotch broth chicken soup” has barley in it ,I got 11 meals from my $10. Chicken ,,,so good ,I also made home made bread in my machine ,did the the # and came out to $1,10 per meal for the soup and bread and I froze the remaining soup in glass jars in freezer ,, it was sooo good the next day ,,win win ,,, Good Bless you and Paul 😊
I like to have a plan for using foods such as potatoes which we buy in 5lb-7lb bags when they go on sale. Every Sunday we do an easy roast dinner, rotating through a whole chicken, pork roast, whole chicken and a beef roast which we make with 2 days of baked potatoes for a leftover dinner on Monday night. This alone uses up the potatoes at a good rate so they don't go bad and we always have them on hand, fresh.
Those were all some really good ideas! What I freeze, that a lot of people may not think to, are peppers. Every other year I grow sweet peppers. I just used the last chunk of pepper from what I grew last year today! I cut my peppers up into smaller chunks because we just don't need to use a whole pepper in most of what we eat. And I put the chunks into a freezer bag and they last all winter. I just take out what I need and leave the rest. Now, this year I won't be growing peppers but I purchased some at a good price and recently cut them up and put them in the freezer. I won't need to purchase peppers for quite a while. Thanks for another good vlog!
I buy chicken tenders in bulk and freeze them in small portions. It’s so easy and they stay nice for a long time. I also chop onions and peppers for the freezer. It makes cooking faster and they don’t go to waste. Thank you for your videos!!! ☮️😊❤️🌎
I’ve never tried freezing potatoes, but I freeze many of the other items you mentioned. I also freeze snack bars like Kind and Belvita in the original wrapping and take one when I go to a morning appointment or shopping or on a road trip.
Jeanne, just wanted to make it clear that when you freeze the potatoes it's important that you do not let the potatoes sit out long at room temperature before freezing them. Dry them quickly by patting them gently with the towel after the ice water bath and quickly freeze them.
Hey Emmy and Paul! I never thought to freeze whipped cream (usually if there is leftovers I use it in my coffee as a treat) but I love this idea to have on hand for hot chocolate! Thanks! Also, use those containers you save to freeze your leftover milk, it will save you room in your freezer instead of putting the whole gallon container in there. Hope you guys have a great week! 😊
Milk paper like container you can wash and open them up flat. They work great to chop on! Especially meat's and messy things, it saved the work of cleaning and sterilization of your board's! They also make good storage boxes! Like orange juice ones with those twist of tops. You cut it open... Box like, leave the top cap on... It works as a kinda handle! They hold all kind of small items in the cupboard or drawers even! 😁
I batch cook spring rolls when cabbage is cheap, and they freeze beautifully after they are fried just a bit under done. They finish in the air - fryer and are a hit every time.
I freeze ginger whole. When you need it cut off a piece and frozen ginger is easy to grate. I also freeze waffles and do batch cooking. I grow basil ...I blend it up with a small amount of olive oil and freeze it in ice cube trays. Just to say a few.
Absolutely LOVE these hacks! I have been following you for a while but am going back through your videos and “catching up” on the ones I have missed! Love your videos! ❤️
We grow lots of basil and parsley. When I harvest the basil we make pesto out of it and freeze it in ice cube trays. When frozen all the way through I put them in a ziplock bag. They are ready to add to sauce, soup or pasta. When we harvest or buy parsley, I wash it and let it dry on a clean towel. Take it off the stems and give it a quick chop with a knife. I put it all in a plastic container put a piece of wax paper over the parsley and freeze. The leaves never stick together. You can just grab an handful and add it to whatever you are making.
I freeze bread always. I buy breaded chicken patties and repackage them, wrapping them individually and put them in freezer bags. Those ZIPLOC freezer bags have become my friends! I also repackage vegetables in ZIPLOC freezer bags.
So many great freezer tips! We freeze portions of soups, stews, casseroles etc. to be used one or two for a meal another day. Also juice lemons and limes and freeze in ice cube trays to have on hand. We food saver our ripe bananas to freeze so they don't turn dark and use for baking, smoothies, and nice cream. We also cook double the meat usually and food saver half or more to freeze for meals another day which means less cooking and dirty dishes then. Thank you so much! 💕🙏
Today I used a frozen egg for my meatloaf, as well as some rice I froze. I freeze leftover milk in small containers to use, I don’t use much and it’s often leftover. I freeze everything, lol. Makes my life easier.
I cut onions, celery, carrots, peppers and place in reusable bags. I make a blend for fajitas, spaghetti, chili, chicken noodle soup. I also “re-bag” frozen veggies like corn, peas, broccoli, green beans to make my own veggie blends for vegetable beef soup and chicken pot pie. Several times a year, I will make 4-5 different cookie doughs, scoop into balls or make into shapes and freeze them on cookie sheet then place in ziploc bags. I freeze my butter too. I stock up when BOGO.
Great video! Our freezers are such an asset! I freeze much of what you and Paul freeze, Emmy. We are bean eaters so I always make extra and freeze. Have a wonderful recipe for black bean brownies. Also beans for soup. Lentils freeze well. Home made granola always made in double batches to freeze one of the batches. Keep the encouragement coming. Thank you, Paul and Emmy. We all need to help one another to continue on this frugal journey ❤️
When a recipe calls for egg yolks I save the white in a freezer container. I put a piece of tape or paper on the top. When I add any to the container I add a slash mark on the tape for each one. When I get to 12 or about 1 1/2 cups, I make an Angel food cake.
