Both chefs and housewives will agree that food today is not cheap. Therefore, when we see a favorite product on sale, our first instinct is to buy more. We always need some products, both for everyday cooking and for culinary delights on holidays. Therefore, it would be logical to purchase them in large quantities. But the same logic tells us that buying ten sticks of butter or twelve heads of cheese at once is not the best idea.

On the other hand, if you plan to use all of these products over the next year, don't hesitate. Because the freezer is your new best friend. Below is a list of staple foods that you didn't know much about.

Surprisingly, some foods that we wouldn’t think of storing at low temperatures not only tolerate it perfectly, but are even better preserved in the freezer. Did you see a sale of nuts in the store for 10 rubles per kilogram? Take as much as you can carry! Do you have a lot of greenery in your garden? And there is a place for it in the freezer. In fact, almost any product can be frozen and thawed without harming its taste and nutritional properties. If saving money doesn't seem like enough motivation for you, consider that you can portion ready-made meals, freeze them, and thus avoid overeating.
Using aluminum foil, plastic bags and film, you can store food for months. So take a look in your refrigerator and make room for your new supplies.

Here are 15 foods you can freeze

Milk

You bought 5 liters of milk, but now it’s time to go on vacation? It won't go to waste! Milk can be frozen, but you need to follow some rules. Pour some milk out of the bottle so that when it starts to freeze, it has room to expand. Once you get home, put your frozen milk in the refrigerator for a day or two. It is best to freeze fresh milk and keep it in the freezer for no longer than 4-6 weeks.

Butter

Frozen butter is especially useful if you bake a lot. Everything is very simple. Place the packaged butter in a plastic bag or wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate overnight before using. Usually butter is stored in the freezer for no longer than six months, although there have been cases when it remained tasty for up to a year.

Nuts

Why don't you freeze nuts yet? Very in vain. If you need to always have several varieties of nuts on hand for different dishes, the freezer is the best solution. Nuts (especially shelled ones) contain a lot of fat, and therefore quickly spoil and become bitter under the influence of high temperature, humidity, light or even metal. Store nuts in a vacuum sealed plastic container. Unshelled nuts can last up to eight months in the freezer. Just remember that one bitter nut can ruin your entire dish, so be sure to taste them before using.

Cheese

Any hostess who has ever organized a party knows how convenient it is to serve cheese plates to guests. So if you come across a cheese sale, don't hesitate to buy more. The cheese can be stored in its original packaging, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Soft cheeses and spreads can be stored in the freezer for a month, but hard cheeses can be stored for up to six months. Be sure to refrigerate the frozen cheese overnight before serving.

Bakery

Bread, cookies, cakes, pies, whatever! Your freezer can handle all of these products. Freezing is a great way to prepare for a party ahead of time or stash extra sweets away. Once cooled, wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place in a vacuum sealed container. This way they can be stored for up to a month. Uncut cakes or brownies can also be wrapped in film and placed in the freezer for three months, and they need to be thawed at room temperature. Store-bought bread or muffins should be cooled in the refrigerator without opening the packaging, and then transferred to the freezer, where they can stay for up to two months. You can use the microwave for quick defrosting. You can also freeze the raw dough and then quickly defrost it to bake something.

Flour

Pesto

If you don't know what to do with your huge supply of basil, save it in pesto form. Prepare the sauce, spoon it into ice cube trays and freeze. Once the pesto has frozen, the cubes can be placed in a plastic vacuum container and stored for 6-8 months. To defrost the sauce, take the required number of cubes and let them stand at room temperature or in the refrigerator

Greenery

Let's say your garden has a lot of greens and herbs this year. Sometimes they lose their taste after drying. Freezing fresh herbs helps preserve their taste and smell as much as possible. Greens can be cut into portions before freezing. Place the greens on a baking sheet, cover with a sheet of baking paper and place in the freezer. Once the greens are frozen, transfer them to a vacuum sealed plastic bag and store until needed. You can also put chopped greens in ice trays and fill halfway with water. Cubes of frozen greens can be immediately added to prepared dishes, and mint can be added to iced tea or cocktails.

