Freezer Stock Up
You can freeze almost any food, but that doesn't always mean you should. Your freezer has limited space, and some foods don't hold up in texture, color, or flavor as well as others do in the freezer, so what you keep in it should be functional and multi-use foods that will store well for months. A planned and purposeful variety of food is excellent for gourmet-style cooking and quick and easy meals.Stocking up on protein is the best use for your freezer space. Chicken and ground beef are go-tos for many. Chicken is a lean protein and thaws quicker than most meats. Ground beef is great for many quick meals like burgers, tacos, and meatloaf. Keeping seafood in your freezer can add variety to dinner, and seafood thaws quickly, like chicken, helping keep meal prep time down.
Speaking of meal prep, keeping pre-cut vegetables in your freezer makes incorporating them into your meals super easy. Cut up leftover produce or store frozen veggies in a file sorter like this. If using fresh veggies, ensure you thoroughly clean them and that they are completely dry before adding them to an air-tight freezer bag. This practice will help reduce the chance of freezer burn.
Remember your fruit. There is nothing better than fresh fruit in the winter. Stocking up on fruit in the summer is excellent for many reasons. Smoothies are an easy way to incorporate more fruit into your diet, and having frozen mango, pineapple, or strawberries from the summer does the trick! If you're in the mood for a pie, take out a bag of freshly-frozen blueberries, apples, or cherries, and you have a sweet summer treat in February. Avocados freeze nicely in an air-tight bag and are a must for Taco Tuesdays.
If you find yourself with leftover bread from the week, don't let it get stale or moldy, bread can keep for months in the freezer, and having it on hand can eliminate extra trips to the store. Loaves of bread, dinner rolls, English muffins, and bagels are easy to store as long as they are in an air-tight bag.
Consider freezing your homemade pesto or marinara. Only a few know that sauces and broth keep well in the freezer. Putting the sauce or broth in ice cube trays or portion-ready containers to freeze helps so you don't have to thaw out more than you need.
Winter is the time for baking. Frozen butter and premade cookie dough make it easy to whip something up quickly for that school party you forgot about or to give way to your sweet tooth. For the cookie dough, roll it into balls and par-freeze on a cookie sheet before placing them in an air-tight bag for the freezer. That way, they don't stick together, and you can bake as few or as many as you like.
Make room for ice cream. When you're craving the sweet, creamy goodness, it's ready to go. You can keep the store-bought containers in your freezer or portion them out with your toppings in a freezer-safe container as a grab-and-go snack.
2023 is the year to be ready for any cooking adventure! Stocking up your freezer is a great way to do just that and to start the New Year right. You'll have everything you need for new recipes, family favorites, and everything in between.
Visit Kuhns Market to start your Freezer Stock Up list!