Spreading things out to freeze - I call it "Flash Freezing" ... I do Chopped Onions, Browned Hamburger Meat, Green Peppers, Homemade Dinner Rolls, Pizza Dough (either in balls or even rolled out and frozen flat) ... Been doing this for many years (I'm older than y'all) ... Works great, saves time and money. We recently purchased an electric canner ... And have been thrilled to canned 2 or 3 pints at a time of things like Spaghetti Sauce, Homemade Chili, Soups, BBQ Sauce .. Things I always made in larger batches but used to freeze.. Saves freezer room and is shelf stable in case of a power outage.
I like freezing bags of peel sliced apples for making pies or crisps. I also make extra pie dough discs to freeze. Chili, ham bones and soup as well. I love my freezer! 😁
Each and every video is inspiring. I never thought about freezing potatoes when they were rising in price. I did occasionally stock up when I caught a sale and could keep the, a couple of months in the corner of an enclosed stairwell that had no heat source. You asked about ideas of what we froze. I used to always make extra spaghetti sauce when I made it. Many times when my daughter visited that was what she loved. It takes minutes and one pot to make the spaghetti to go with it. I found spaghetti sauce was something that really freezes well and even tastes better. Cheating a little, but with that base of spaghetti sauce, can of beans , some cumin and chili powder, I could whip up chili on a cold day in no time flat. Since catching that virus going around x2, I have tried to keep some simple, easy to heat homemade food in the freezer. It keeps us from having to eat that sodium drenched canned soup. Love you both, and so glad you take such good care of your fur babies.
Yes, they are family to us! Shirley, just wanted to make it clear that when you freeze the potatoes it's important that you do not let the potatoes sit out long at room temperature before freezing them. Dry them quickly by patting them gently with the towel after the ice water bath and quickly freeze them.
Hello Emmy and Paul love all your videos. I cook all the time and my freezer is my best friend especially when I’m too tired to cook or hurting. Some things I freeze for sure are individual meals since my husband doesn’t like some foods that I do. I like making oatmeal pucks in my large muffin pan. In a bowel I put oatmeal, either cranberries, nuts, brown sugar, vanilla, raisins, apple pieces or whatever and make different kinds than put the tin in the freezer when frozen pop them out and put in freezer bag for a quick breakfast. I also make scrambled eggs, potato and cheese burritos . French bread pizzas, individual pot pies, desserts just so many things. Dorina Meyer
When butter is on sale I stock up and freeze the boxes it’s perfect when I thraw them . I freeze cookies in freezer bags so I am not tempted to eat them all after I cook them and when I fancy one just take it out of the bag and there’s a good treat. When there’s sales on bags of rice and cheeses I load up and freeze them. They are perfect when defrosted. Hope you had a great day to celebrate your mother in law’s birthday. Have a great week.
I tell my 23 yo who just moved out that the freezer should be her best friend! I freeze a lot of things, adding new things to it to see how it will fair like specialty flours i use for bread baking. I extend their life and flavor by doing so. I also froze m&m’s this past Christmas lol and they are 💯 fine and delicious! So far, so good. I do admit that i do not like the way dairy freezes so i avoid that and remain cognizant of best by dates.
With citrus, I scrub the lemons, limes, or grapefruit well. Dry them and then zest the fruits. I set the zests aside to be frozen separately. I spread the zest out on a cookie sheet to freeze it, then put into a baggie once frozen. It's easy to use just a bit when you need it. I juice the citrus and put the juice in a baggie, lay it flat, and freeze it that way. I can use as little or as much as I need. I also make confit by baking cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil in olive oil, with cracked pepper. I let it cool and then freeze in many small portions. I can thaw and use one in pasta or other dishes in the winter for a fresh burst of summer taste anytime.
I did a similar thing, added chunks of large tomatoes and all the fresh herbs I had left over... Bagged it up. In the dead of winter I took out a bag and dumped it over some chicken legs.. OMG it was some of the best tasting chicken ever! Those herbs just popped with flavor.
A couple weeks ago I minced a bunch of garlic and stored it in olive oil in a mason jar in the fridge. Can also be frozen in ice trays then stored in a freezer bag. Great for use when sauteing pretty much anything. If you can tomatoes and/or grow indeterminate tomatoes (they don't all ripen at once) or find a good deal but don't want to use them right away, core, score, throw them in a freezer bag until there's enough to can a batch. Skins also slip right off. I then take those skins, dehydrate, powder, then to turn into soups or add flavoring to whatever later on.
Wonderful ideas on freezing food! Another idea is freezing cookie dough. I bake 1/2 a batch and freeze the other 1/2 using a cookie scoop balls. These are great for a quick yummy treat especially if I do many different kinds chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, peanut butter ect.
Whole milk can look yellow when frozen, but returns to white after thawing and giving a good shake. I freeze all the things, LOL! We make big batches of meatballs, then freeze in meal-sized portions. Same with Italian sausage - bake till brown then cool and freeze. I’ll make several meatloaves, shape them (raw) on a waxed paper covered cookie sheet, then freeze. Once frozen hard, I wrap them individually. So easy to take out, thaw and bake. I love having multiple entrees from only one dirty bowl! If your freezer isn’t full, fill in the empty spots with bottles of clean drinking water - leave room in the bottle for expansion. If the power goes out, an unopened full deep freeze can stay safely cold for several hours. 🌸
I live alone. If I buy a half or whole gallon of milk I freeze it in four cup containers and defrost in fridge the night before for next days use. I often use canning jars for this. Not sure if right or wrong but works for me.