Cream cheese and sour cream

In the case of cream cheese, there are some restrictions on freezing. If you plan to spread it on bread in the morning, it is better not to put the cheese in the freezer, as the cold will change its consistency. However, if you use cheese for cooking or baking, frozen cheese will work just fine. It can be stored in the freezer in its original packaging for up to three months. Freezing with sour cream works on the same principle: it freezes easily, is great for cooking, but it changes the consistency. We recommend whipping the sour cream before freezing to properly distribute the moisture in it, and also after defrosting in the refrigerator to return it to its former shape (you can also add two tablespoons of starch to the sour cream). Sour cream can be stored in the refrigerator in store-bought packaging and a vacuum plastic bag for three months.

Jam

Each of us dreams of a spoonful of sweet homemade jam in the cold winter, and it is also very convenient to freeze it. Just fill the jar with jam and put it in the freezer! It does not expand much at low temperatures. To defrost the jam, place the jar in the refrigerator overnight. Enjoy fresh jam for up to a year, after which it will begin to lose flavor.

Rice

Cooked rice can be quickly frozen and then used as needed. Let the rice cool and then transfer to a container or plastic bag. To defrost, transfer the rice to a bowl with a small amount of water and heat it in the microwave.

Wine

If you have unfinished wine, don't throw it away! Instead, it can be poured into ice cube trays or a plastic bag and frozen. Freezing will not affect its taste and smell in any way, and you will always have wine on hand for sauces.

Eggs

To freeze eggs, break them into a bowl, beat them lightly and pour the mixture into ice cube trays or a plastic bag. For baking, you can freeze the yolks and whites separately.

Tomato paste

How many times have you had to buy an entire jar of tomato paste just for the few tablespoons needed in a recipe? Next time, try freezing the leftovers in an ice cube tray. Now, when you prepare your next spaghetti sauce, you will always have pasta cubes on hand.

Fresh juice

During citrus season, you can squeeze as much delicious juice as you want and then freeze it. For example, you can pour juice into ice molds and insert a stick into each of them, so you can get healthy ice cream.

Now you see that by freezing many products you can not only save money, but also simplify the cooking process. We hope that our tips will be useful to you!

If you ask me which kitchen appliance I find most useful, I will no doubt tell you the freezer. I don't know of any other device that works as hard, does its job quietly, and saves me a lot of time and money.

Some people underuse and underuse their freezers. They store processed foods, ice cream and the like in them. If you are one of these people, let your freezer help you save time, money and effort.

It doesn’t matter whether you are the happy owner of a free-standing freezer or one combined with a refrigerator. Any freezer can be used effectively.

Top 6 reasons to use your freezer more efficiently:

1. You won’t need to go to the grocery store often, saving time and money

2.Can store products you rarely use, saving money

3. Allows you to store products purchased in bulk and on special offers, saving money

4. Allows you to have products on hand for those times when you spontaneously decide to cook something, saving time on going to the store

5. You can freeze already prepared food, saving time

6. Allows you to store baked goods for breakfast or snacks, saving money and time

Below I will list 50 foods that can be frozen and stored in the freezer. I froze all of these items, and most likely, many of these items are still in my freezer. I will not list the products that you buy frozen, because I assume that you yourself will figure out how to freeze them. For example, the most common is freezing berries, fruits and vegetables. You can learn how to freeze them correctly.

50 foods you can freeze to save money and time

1. Bread. It is better to freeze fresh, whole loaves, and to defrost, take them out overnight and put them in the refrigerator.

2. Chips, pretzels and crackers. If you bought a lot of packages at a promotion or on sale, they can be frozen. Have you ever tried cold and crispy chips? Try it, you will definitely like it!

3. Cereals. This applies to breakfast cereals, bars and crispy rice sticks.

4. Margarine and butter

5. Buns for hot dogs and hamburgers

6. Chocolate chips and drops

7. Oatmeal

8. Flour. When stored in a cupboard, flour may harbor bugs. To avoid this, freeze the flour.

9. Brown sugar

10. Meat. Buy it on sale or in bulk and freeze it immediately.

11. Wheat germ, wheat bran, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. Sometimes a recipe calls for an ingredient that you rarely use. Freeze it for the next time you need it.

12. Nuts - almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, mixed nuts, in shell or shelled, chopped, crumbled or whole. Nuts are stored well in the freezer, unlike in a cupboard, where they acquire a musty smell over time.

13. Fruits and berries. Buy fresh fruits and berries in season when they are cheap and freeze them. They can be used for making baked goods, compotes, smoothies, milkshakes, and even eaten “just like that.” In winter, this is an excellent source of vitamins, and in addition, significant savings for the budget.

