8 surprising foods you can freeze - advice from penny pinching pros

It's surprising what you can put in the freezer (photo: adobe)It's surprising what you can put in the freezer (photo: adobe)
It's surprising what you can put in the freezer (photo: adobe)

It's surprising what you can freeze

Penny pinching pros have revealed a list of the surprising foods you can freeze in order to help preserve your food for longer and save you money.

Cash strapped Brits are being encouraged to freeze their leftovers to help save cash.

The penny-pinching pros at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have shared their selection of foods that shoppers may not know they could store in the freezer.

Chilli, crisps and cheese are among the foods Brits may not know they could freeze. Others include butter, nuts and alcohol.

Preserving foods by refrigeration has been a method used for centuries; however there is always speculation over what you should and shouldn’t freeze.

So the experts have revealed this list to help families lower food wastage and in turn save their hard earned cash.

A spokesperson for NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “Freezing your fresh food and leftover meals is a simple way to save money each week.

“By freezing what you don’t eat, you can save yourself from spending unnecessarily during your weekly shop.

“By compiling this list of foods you didn’t know you could freeze, it will hopefully help weekly shops go the extra mile.

“When it comes to freezing your food, it’s always advisable to use freezer-proof zip lock bags to keep foods fresh for when you come to use them. Remove any excess air before storing and be sure to label and date your preserved foods.”

NetVoucherCodes.co.uk ’ eight surprising foods you can freeze:

Baked Goods

Surprisingly baked goods like brownies can be stored in plastic containers in the freezer (photo: adobe)Surprisingly baked goods like brownies can be stored in plastic containers in the freezer (photo: adobe)
Surprisingly baked goods like brownies can be stored in plastic containers in the freezer (photo: adobe)

Good news if you’re a lover of brownies, cakes and cookies! Baked goods can be stored in plastic containers for up to three months. A handy snack if you bake them in batches and freeze until you need a sweet-treat fix.

Crisps

Even crisps can be stored in the freezer (photo: adobe)Even crisps can be stored in the freezer (photo: adobe)
Even crisps can be stored in the freezer (photo: adobe)

Freezing crisps is an excellent technique to make them last beyond their expiry date. You can store crisps in their original bag for up to two months.

Cheese

Cheese, particularly hard cheese is good for freezing (photo: adobe)Cheese, particularly hard cheese is good for freezing (photo: adobe)
Cheese, particularly hard cheese is good for freezing (photo: adobe)

Cheese is another contender for your freezer, it can keep for three to six months. Hard cheese performs better in the freezer compared to soft cheeses like ricotta and cottage cheese. Be sure to defrost your cheese before placing it back in the fridge, to avoid it becoming crumbly. You can also freeze grated cheese by adding flour to the bag and shaking well before freezing.

Garlic

Even garlic can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months (photo: adobe)Even garlic can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months (photo: adobe)
Even garlic can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months (photo: adobe)

Keep your garlic in the freezer for up to 12 months.Whether you want to preserve whole cloves or once it’s been sliced, simply place your garlic in a zip lock bag in the freezer to give it a longer shelf life.

Butter

Even butter can be made to last in the freezer (photo: adobe)Even butter can be made to last in the freezer (photo: adobe)
Even butter can be made to last in the freezer (photo: adobe)

Even butter can be made to last. To freeze your butter, wrap tightly in quality kitchen foil or freezer wrap. Salted butter can be preserved in the freezer for up to nine months, if you are freezing unsalted butter it will last for six months.

Chopped chilli and herbs

Herbs and spices and spices including chilli can be kept in the freezer (photo: adobe)Herbs and spices and spices including chilli can be kept in the freezer (photo: adobe)
Herbs and spices and spices including chilli can be kept in the freezer (photo: adobe)

Save yourself from buying excess chilli and herbs at the supermarket and freeze your leftovers. To do so, chop up your leftovers and place them inside an empty water bottle and screw the lid tightly. This will prevent moisture from ruining your chilli and herbs.

Alcohol (certain kinds)

Drinks, particularly spirits but also white or rose wine can be kept in the freezer (photo: adobe)Drinks, particularly spirits but also white or rose wine can be kept in the freezer (photo: adobe)
Drinks, particularly spirits but also white or rose wine can be kept in the freezer (photo: adobe)

Happy days, your unfinished wine can be frozen! This method works best with wines that are better chilled, such as white or rosé. Most spirits are good to go in the freezer, they’ll be kept fresh and cold, but won't freeze completely due to high alcohol content.

Nuts

Preserve your salted or unsalted fresh nuts in the freezer (photo: adobe)Preserve your salted or unsalted fresh nuts in the freezer (photo: adobe)
Preserve your salted or unsalted fresh nuts in the freezer (photo: adobe)

It’s easy to preserve your salted or unsalted fresh nuts. Simply place them in a ziplock freezer back and they’ll last in the freezer for up to nine months. To defrost, simply let them thaw until room temperature. For quicker results, you can reheat your nuts by roasting in a pan or oven. Perfect for garnishing over ice cream or yoghurt.