I discovered something after my husband passed away that works for me.
I make a batch of mashed potatoes using ample milk and butter. When cooled I use an ice cream scoop to portion out and put on cookie tray to freeze. I then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze. I can take out a couple at a time to include with my meal. I usually microwave in small bowl covered loosely with a cloth napkin or saucer. Hope this might help others. 🌷
That's such a great idea! Thanks Traille!
Do you find that when you freeze the potatoes this way the consistency is not the same? I froze mashed potatoes before and I found that the consistency was not what I cared for.😊
@@esthers9140 same, this is one freezer hack I’m either doing wrong or I just don’t like the way it tastes.
@@DivinevirgoFeminine same with cooked potatoes in stew and soup. 😞 My mother has this great recipe for a "party soup". The potatoes discolor and are not very nice after frozen. I made a note to cook the potatoes separately if freezing to make ahead. 😒
I freeze potatoes, par- boiled, mashed with milk & butter.
I also freeze rice and pasta and leftovers
My husband is gluten free so I freeze the "ends" of his GF bread. When the bag is full I let them dry out and make GF bread crumbs which saves a TON of $$.
Very creative thinking Gail! YAY!
I am also gluten free and I use the heels of my.bread to make stuffing. Just a thought
Great idea!!
@Judy Fleuriel I do this too.
I dice the heels of loaves and put in sandwich baggie and freeze. These are great food extenders in many dishes.
Butter recently went on sale, saving $1.50 a pound. I bought 20 pounds, saved $30 dollars!! Anxious to try freezing potatoes. Love this
What an amazing price on the butter! Just make sure you freeze the potatoes quickly don’t leave them sitting at room temperature
Emmy and Paul. My husband and I have been on a two year journey to go debt free. We have given up many things in the two years, gone without vacations etc… however we are only $2,000 away from achieving our goal! I want you both to know how important your videos have been to me, when I have felt like faltering I always watch you and get my mind back on track. Ty for all you do 💕
YAY!! CONGRATULATIONS! You are so close Terri! So proud of you!
Debt free, the best feeling in the world. Congratulations keep going.
We buy fresh veggies on sale, dice and freeze for future use, and savings.😊
Blueberries! I buy them by the bucket full every July. I wash them, dry them off on towels and pack into freezer containers. I don't spread them out on cookie trays to freeze individually, and I haven't had any problem with them sticking together. I have also frozen fresh cranberries right in their original bag. Again, no problem with sticking since they are dry.
Grandma used to grow cherry tomatoes in huge amounts. She'd pick the ripe ones, wash them, dry them, and put in a double bread bag, twist tie and popped them in the freezer. When she made soup she'd pop the tomatoes in and remove the peel as they cooked.
I make roasted cherry tomatoes in the winter as well
Sounds great!
I freeze nearly everything! Chopped jalapeño's, onions, colored peppers, cherry tomatoes, cheese , bread, butter, I have frozen milk before too. All with great results. I didn't know about rice. Great idea!
I did the same and was trying to figure out what to do with them. I had been chopping one or two for omelets, but need to go ahead and use up that bag fullI have.
I freeze grapes picked off the stems. Then when it is hot, Plop a frozen grape in your mouth. You will have a healthy cool down.
Great idea Paula!
I had bought a small bag of baby potatoes and left the peel on. I didn’t want to lose them to rot, so I cooked the whole bag. It took about an hour, but boy was it worth it. I let them cool, tossed them into a freezer bag and now I have them in the freezer. Winter time comes and I’m eating baby potatoes that I bought in the summer. 😊
That is so great!
I have watched all of your videos and honestly some of them I’ve watched multiple times. I had forgotten about this video. It’s truly one of my favorites. Sometimes I cringe thinking about all the food I’ve wasted in the past and it’s such a blessing to have these videos. You are really my favorite RUclips channel.
YAY! What an encouraging comment! Thank you!
I have been freezing many things for years, and I have learned to keep it super simple. If there are too many steps, I won't do it. As long as fruits and vegetables are dry you can freeze them in a thin layer directly in a freezer bag by laying them flat as they freeze, give them a crumble if they are sticking. I freeze sauces, avocados, pastes by spreading them thinning in a freezer bag, break off what you need. I also store my bags upright in dollar store baskets by categories in by freezer. Super easy to find what I need and to just add how much I want to a recipe.
You are definitely my kind of person. I hate wasting food.
We do too Katherine!
I've froze my bread for years..... usually buy a few loaves at a time then transfer them to fridge when I need a loaf.
I watch for sales on onions and peppers and chop and freeze them in user friendly amounts.
Freezing the whipped cream like that is genius! I freeze my citrus rinds after juicing. Then if I need some zest for a recipe, I grate the rind while frozen. Works like a dream.
Great idea!
Here's my hack with fresh ginger. I buy a chunk of ginger at the store, pop it into a bag and freeze it whole. When I want ginger for a recipe, I break off a small piece and grate it (with my zester). I never worry about peeling it, I just zest away until I have as much as I want, then pop it back into the freezer till next time! SO EASY!!
Great idea!! Thanks Susan!
I just grate off what I need then pop the leftover chunk back in the freezer. Fresh ginger all the time.
Should I peel it first and then throw in freezer? I have wasted sooo many ginger knobs. 🤦♀️
Hi Emmy and Paul I freeze my fresh garlic. We plant a ton of it so at harvest time we peel most of it and put it in zip lock bags and pop it in the freezer. When ready to use just take out what you need and use it just as you would fresh. you really dont even need to thaw it out. you can mince it, slice it or use the whole clove.