14. Vegetables. Cut bell peppers, onions and carrots into strips and place on a board lined with baking paper. Once the vegetables are frozen, place them in a ziplock bag. Next time you cook, just pull out a few of these strips and add them to your dish. Can be frozen great amount vegetables - tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, onions, eggplants, fresh beans and peas and many others.

15. Hot pepper. Cut it into small pieces and freeze it, and use as much as you need if needed. A great idea for those who don't eat spicy foods all the time.

16. Soft “Viennese” waffles. I usually make a double batch of waffles and freeze half of them, lined with baking paper and packed in a ziplock bag. You can defrost the waffles in the microwave or toaster if you want a crispy crust.

17. Pancakes and pancakes. Same as with waffles, great option for breakfast.

18. Breadcrumbs. I don't cook breaded food very often, so I store the crackers in the freezer to prevent them from spoiling from being stored for a long time.

19. Yeast. Even if you bake quite often, a small package of live yeast will last you for several weeks. But they only last a few days, so the freezer is a great way to save money.

20. Grated cheese. Previously, I grated and froze small pieces of cheese, which were not eaten for several days and lay around in the refrigerator. Now I often buy cheese specifically for freezing, especially if there is a discount on it. This is very convenient, because at any time I have cheese on hand, which can be used in baking, when preparing pizza or hot dishes with cheese.

21. Herbs and greens. We often buy greens in huge bunches, but only a fifth of it is needed for a dish. I grind the greens in a blender with a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, then put the resulting mass in a mold for making ice. I put the frozen cubes in a ziplock bag, and then I take one or two cubes at a time and use them in cooking.

22. Cutlets. I cook them from different minced meat and with different additives, then I lay them out on a board lined with baking paper, and after freezing I put them in a ziplock bag. This way I can get the number of cutlets I need without defrosting the entire piece of minced meat.

23. Tomato sauce for pizza or spaghetti. I always make a few more servings of tomato sauce than I need and freeze the excess. This way I can save time on making this sauce the next time I make pizza or pasta.

24. Cookie dough. You can freeze shortbread dough either whole or as pre-shaped cookies. In the first case, you will need to defrost it and then roll out the cookies and bake them, in the second case, you can put the cookies in the oven straight from the freezer, it will just take 10 minutes longer to prepare them. However, in the second option, cookies in the freezer will take up a little more space.

25. Cereal bars. Both store-bought and homemade candy bars freeze perfectly. They keep for quite a long time and serve as an excellent snack option.

26. Ready-made cookies. Just like with waffles, I always make several batches of cookies at once and freeze some.

27. Boiled chopped chicken. Whether I'm cooking chicken specifically to freeze the finished meat or freezing leftovers from dinner, having ready-made meat makes life so much easier. Especially when you need to prepare a quick lunch or dinner.

28. Prepared beef. Beef takes a long time to cook, so it is very convenient to have ready-made fried or stewed beef in the freezer.

29. Soup. It is best to freeze cream soups, such as mushroom or pea soup, because potatoes in regular soup, when frozen, change their taste and structure and become tasteless. Freeze the soup in individual serving containers so you can simply reheat the whole soup when needed.

30. Pizza preparation. You can freeze the pizza by wrapping it in cling film and placing it in a bag. When you want to make pizza, just defrost the dough, roll it out, and fill the pizza with toppings.

31. Sliced ​​bananas. Slice the bananas, place them on a lined board, freeze them, and once frozen, place them in a ziplock bag. This method of freezing allows you to remove a few pieces of banana, if necessary, without defrosting the entire bag. Frozen bananas can be used in baking or to make smoothies and milkshakes.

32. Pie preparation. Just like with the pizza dough, freeze the slightly rolled out dough, and if necessary, defrost it, roll it out lightly and you are one step closer to the pie.

33. Pancakes with fillings. Ready-made pancakes filled with cottage cheese, meat, chicken, and berries are excellent for freezing and storing. It is best to store them in zip bags, lining each with baking paper, so that you can get the right amount.

34. Pies, pasties, belyashi and other pastries with filling. It can be stored both as a semi-finished product and in finished form. I always freeze ready-made baked goods so that I don’t have to spend extra time preparing them if necessary.

