When you want to preserve food and start building up a small stockpile of emergency food at home, the freezer is your best friend. But you may be wondering, what would you put in the freezer, aside from the food items you are used to freezing, like meat, fish, and bread. Here are some of the more surprising foods that you can freeze.
Nuts are One of the Things to Put in Freezer
Did you know you can freeze nuts? That’s right!
They will last a lot longer and are extremely easy to defrost before enjoying them. Just put your nuts in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, then pull them from the freezer and set them on your kitchen counter when you want to enjoy them.
It does take a few hours to thaw out completely. But if you are using them in a recipe, you can put them in a pan to be heated up as well.
What Would You Put in the Freezer: Try Freezing Gravy
Gravy also freezes very well, so before you throw out the extra gravy you know you won’t use within a few days, just put it in a container to be frozen.
If you know you want to use the entire portion of gravy for a meal, pour the gravy into a freezer-safe container or baggie once it has cooled down completely.
You can then freeze that, and remove it when you’re ready to use it. Let it thaw a little on your counter, then put it into a pan to be heated up.
Shredded Cheese
One of the more surprising foods that can be frozen is shredded cheese. The great thing about shredded cheese is that once it has thawed in your refrigerator, it is just like new.
The consistency or flavor shouldn’t change much after being frozen. You can save money on your grocery bills by purchasing it in bulk, and freezing what you don’t think you will use before the expiration date.
And how long does shredded cheese last when frozen? You can keep shredded cheese fresh for up to 8 months if you will store it properly in the freezer.
When you’re in doubt, though, it’s always recommended to smell and take a look at the appearance of the cheese regardless of how you stored it.
Pasta
If you want to start creating entire meals to be frozen for later, pasta should be at the top of your list!
It is best done when you can flash freeze the cooked and cooled pasta on cookie sheets. Then, put the pasta into a freezer bag. It will be flattened, so it takes up less space in your freezer.
Freezing Wine
You can freeze wine. Instead of keeping it in the wine bottle, pour the leftover wine into ice cube trays and put that in the freezer. Then you can pull them out and add them to your glass when it’s ready to enjoy the wine you saved.
If you’re wondering at what temperature does wine freeze, the wine freezing point is around 22-degrees Fahrenheit.
Can You Freeze Salad Mix
When you hear the question ‘what would you put in the freezer,’ do you ever consider freezing your salad? Amazingly, you can do that to extend the shelf life of salad and of course, to keep it fresh.
There’s one thing you should avoid, though. And that is to include the dressing when freezing salad. The main reason is that it’s not ideal to freeze mayonnaise and it might just affect the quality of your salad.
In addition, there are other things to keep in mind when freezing salad. It includes how to properly store and thaw it. Check them out here.