Great tip Beverly! Thanks!
I had no idea you could do this. What a great tip!
Great tip!!! I’m totally going to do this!
I wonder if roasting bulbs first would work. I'm finding eating garlic doesn't agree with my stomach as I get older. Same with bell peppers. I can live without green peppers, bit not garlic.
@@joanprout9619 I have not tried that but you can roast them and cover the garlic with olive oil and store them in the fridge, They will only last for a week.
I like to buy onions in bulk and then use a roaster to caramelize a ton at once. I portion them in my silicon muffin liners and freeze them. Once they're frozen I take them out of the muffin liners and bag them. Then I have little pucks of caramelize onions for whatever. Soups, curry's, baked potatoes, sky's the limit
So smart! Thanks!
Love your freezer tips and your channel! I make homemade pasta bags for to take to my office for lunch. I freeze cooked pasta (penne works well) on one tray, cooked ground beef or chicken strips on a separate tray, and the sauce in a greased ice cube tray (dedicated for this use only). After everything is frozen, I put a couple handfulls of pasta, few sauce cubes, and a bit of the meat into a ziplock bag or reusable glass container and back in the freezer for a quick office lunch. I usually get around 6 bags out of a box of pasta, but you can make them any size that fits your appetite. I've also made other frozen dinner inspired lunch ideas but this is the easiest and most reliable! Great way to save money on lunch and have more control over the ingredients.
What a great idea! Thanks!
I have done everything like you have in all my 50 years of cooking. Sadly all this old school freezing and cooking have escaped my wasteful good kids. Did you know that you can freeze potato chip bags and marshmallows as well? I enjoy how you explain everything so nicely. Stay safe and happiest. Isn’ it such fun loving the kitchen? Love from Kansas City, Mo.
Yes, I do love my kitchen like you! Love right back!
I use oatmilk so I freeze whole milk in pint containers .
Then I have regular milk for who ever comes over or cooking.
Tip: when you defrost milk, you can blitz it in a blender and get a nice consistency
Great tip!
I have an apple tree, so in the fall I freeze apple slices, & enjoy apple pies & crisps all winter long.
That's a great tip!
When I get a large bag of onions I use my food processor to chop them and freeze small portions in freezer bags . No waste onions and speeds up food preparation.
Great tip!
I always double bag my bread so it does not get soggy when thawed. Works great! These are awesome tips. I am going to be freezing my store bought frozen veggies in heavier bags. Thanks for all the great tips to make our food go further and stay fresher longer.
Phoebe, so happy you enjoy our videos! Thank you for your great tip!
I regularly freeze many things in my kitchen! I have always frozen butter purchased on sale…since it has skyrocketed in price, I’ve never had to pay full price. I also get cheese and cream cheese on discount and put it directly into the freezer. I make a good homemade vegetable soup and I freeze the small amount left over and use that as a “soup starter” base for my next batch…it works great! I learned a lot from this video….thank you Emmy and Paul!💕💕
Thank you Wendy for sharing!
My kids say “Mom will freeze anything!!!” I’m always telling them just freeze I! 😆 I freeze all my nuts and seeds also herbs from my garden for use in the winter months. I freeze grated garlic in a bit of olive oil for easy use in sauces too . just put them in ice cube trays! You could save your ginger container and make more cubes when you’re done with it! Love my freezers!❤️
Yes, I was thinking of that too with the ginger tray lol!
Thanks for the great tips. I make 10# of mashed potatoes and freeze in small portions, I also buy a #10 can of pizza sauce at a local pizza restaurant supplier and portion it into 8oz containers and freeze them for our Saturday night pizza parties, the big can of pizza sauce is enough for about 26 -14" pizzas the quality and cost of the pizza sauce is soo much cheaper than store bought pizza sauce. Thanks for the great content in you videos.
Great tips John! Thanks so much!
I use this freezer method for red and green peppers. Works great for chilis, soups etc.
Yes, that's another great one!
Observation when looking at the comments from viewers. Unlike most other sites when you ask a question to Frugal Money Saver it actually get answered or when you comment there is a response. Happy to subscribe to a couple who considers their viewers.
We really try our best! So happy you are here Dana! Thank you!
Just walk down the frozen food aisle and you can see what can be frozen! Great video! Thanks for all the great freezer tips! I freeze the warehouse club packages of butter, cheese and bread. I also buy meat on sale and break down large packages into smaller portions that I will use for myself.
Yes, so true!
Great video. I freeze tomato paste the same way you do your veggies. I take a can of tomato paste and empty it into a small Ziploc bag.flattened it takes up no space. When I need some I break off what I need. Faster than finding can opener and so much cheaper than the fancy imported tubes.
Yes, great tip Joan, thanks!
As I live alone, I usually cook more than needed at any one meal. I then portion the leftovers and freeze them. I also freeze canned pasta sauce in individual portions. Cuts down on waste and spoilage.
That's a great idea!
I love when something is on sale and I buy Xtra of just to freeze, my grocery store had onions on sale 3 pounds for.89c I sliced, diced and shredded them up and put in the freezer two months ago and I still have some. ✌️🙏💗
I freeze tomato paste in tablespoon portions to be added to soups and stews. Thanks for the great tips!