35. Ready-made pies and pizzas. Most often, I freeze ready-made pies and pizza if they are left over from dinner or lunch. This way I prevent food from going bad and also always have several options for a quick and filling snack or breakfast on hand.

36. Butter cream. The cream for cakes and cupcakes freezes well, and when you need it, defrost it at room temperature and re-beat it.

37. Broth. When making soup, I always freeze two or three servings of broth. I put chopped meat in the meat broth. The next time I need to cook soup, I pour boiling water over the broth briquette and thus save at least an hour of my life.

38. Marinated meat. Place the meat and marinade in a bag immediately after you get home from the grocery store, or the next day, and freeze them together. The evening before the picnic, remove the bag from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. The next day you will receive defrosted and marinated meat, ready to go to the barbecue or grill.

39. Trimmings and leftover vegetables for broth. I have a Ziploc bag in my freezer where I put leftover vegetables that appear during cooking or after dinner. Once enough accumulates, I make broth from them.

40. Muffins. Wrap the finished muffins without cream in cling film and put them in a bag and then in the freezer. So they can be stored for a month and a half. When you want to enjoy it, just defrost a couple in the microwave.

41. Cupcakes, such as banana or pumpkin muffin, carrot cake.

42. Hot chocolate mix

43. Leftover lasagna or casserole. It is better to freeze in portioned containers so that after defrosting there are no leftovers or extra portions.

44. Manti, dumplings and khinkali, both raw and cooked.

45. Milk. Milk in soft bags freezes well. Once defrosted, it is suitable for baking and preparing food such as porridge. You can freeze milk in ice cube trays and add one cube at a time to tea or coffee.

46. ​​Wholemeal crackers

47. Leftover melted chocolate

48. Preparations for dishes. Chop and bag chicken pieces, vegetables and add spices. If necessary, pour the mixture into the slow cooker, add rice or pasta and in 45 minutes you will have a wonderful lunch.

49. Preparations for smoothies and milkshakes. Place chopped fruits and berries in a bag, add the same amount of yogurt and freeze. When you want a milkshake, warm the bag a little under running warm water, put everything in a blender, add juice or milk and blend.

Are there days when you don’t have the time or desire to stand at the stove? Prepare for them in advance!

If you have your eye on something interesting on our website, but are not sure that you have enough time for it, reconsider your attitude towards the kitchen! We're not asking you to leave the stove and take up cross-stitching or soap making. We want to teach you how to save your time and use it more efficiently by freezing ready-made meals.

What can you store in the freezer?

We have already written that fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, tomatoes for pizza and much more can be frozen for the winter, and the fact that during the preparation season it is a huge success means that there are always useful preparations in the freezers of our readers !

But did you know that you can freeze not only plant foods, semi-finished products, dumplings and dumplings? It is much more economical in terms of time to freeze ready-to-eat dishes, which you only have to reheat and serve. For heating, it is best to use a microwave - one of the most household appliances in the house.

Take these basic recipes and start experimenting with your favorite snacks!

How to freeze chicken

Every third housewife thinks about whether it is possible to freeze fried chicken, but only every fifth decides to experiment! In fact, chicken cooked in the oven or according to the tapaka chicken principle tolerates freezing well and practically does not lose either its taste or consistency.

After defrosting, the chicken completely retains its shape, the skin remains in the same place, the color does not change. Checked! If you're afraid, try freezing a small piece, such as a wing or leg!

You can cook chicken on a free day, and it is much more convenient to bake several carcasses at once; this will save time, since you will have to wash the dishes and oven once. Cool the finished chicken well at room temperature, then wrap it in cling film so that less air gets into the packaging, and place the appetizer in the refrigerator. If you have an unexpected visit from guests or simply when you don’t feel like cooking, heat it up, cook it as a side dish and enjoy!

Cutlets and meatballs - a quick dinner

When preparing cutlets, meatballs or other minced meat dishes for lunch, cook them in double quantity. In terms of time spent, you will lose practically nothing, well, maybe an extra half hour will be spent on frying the cutlets. But then, when you don’t have time to prepare dinner, these preparations will definitely help you out.

The cutlets look no less appetizing than fresh ones

It is best to cool meat cutlets for freezing and wrap them in film, 2-4 pieces at a time. Meatballs can be frozen directly in tomato sauce by placing them in a portioned plastic container that can withstand both low and high temperatures. You can also freeze fried pieces of meat with or without sauce, chops, including lazy ones, stuffed peppers and cabbage rolls.

