Many of us look down on “freezer food”. Ideally, we want everything to be made fresh—but truth is, most of us don’t have the time to prepare every meal from scratch. “When we think about frozen foods, we tend to think that the quality and taste doesn’t match that of fresh foods,” says Lisa Kathleen Daly, author of Healthy Eating for the Time Poor. “But you can freeze many everyday foods and still enjoy the flavour, nutrition and goodness a much as the day they were prepared.”
“The number one rule of thumb is to make sure that any foods you intend to freeze are kept cooled in the fridge first and then stored in airtight containers/storage bags.”
Read on as Lisa takes us through some of her most helpful freezer tips for the time-poor (ie. everyone nowadays):
Some of the best foods to keep frozen:
- Spaghetti sauce
- Chicken, beef, vegetable curries
- Homemade lasagne
- Homemade pizza
- Homemade soup
- Homemade stock/gravy
- Veggies
- Bananas/other fruits for smoothies (peeled)
Some items that you may not realise you can freeze are:
- Herbs, garlic, chilli
- Freshly squeezed lemon, orange, grapefruit juice etc. (With liquids, don’t fill the storage container as liquid expands when frozen)
- Leftover wine (although not great to drink, if you store in ice cube trays it can be used in your cooking)
- Fresh vegetables (pre-blanch for around 30 seconds in boiling water)
How long do items last in the freezer?
Some ingredients store for longer periods than others in the freezer. For example a loaf of bread or a tub of butter will store well for around one month. Cooked meats store well for up to 3 months, whereas a fresh chicken or roast will store for up to 6 months. Thawed poultry and meats need to be cooked at a temperature of at least 180 degrees celsius. When freezing fresh herbs, chop them first and store in small containers for convenience and add a little olive oil to make a paste. You can even store these in ice cube trays, making for a handy portion whenever you want to add a little extra flavour your recipes. These will store well for up to 6 months.
Healthy Eating for the Time Poor, New Holland Publishers RRP $26.99
Available from all good books retailers or online www.newhollandpublishers.com