Emmy, I too am a Freezer Queen! 🙋♀️😂
One of my favorite things to freeze is a white sauce or Bechamel Sauce! I simply thaw it out, give it a little whisk and use it as a cream of chicken soup base for casseroles, lasagna or anything you'd use a white sauce for. My secret ingredient is chicken bouillon. It's so good! Add grated cheese and it becomes a cheese sauce.
I also brown sausage and ground beef and flash freeze it in a baking pan then keep it in a freezer bag to use just the amount I need because it doesn't stick together.
All great freezer ideas Susan! Thanks!
Also, if you are a baker, you can grate your frozen butter right into your flour for making really super flaky pie crust or biscuits!
Very true!
I keep a bag of chopped onion, red pepper and poblano pepper mix in freezer so I can pull out a 1/4 cup for white chicken chili or a black bean stir fry that my son enjoys. It saves me a bunch of time from cutting up vegetables individually for different dinners.
Very smart, Sharon!
One of my favorite things to freeze over the last year is butter. I buy it when it goes on sale (like around $2 lb). I buy the limit and freeze it. I have over a years worth in my freezer and we rotate it. When butter was over $5 lb (for regular store brand butter) I didn't have to purchase it for months. I do the same with eggs. It really does help when prices are soaring.
Yes, I agree so much Dawn!
My Food Saver has been my gift from God! I use it often!
When onions or peppers are on sale I buy a bunch of them. We chop and freeze both for recipes and sti0fry. I also slice fresh squash and zucchini to use in recipes.
Hi Emmy, Love this video, great job. Because I live alone and the Irish in me loves mashed potatoes, I freeze them. I make a big pot of the potatoes, mash them up with milk and butter. Then get a cookie sheet and put them in a blob of how much I'm going to eat per serving. After they are frozen, I put them all in a big zip lock bag. Then when I want some, I just put one blob in the microwave for a few minutes. Love it because I don't have to wash a pot. Keep making great videos. Hi to Paul too! Love you guys!
Great idea! Thanks!
I do the same with squash, sweet potatoes, turnip. Anything you can mash.
Llp
❤ Paul and Emmy! Yet another fun video with great tips! We, too, freeze almost anything! I love to "cook big" and freeze half for when I don't feel like cooking, so we always have something to eat...like spaghetti sauce, soups, beans, anything! ❤
Yes, that's the best way to cook Antoinette!
I make the mashed potatoes (sometimes with add-ins) and THEN freeze it flat in a bag or in a dish that I can microwave them in.
I freeze most things, especially extra portions of food to use as ready meals when I’m busy.
Yes, so smart to cook that way!
I have frozen leftovers of wine in ice cube container. So you have a small amount to flavor sauces.
Smart Gabi!
I freeze diced fresh bell peppers. They frequently go on sale at our local vegitable stand. About a month ago they were $1 lb. We asked where they came from this time of year, Mexico. Got beautiful red ones and ate a lot of strips but I add the diced ones to about any casserole or sauce. Adds flavor and vitamins. Pre frozen strps are$1.59 for 8 oz.
Yes, peppers do freeze beautifully!
I grow lots of tomatoes and freeze them. I just pick them and put them in gallon bags, dirt and all! When I'm ready to can them or use them in a dish, I hold them under warm running water and the skin rubs off. Then I can cut them up for making salsa to can or mash them in a dish I'm making. I also buy large packages of yeast. I keep a small jar in the fridge and freeze the rest in a freezer bag.
Thanks for sharing!
When freezing a product in its original package be careful if you are having out of town guests. This last Christmas, my son and his family visited for a few days. Knowing they were coming, I took a package of frozen bacon out of the freezer. He looked in the refrigerator, saw the package, saw the expiration date and THREW IT OUT! Kids! :)
That is a Kitchen 101 training issue for however old he is.
😢
We just oral surgery dome and has been sending me a message.
Let me guess was his initials BL LOL!!!
He was sure helpful in a way😄
I just saw recently that if you freeze cabbage, it makes it easier to make cabbage rolls. I didn't start with a whole head but froze some outside leaves from St. Patrick's Day to give it a try.
I freeze most things as well. My favourite thing to freeze (that people find weird) are sauces/stocks/gravies. When I cook chicken in the Instant Pot, I always cool the stock and then pour into an ice cube tray (that is labeled for sauce use only). Once frozen, I pop them out and put them in a freezer bag to use later. I do the same thing with things like leftover gravies, tomato paste, flavoured butter, etc. One thing I would be cautious of freezing are sauces that have dairy in them (like the sour cream in a Swedish meatball gravy), in my experience they don’t hold up well.
Very smart!
Hi, Emmy! Great tips today! Never heard of freezing cooked rice and I will definitely be trying that idea. One of my newest items to freeze is tomato paste...I wrap tablespoon portions in wax paper and put them into a larger freezer bag. Have a wonderful day!
I use a sillicone ice cube tray. Pop out and put in a bag. Reusable and
perfect portion sizes. 😃
That's such a good idea, Pam!
I use a small cookie scoop. I put the scoops on a cookie sheet and flash freeze, then store in a ziplock bag.
Best fried rice uses frozen rice❤️
I already freeze my bread in order to turn it into resistant starch. This helps the diet.
I freeze a few portions of my favourite home made spaghetti sauce in single-serve freezer safe containers for future meals
We buy bread at a day old bakery, about 10 loaves at a time and freeze them. They are about half price and it takes us several days to use a loaf anyway. Carole
Carole, that's a great idea!
I just take regular whole ginger or whole cloves of garlic. When I need ginger or garlic, I use a small grader. I don't even peel the ginger.