Freezing dumplings and dumplings

Now a little about how to properly freeze dumplings and dumplings. Dough products intended for cooking are best frozen raw. Always place dumplings in a single layer on a plate, trays or heavy cardboard.

You can prepare homemade dumplings not only on the stove, but also in a slow cooker. This will save a lot of time. They are also convenient to use for quickly preparing soup or for a hot snack in portioned pots.

Dumplings in vareniki should be placed in one layer

Preparations for soups

To avoid wasting time preparing frying soup, make several preparations at once. Fry onions, carrots, mushrooms, and other vegetables that you like to add to broths and freeze it all in small portions in plastic bags or plastic cups. The glasses will then need to be wrapped in film to prevent air from entering.

With the same success, you can freeze broths, which, for example, remain after boiling meat or chicken for salad. Plastic bottles and containers are suitable for this purpose.

The broth can be frozen in bags

Basics for pilaf and julienne

If you fry the meat in pieces, onions and grated carrots, and then freeze this mixture, then it will take a few minutes to prepare the pilaf. All you need to do is defrost the base, heat the meat and vegetables in a cauldron, add washed rice, add boiling water and wait for the dish to cook!

For a quick julienne, prepare mushrooms and onions. You can also add fried chicken or boiled mussels here. At the right time, heat everything in the microwave and act according to one of the following. By the way, fried mushrooms can be added to potatoes or rice.

How to freeze a cake

Many desserts can be frozen, but the best results are for honey cake, which can even be made from ready-made cake layers sold in stores. The main thing is to use butter-based cream for the layer, not sour cream. The cake (or its pieces) should be wrapped in film before placing in the freezer, and it should be defrosted in the refrigerator, taking it out several hours before use.

You can serve the cake with coffee made from frozen cubes. Just brew the aromatic drink in a higher concentration, and then pour boiling water over it. But it’s better, of course, not to be lazy, but to cook fresh!

The cake can be frozen whole or in portions

Ready-made pancakes with or without filling, fried and baked pies and pies, pizza, biscuits without filling, and bread tolerate freezing well. We could go on and on and on about dishes that can easily withstand freezing without losing their properties.

We are confident that our readers, being passionate women, will not be afraid of experiments, will try new things and share their advice with us and other housewives in the comments.

No matter what shape or size your freezer is, the principles of freezing remain the same. It is important to know which foods can be frozen and which cannot. I advise you to take my words with special attention, because the health of your family members depends on it.

shutr.bz

1. Cool food before placing it in the freezer

If you put a hot dish or product in the freezer, this will not only increase the temperature of the refrigerator itself, but also cause other products to begin to defrost.

2. Never refreeze food.

Even if you freeze a product raw and then cook it, do not put it back in the freezer.

3. Fully load your freezer

A freezer full of food works better because air doesn't circulate as much, which means less energy is used. If your freezer is not completely filled with food, take plastic bottles, fill half with water and fill all the free space with them. In addition, you can put in foods that you use daily, such as bread or frozen peas.

4. Good packing

It is very important to package the product correctly. Make sure to seal the product tightly on all sides, otherwise your food runs the risk of frostbite.

5. Portion control

You need to store food in the freezer in the correct quantities and sizes. There is no point in freezing a huge portion for eight people if your family consists of only three people.

6. When in doubt, throw away the product.

Despite popular belief, freezing does not kill bacteria. If you don't remember how long the food was in the freezer, or you're afraid you've already frozen the food, throw it away.

7. Buy fresh

Remember that freezing will not improve the quality of an already purchased product. Don't freeze old food if you just don't want to throw it away. The principle of freezing is to preserve the product in its original form.

8. Stickers on packaging

It may seem strange, but sometimes we cannot remember what kind of product we are freezing and how long it has been in the freezer. Buy a blue marker for raw food and a red marker for cooked food. You don't need to write a whole essay, just write the date and title, that will be enough.

9. Defrosting is mandatory

A freezer full of ice is ineffective, so always defrost your appliances when you see them in critical condition. Don't worry about the food, most of it will stay frozen for a few more hours.

10. In case of emergency

If there was a power outage or you think that someone turned off the refrigerator, do not open the door under any circumstances. The products should lie in the freezer for 24 hours, and during this time you can get to the heart of the matter.

