When you’re trying to save money, you look for different ways that you can tighten your expenses or extend what you already have for a longer time period. Freezing foods is one just one of the ways that you can extend your budget a bit by buying what is on sale, when it’s on sale, and freezing it until you need it. Freezing foods extends their shelf life meaning that you can store more than what you can fit in the pantry and that you can store it for a longer time period. There are so many items that can be frozen, but these 20 foods thrifty people freeze to save money are a good starting point for filling your freezer.
20 Foods Thrifty People Freeze To Save Money
Milk – To freeze milk, open the jug, pour off a cup or so from the top, recap tightly and then freeze. When thawing, just place in the fridge and let it thaw slowly. Shake before using and make sure to use it within a week or so to prevent spoilage.
Eggs – To freeze whole eggs, scramble them in a mixing bowl and fill ice cube trays with the egg mixture. Once frozen, transfer your egg cubes to Ziploc baggies and seal well. Egg whites and egg yolks are done the exact same way, but with yolks only, scramble lightly and freeze.
Breads Products – Sweet cakes, breads, tortillas and more can all be frozen with no impact on taste or texture. Just toss them in the freezer where they won’t be crushed and shut the door.
Herbs and spices – To keep herbs and spices fresher longer, simple store them in the freezer. You can even mix up an herb butter, place in ice cube trays and freeze for individual servings!
Cheese and cream cheese – Cheese can be frozen for months with very little damage done to the texture or flavor of the food product. Block cheeses do not freeze well and when cut after thawing, they will crumble. American cheese also does not freeze well. Shredded cheeses are best for freezing. Cream cheese is another great item to freeze! Pick it up during the holidays for pennies and freeze for later! Keep in mind that frozen cream cheese will lose its creamy, spreadable consistency and will really only be usable in recipes after.
Sour Cream – To freeze sour cream, simply store it upside down in the container it comes in. Sour cream that has been frozen will have a slightly different consistency than fresh. Be sure to give it a good stir before using.
Berries, Grapes and Bananas – Pick up fresh berries while they’re in season, slice and store in sealed freezer bags or freezer containers for fresh berries all year long! Freezing stops bacteria from causing spoilage meaning that they will freeze in the exact condition they were in when you froze them! For grapes, store whole and for bananas, slice and freeze.
Peppers and Onions – Slice up your favorite peppers or an onion and you’ll be able to freeze them for use weeks later. Remember to remove all seeds before freezing. They won’t be as crisp when you thaw and use, but they’ll still be flavorful. One thing that we like to do at our house is to make up pepper blends with green, red, orange and yellow peppers and freeze the blends together. Aside from saving money, it makes cooking a snap!
Garden Fresh Vegetables – If your garden produced more crop than your family can eat, freeze the extra! You’ll have fresh veggies all winter long! For corn, you can freeze on the cob or off. For snap beans, take the ends off and snap before freezing. Peas should be removed from their shell before freezing.
Cookie Dough – With coupons, we can usually find cookie dough really cheap around the holidays. Pick up a few extra packages and toss in the freezer. You don’t even need to thaw it really to bake! Just increase your bake time by 1-2 minutes and keep an eye on them.
Butter – Butter can be frozen almost indefinitely. Just freeze in its original container and thaw by the stick as you need it. I have used butter that had been frozen for a year with no change at all in consistency or taste.
Liquid Coffee Creamer – Coffee creamer can be a budget buster if you use it daily. Pick up a few extras when they’re on sale and stash in the freezer. Before using, be sure to give a good shake to mix the ingredients back together.
Buttermilk – I hate buying buttermilk because I can never seem to use it all before it spoils. It freezes very well though! Freeze it just like regular milk and to use, shake well and use normally.
Pasta Sauce – Pasta sauce can be frozen easily. Freeze in a plastic freezer container or freezer bag and thaw when you need it! This works for both red and white sauces.
Baby Food – If you make your own baby food, freeze it in an ice cube tray then move to a baggy and you’ll have long lasting, individual servings of fresh food for weeks to come!
Ground coffee – Storing ground coffee in the freezer will keep it from getting stale and losing its flavor. Store in its original container, set inside of a Ziploc bag to keep it freshest. Do not freeze whole bean coffee. The beans lose their strength and will not grind correctly after thawing.
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Thank you for sharing these. I never thought of freezing eggs, I will have to remember that once my chickens start laying.
One big thing that I like to freeze is fresh veggies from my garden. I just lay them on a baking tray and flash freeze them before transferring to ziploc bags.
Great tips!
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I never thought to freeze chopped or sliced peppers, but it’s a great idea! Where I am, peppers are ridiculously expensive. I’ll remember do to this next time I see them on sale. Thanks for the tips!
i freeze everything! Cream cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta mozzarella pepperoni, anything goes. Apart from raw potatoes.
cream cheese does not freeze well and it even states it in this post. i dont even recommend using it in recipes. its like ingredients seperate completely and won’t bind back together.
I would definitely add meats to this list!!
I disagree that American cheese doesn’t freeze well. We regularly buy and freeze the American singles when there’s a great sale. I’d also say berries only freeze so-so. Our frozen blueberries are never quite up to fresh in terms of firmness.
These are awesome! I also puree veggies like carrots and greens, freeze in ice cube trays and use the cubes to cool soups, boost smoothies and add nutrition.