Check out prices & weight of fresh compared with frozen. Fresh foods are not always cheaper. I found I was freezing fresh vegetables & fruit to eat later but frozen was much cheaper in my supermarket. I lost hours in prep too. Now I buy the big bags & divvy them out in either single or double portions.
I don’t use my food saver on veg (as we eat veg quickly & because of the cost to make up the bags) but it comes into its own on meats. Popping the veg in cheap food bags on the roll & then popping them in the thicker zip lock bags to protect the veg is fine. The bags are reusable. Elastic bands to hold bags shut is good too.
Yes, thanks for sharing those tips Dana!
I have a freezer bag with what is left when I prep my veggies. All those pieces nobody is going to eat. Bit by bit the bag fills up and I can make wonderful vegetable stock.
And I freeze unbaked biscuits and German "Laugenbrezeln" (I live in Germany). This way I can have them fresh whenever I want.
Thanks for sharing and watching!
I always make a blender of fruit and yogurt smoothies which is about twice as much as I'd drink. So I pour my big mug full and then put what's left in half pint Mason jars with screw on tops and freeze them for quick frozen desserts at a later time. Just leave a little space at the top for expansion. They way I always use up my fresh fruit and yogurt before they go bad. I add a scoop of protein powder sometimes and have that instead of a meal.
What a great way to use up leftover whipped cream! I love that idea! I always freeze rice in 1/2 cup portions - since I still work, it's easy on a busy night to throw together a stir fry and serve it over rice with a homemade stir fry sauce. I just add my baggie of rice to a bowl of hot water to defrost it while I assemble the stir fry. I also freeze herbs - I look up how to best freeze and store them, but then they don't go to waste and I get a treat later when I can add those herbs to jazz up a dish.
So good!
I freeze my tomatoes from my garden. I wash them, let dry. Then, put the tomatoes on a cookie sheet and into the freezer. Once the tomatoes are frozen, I put them in a food saver bag, seal it, and the tomatoes will stay whole. Back into the freezer until I'm ready to use them. I use them for homemade sauces and salsa.
Yes, frozen tomatoes from summer are the best!!
I've started using those freezer bags. They are a godsend!
Wow Emmy and Paul!! You two are better than Google!! Thanks for the video!!
LOL! Thanks Eileen!
Hi Emmy! I am about a week into this channel. You are so encouraging 😊
YAY! I love to hear that Jeanne! Thank you!
Hi Emmy and Paul! We freeze leftover brewed coffe in ice cube trays to use in iced coffees and lattes. I freeze orange peels in a bag and use them as an airfreshener by putting the peels, a little cinnamon, clove, and ginger in some water in a sauce pan and put on a burner on low to simmer for a short-time and then turn it off and the house smells wonderful for hours. In the summer I leave out the cloves and ginger and put a splash of vanilla in instead. We also freeze all our left over cooked veggies in a zipper freezer bag and when it's full it goes in vegetable soup. I also freeze left overs in plastic containers with dividers so my husband can take to work another day and have a hot home cooked meal. ❤
All wonderful suggestions L C! Thank you!
Great video I always learned something new from you ,,👍😎
I was very surprised to find whole fresh chicken today 2.99 lb 🇨🇦 I made chicken soup called “ scotch broth chicken soup” has barley in it ,I got 11 meals from my $10. Chicken ,,,so good ,I also made home made bread in my machine ,did the the # and came out to $1,10 per meal for the soup and bread and I froze the remaining soup in glass jars in freezer ,, it was sooo good the next day ,,win win ,,,
Good Bless you and Paul 😊
Love that Cathy! 11 Meals! That's so wonderful! God Bless you as well, thank you!
I like to have a plan for using foods such as potatoes which we buy in 5lb-7lb bags when they go on sale. Every Sunday we do an easy roast dinner, rotating through a whole chicken, pork roast, whole chicken and a beef roast which we make with 2 days of baked potatoes for a leftover dinner on Monday night. This alone uses up the potatoes at a good rate so they don't go bad and we always have them on hand, fresh.
That's a great idea! Thanks!
Those were all some really good ideas! What I freeze, that a lot of people may not think to, are peppers. Every other year I grow sweet peppers. I just used the last chunk of pepper from what I grew last year today! I cut my peppers up into smaller chunks because we just don't need to use a whole pepper in most of what we eat. And I put the chunks into a freezer bag and they last all winter. I just take out what I need and leave the rest.
Now, this year I won't be growing peppers but I purchased some at a good price and recently cut them up and put them in the freezer. I won't need to purchase peppers for quite a while.
Thanks for another good vlog!
Great! Thanks Barbara! Peppers do freeze really well!
Prayers going 🙏 up for Everyone Ritzi and Me Love 💘 💕❤ 💖 💗♥ Cheer from Texas
Thank You Kindly 🙏🏿
Thanks so much Wanda and Ritzi!
I buy chicken tenders in bulk and freeze them in small portions. It’s so easy and they stay nice for a long time. I also chop onions and peppers for the freezer. It makes cooking faster and they don’t go to waste. Thank you for your videos!!! ☮️😊❤️🌎
Thank you for watching our videos!
I’ve never tried freezing potatoes, but I freeze many of the other items you mentioned. I also freeze snack bars like Kind and Belvita in the original wrapping and take one when I go to a morning appointment or shopping or on a road trip.
That's a great idea!