11. What foods should not be frozen

Most individual ingredients can be frozen, and quality products are often labeled with storage conditions. But there are some foods that should not be frozen:

• Raw eggs will crack in their shells.
• Hard-boiled eggs will turn rubbery.
• Vegetables with high water content such as lettuce, cucumbers, legumes and radishes will become soft and runny.
• Soft herbs such as parsley, basil and chives will turn brown.
• Egg-based sauces such as mayonnaise will curdle.
• Regular yogurt, low-fat cream cheese, cream and cottage cheese will be watery.

12. What foods freeze well?

• Butter and margarine can be kept in the freezer for three months.
• Grated cheese can be stored in the freezer for four months and can be used immediately.
• Bread can last about three months in the freezer, but this does not apply to French bread.
• Milk can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Before using this product, defrost it in the refrigerator, then shake well.
• The raw dough can last in the freezer for six months, and defrosting only takes one hour.

13. What foods can be cooked without defrosting?

If you plan to cook something, you often have to remove the product from the freezer in advance, but there is also food that can be prepared right away. To cook a frozen product, you should start at lower temperatures; in order for it to begin to thaw, you can gradually increase the temperature to the desired temperature. Typically these are the following products:

• Soups, stews, stews and casseroles.
• Pastries and potato pies.
• Fish fillets, small fish, sausages, burgers and seafood, which are usually added at the end.

14. What foods should not be cooked immediately after you take them out of the freezer:

• Raw poultry and large pieces of meat.

I tried to convey the general rules for freezing food. If I missed something, I’ll be glad to see tips in the comments.

I consider the purchase of the freezer very successful! At first I thought that I couldn’t fill it halfway, but now there is no free space in it, everything is so crammed with food, preparations and other useful things. I’m sharing my experience in freezing food, and I’ll also show you where and what I have in the freezer.

Storing food in the freezer. Examples

In addition to a separate freezer, I also use a freezer in the refrigerator. In it I store the products that I use every day, so as not to have to go to another room where the freezer is located.

Typically, modern refrigerator models have a fairly spacious freezer compartment and consist of three deep compartments and a tray for freezing flat foods and ice cubes.

I find it more convenient to store the products I use most often in the top compartment (1) – these are frozen meat, lard, bacon, minced meat, meatballs, dumplings, dumplings, spring rolls, frozen cabbage rolls and stuffed peppers, broth, soup and the like.
In the middle compartment (2) – all kinds of vegetables, fruits, milk, hard cheese, tomato paste.
And products such as mushrooms, fish, seafood, etc. are in the lowest (3) .

So, let's look into my freezer (it consists of 6 trays).

The first two trays are all kinds of meat products and preparations.
Having a one-year-old child in the house, it is very convenient to freeze different types of meat in advance. I have chicken, rabbit, beef and fish balls (cod and hake). On the shelf nearby are homemade dumplings, as well as ready-made minced meat.

Let's see what's underneath? And there they lie. It is very convenient to freeze them in such foil forms, alternating with vegetable dressing and tomato juice. I have 14-16 cabbage rolls in this form. All you have to do is put them in a hot oven and dinner is ready.

Choose where to send you the table:

The next shelf contains the same meatballs, only “adult” ones (with spices and black pepper, more salty), as well as mountains (with meat and mushrooms). I freeze pancakes in zip-lock bags of 8-10 pieces. I heat them either in a frying pan, in the microwave, or in the oven. My household doesn’t have to ask me where the filling is, because on each bag it is written with a black marker what the pancakes come with.

Behind the pancakes and meatballs lie layers of homemade lard, as well as a slab of bacon. Lard is stored at low temperatures just fine, it does not lose its properties and does not turn yellow. I have had this lard for 4 months now and, based on my experience, it will last the same amount of time without loss of taste.

When I fry pancakes, I cut off a piece of frozen lard and grease the pan.

In general, frozen lard can be used in the same way as fresh: cut into strips or cubes, fry with onions and serve with potatoes.

I make pea soup from frozen bacon, season the potatoes and serve with it. All you need to do is put the bacon in the refrigerator and let it defrost overnight.

The next compartment I have is reserved purely for meat. Here is everything your heart desires: homemade chicken, cut into pieces, pork (neck, rib, shoulder), rabbit parts, as well as whole duck carcasses to cook or prunes for the holidays.