Jeanne, just wanted to make it clear that when you freeze the potatoes it's important that you do not let the potatoes sit out long at room temperature before freezing them. Dry them quickly by patting them gently with the towel after the ice water bath and quickly freeze them.
I freeze soups and chilli. I live alone so this works for me. I freeze a container with left overs until I get enough to make veg soup. Always good
So smart Sandy!
Hey Emmy and Paul! I never thought to freeze whipped cream (usually if there is leftovers I use it in my coffee as a treat) but I love this idea to have on hand for hot chocolate! Thanks! Also, use those containers you save to freeze your leftover milk, it will save you room in your freezer instead of putting the whole gallon container in there. Hope you guys have a great week! 😊
You as well, thanks Heather!
Milk paper like container you can wash and open them up flat.
They work great to chop on! Especially meat's and messy things, it saved the work of cleaning and sterilization of your board's!
They also make good storage boxes! Like orange juice ones with those twist of tops. You cut it open... Box like, leave the top cap on... It works as a kinda handle! They hold all kind of small items in the cupboard or drawers even! 😁
I batch cook spring rolls when cabbage is cheap, and they freeze beautifully after they are fried just a bit under done. They finish in the air - fryer and are a hit every time.
Sounds great!
I freeze ginger whole. When you need it cut off a piece and frozen ginger is easy to grate. I also freeze waffles and do batch cooking. I grow basil ...I blend it up with a small amount of olive oil and freeze it in ice cube trays. Just to say a few.
Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely LOVE these hacks! I have been following you for a while but am going back through your videos and “catching up” on the ones I have missed! Love your videos! ❤️
Yay! Thank you!
Hello! I freeze small containers of a leftover meal for a hot, homemade, future work lunch! Viola!
So smart Joni!
We grow lots of basil and parsley. When I harvest the basil we make pesto out of it and freeze it in ice cube trays. When frozen all the way through I put them in a ziplock bag. They are ready to add to sauce, soup or pasta. When we harvest or buy parsley, I wash it and let it dry on a clean towel. Take it off the stems and give it a quick chop with a knife. I put it all in a plastic container put a piece of wax paper over the parsley and freeze. The leaves never stick together. You can just grab an handful and add it to whatever you are making.
Wonderful, thanks!
I freeze bread always.
I buy breaded chicken patties and repackage them, wrapping them individually and put them in freezer bags.
Those ZIPLOC freezer bags have become my friends!
I also repackage vegetables in ZIPLOC freezer bags.
Sounds great!
So many great freezer tips! We freeze portions of soups, stews, casseroles etc. to be used one or two for a meal another day. Also juice lemons and limes and freeze in ice cube trays to have on hand. We food saver our ripe bananas to freeze so they don't turn dark and use for baking, smoothies, and nice cream. We also cook double the meat usually and food saver half or more to freeze for meals another day which means less cooking and dirty dishes then. Thank you so much! 💕🙏
Thanks so much for sharing Lulu!! Great ideas!
Today I used a frozen egg for my meatloaf, as well as some rice I froze. I freeze leftover milk in small containers to use, I don’t use much and it’s often leftover. I freeze everything, lol. Makes my life easier.
Doesn't it though!
I have been freezing fresh broth, fat pieces, and bone pieces. I have berry bushes in my yard. I plan on freezing what I pick.
So smart to freeze fat actually!
I cut onions, celery, carrots, peppers and place in reusable bags. I make a blend for fajitas, spaghetti, chili, chicken noodle soup. I also “re-bag” frozen veggies like corn, peas, broccoli, green beans to make my own veggie blends for
vegetable beef soup and chicken pot pie. Several times a year, I will make 4-5 different cookie doughs, scoop into balls or make into shapes and freeze them on cookie sheet then place in ziploc bags. I freeze my butter too. I stock up when BOGO.
Sounds great! That's so smart Karen!
Great video! Our freezers are such an asset! I freeze much of what you and Paul freeze, Emmy. We are bean eaters so I always make extra and freeze. Have a wonderful recipe for black bean brownies. Also beans for soup. Lentils freeze well. Home made granola always made in double batches to freeze one of the batches.
Keep the encouragement coming. Thank you, Paul and Emmy. We all need to help one another to continue on this frugal journey ❤️
So true Mary, thank you!
When a recipe calls for egg yolks I save the white in a freezer container. I put a piece of tape or paper on the top. When I add any to the container I add a slash mark on the tape for each one. When I get to 12 or about 1 1/2 cups, I make an Angel food cake.
That's a great idea! Paul's favorite!
What a great idea! Thanks!
Spreading things out to freeze - I call it "Flash Freezing" ... I do Chopped Onions, Browned Hamburger Meat, Green Peppers, Homemade Dinner Rolls, Pizza Dough (either in balls or even rolled out and frozen flat) ... Been doing this for many years (I'm older than y'all) ... Works great, saves time and money.
We recently purchased an electric canner ... And have been thrilled to canned 2 or 3 pints at a time of things like Spaghetti Sauce, Homemade Chili, Soups, BBQ Sauce .. Things I always made in larger batches but used to freeze.. Saves freezer room and is shelf stable in case of a power outage.
Oh my gosh I didn't know there was such a thing...electric canner!
I like freezing bags of peel sliced apples for making pies or crisps. I also make extra pie dough discs to freeze. Chili, ham bones and soup as well. I love my freezer! 😁
Yes, great idea!
I always freeze blocks of cheese, butter, breads, cookies, tortillas....leftovers but place in certain place so I can find it.. berries on sale...