Look on our website for how to properly cut and freeze, as well as for portioned pieces.

All pieces of meat are in tight bags (parts such as wings and spine, as well as ribs - I put them in two bags), each of them has a label indicating the type of meat, part of the carcass and the date of freezing.

The next two shelves are filled to the maximum with frozen vegetables and fruits. Of course, a lot has already been eaten, but I also have something to show.

Green beans have been lying around for 6 months now, they don’t turn black and they don’t lose their properties at all. And all because I froze it correctly. Find out exactly how by reading our freezing recipe.

The only vegetables left are zucchini and eggplant. The cutting was different: cubes, strips, slices, grated vegetables and even puree. All vegetables look fresh, nothing has darkened or become covered with ice crusts.

Many housewives complain that raw carrots in the freezer turn gray, spoil and are not suitable for consumption. Look at mine. She looks like fresh. And all because I adhered to the required temperature regime and freezing rules. Pay attention to the month of freezing. I have had it for 6 months now. This supply will last me for another two months.

Not a single soup or borscht is complete without generous bunches of dill and parsley. I froze as much as I could, which was about 3-4 kilograms of each green. I also store it in zip-lock bags. For convenience, I use bags of different sizes and so that the greens do not freeze in one large lump, I freeze them in thin layers.

My favorite shelf in the freezer is the fruit compartment. It's just a holiday. There is such an abundance of berries and fruits here that not a single supermarket can compare with my freezer.

All berries are separate from each other, there are no layers, frozen blocks of cherries or currants.

The main rule for freezing berries is to dry them well from moisture and first freeze them on a flat tray, and then put them in bags or trays. In the summer I froze black, red, and white currants and stocked up.

In addition to my favorite zip-lock bags, I often use boxes or trays for freezing berries. Here they are protected from mechanical damage and getting berries out of them is a pleasure. The photo shows your favorite berries for making vitamin compote. By the way, be curious about how I froze, and.

I try to freeze seasonal vegetables and fruits on time, at the peak of their mass appearance in markets and stores. At this time, such products are the cheapest, and you can choose the best from a variety of fruits and berries.

I also freeze products such as meat in large quantities. I order poultry, pork, rabbit, etc. from farmers, I buy 40 kilograms, I freeze it and I can not think about the meat shelf in the freezer for 2-3 months. When I see that we have enough meat for a week, I order ice cream again and again. It's easier for me to spend one day freezing different cuts and parts of meat than to buy a little every couple of weeks and freeze them.

I don’t have a lot of fish in the freezer; I buy it once a month, no more than 1-2 kilograms. These are mainly fresh pike perch, mackerel and herring.

I try to make prepared preparations (such as cabbage rolls, dumplings, dumplings, filled pancakes, cutlets and meatballs) in large batches, but not all in one day. I break it down into groups. For example, on Saturday I decided to make dumplings and dumplings. Already on Thursday-Friday I start preparing: I make minced meat, boil potatoes and liver for filling, and stew cabbage. I hide it all in the refrigerator. On Saturday morning I knead the dough in the bread maker and finish cooking the filling. Well, then I turn on my favorite TV series and make dumplings and dumplings. It turns out 200 pieces of both. This way I don’t get tired in the kitchen and don’t wash mountains of dishes until 12 am.

The same is true with spring rolls - you can prepare the filling in advance or bake the pancakes, and then just roll them up and freeze them.

How to keep records of freezing

I showed you the bins of my freezer, and now I’ll tell you how I keep track of all this stuff.

Using a spreadsheet, I made a list of all the foods I freeze throughout the year. I divided all the products by season. For example, SPRING: spinach, wild garlic, strawberries, rhubarb, SUMMER: raspberries, blueberries, etc. Filled out the required fields, namely the freezing date and shelf life. Well, then the smart program, using a formula, itself shows me how many days are left until the final date of use of the product or even writes that the product is expired.

When I see that a product will expire in 2-3 weeks, I put it in a visible place in the freezer and plan a menu using this product.

Naturally, in addition to the program, labels help you navigate the expiration date of the product.

Example of an accounting table

(tables + tables of shelf life of products are received by participants of the training “ “)

An example of an accounting table (Procurement).

The freezer is my faithful assistant. It stores so many products, vegetables, fruits and semi-finished products that I don’t have to think about cooking and devote more time to my family.