Each and every video is inspiring. I never thought about freezing potatoes when they were rising in price. I did occasionally stock up when I caught a sale and could keep the, a couple of months in the corner of an enclosed stairwell that had no heat source. You asked about ideas of what we froze. I used to always make extra spaghetti sauce when I made it. Many times when my daughter visited that was what she loved. It takes minutes and one pot to make the spaghetti to go with it. I found spaghetti sauce was something that really freezes well and even tastes better. Cheating a little, but with that base of spaghetti sauce, can of beans , some cumin and chili powder, I could whip up chili on a cold day in no time flat. Since catching that virus going around x2, I have tried to keep some simple, easy to heat homemade food in the freezer. It keeps us from having to eat that sodium drenched canned soup. Love you both, and so glad you take such good care of your fur babies.
Yes, they are family to us! Shirley, just wanted to make it clear that when you freeze the potatoes it's important that you do not let the potatoes sit out long at room temperature before freezing them. Dry them quickly by patting them gently with the towel after the ice water bath and quickly freeze them.
Hello Emmy and Paul love all your videos. I cook all the time and my freezer is my best friend especially when I’m too tired to cook or hurting. Some things I freeze for sure are individual meals since my husband doesn’t like some foods that I do. I like making oatmeal pucks in my large muffin pan. In a bowel I put oatmeal, either cranberries, nuts, brown sugar, vanilla, raisins, apple pieces or whatever and make different kinds than put the tin in the freezer when frozen pop them out and put in freezer bag for a quick breakfast. I also make scrambled eggs, potato and cheese burritos . French bread pizzas, individual pot pies, desserts just so many things. Dorina Meyer
Dorina, that is so smart!
When butter is on sale I stock up and freeze the boxes it’s perfect when I thraw them . I freeze cookies in freezer bags so I am not tempted to eat them all after I cook them and when I fancy one just take it out of the bag and there’s a good treat. When there’s sales on bags of rice and cheeses I load up and freeze them. They are perfect when defrosted. Hope you had a great day to celebrate your mother in law’s birthday. Have a great week.
Yes, the day was lovely! Thanks so much for asking Melody!
Emmy I freeze what left in fridge before holidays to
Smart Kerry!
I tell my 23 yo who just moved out that the freezer should be her best friend! I freeze a lot of things, adding new things to it to see how it will fair like specialty flours i use for bread baking. I extend their life and flavor by doing so. I also froze m&m’s this past Christmas lol and they are 💯 fine and delicious! So far, so good. I do admit that i do not like the way dairy freezes so i avoid that and remain cognizant of best by dates.
Yes, dairy can be iffy like I said!
With citrus, I scrub the lemons, limes, or grapefruit well. Dry them and then zest the fruits. I set the zests aside to be frozen separately. I spread the zest out on a cookie sheet to freeze it, then put into a baggie once frozen. It's easy to use just a bit when you need it. I juice the citrus and put the juice in a baggie, lay it flat, and freeze it that way. I can use as little or as much as I need. I also make confit by baking cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil in olive oil, with cracked pepper. I let it cool and then freeze in many small portions. I can thaw and use one in pasta or other dishes in the winter for a fresh burst of summer taste anytime.
I did a similar thing, added chunks of large tomatoes and all the fresh herbs I had left over... Bagged it up. In the dead of winter I took out a bag and dumped it over some chicken legs..
OMG it was some of the best tasting chicken ever! Those herbs just popped with flavor.
I make garlic confit but never thought to do the same with tomatoes. Thank you!
Great video. Lots of freezer hacks and tips that I wasn't aware of.
So happy it was helpful Mary!
A couple weeks ago I minced a bunch of garlic and stored it in olive oil in a mason jar in the fridge. Can also be frozen in ice trays then stored in a freezer bag. Great for use when sauteing pretty much anything. If you can tomatoes and/or grow indeterminate tomatoes (they don't all ripen at once) or find a good deal but don't want to use them right away, core, score, throw them in a freezer bag until there's enough to can a batch. Skins also slip right off. I then take those skins, dehydrate, powder, then to turn into soups or add flavoring to whatever later on.
Thanks for sharing Mary!
I make homemade pesto when my basil is flourishing and freeze it in 1/4 cup containers. We have pesto all winter long!
Sounds great!
Wonderful ideas on freezing food! Another idea is freezing cookie dough. I bake 1/2 a batch and freeze the other 1/2 using a cookie scoop balls. These are great for a quick yummy treat especially if I do many different kinds chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, peanut butter ect.
Sounds great!
Whole milk can look yellow when frozen, but returns to white after thawing and giving a good shake. I freeze all the things, LOL! We make big batches of meatballs, then freeze in meal-sized portions. Same with Italian sausage - bake till brown then cool and freeze. I’ll make several meatloaves, shape them (raw) on a waxed paper covered cookie sheet, then freeze. Once frozen hard, I wrap them individually. So easy to take out, thaw and bake. I love having multiple entrees from only one dirty bowl! If your freezer isn’t full, fill in the empty spots with bottles of clean drinking water - leave room in the bottle for expansion. If the power goes out, an unopened full deep freeze can stay safely cold for several hours. 🌸
Yes! Such great tips! Thanks!
I live alone. If I buy a half or whole gallon of milk I freeze it in four cup containers and defrost in fridge the night before for next days use. I often use canning jars for this. Not sure if right or wrong but works for me.
Frozen rice is the best for making homemade fried rice. Quick and delicious lunch😊
Yes 😊